Piercing your ear is a tradition that’s as long as the civilization itself. Everywhere, from the most primitive tribes to the regions with the highest GDP, you’ll see people with pierced ears. Seeing as how this is such a massive part of our culture, there are so many ways to pierce an ear and so many piercing ideas available. Something in such high demand must have evolved in so many different branches to give people a variety of choices. With all of this in mind and without further ado, here are some of the most valid options there are.
Double piercing
While some suggest that, for the safety of your earlobe you should get a piercing at a time, the truth is that this is not a real limitation. What is, however, highly recommended by most experts is not getting more than four piercings in one ear at the same time. The reason behind this is the fact that this may cause increased swelling and take an incredibly long time to recover. So, regardless if you want to get one piercing right away or both at the same time, it’s completely safe to do so. Then again ear piercings heal and you’re not in a rush, so taking it slow or going with one more piercing than you plan to keep are not major mistakes.
Double lobe piercing
One of the most absurd myths about piercing is that lobe piercings hurt more than other piercings. The truth is that a lobe is the least painful place to get a piercing. If anything, it’s a quick, sharp pain that dissipates rather quickly (sometimes in minutes). Now, should you get both at the same time? The truth is that some piercing specialists find it preferable to do it this way in a single sitting. Some might even argue that available space on your ear is the only limiting factor when it comes to lobe piercings, seeing as how swelling here is less intense.
The minimalist piercing
The term minimalist, in this context, can mean several things. It’s usually not referring to a traditional single-piercing in your lobe but the type of earrings used. In other words, minimalist, in this context, usually involves a simple band with no complex ornaments (usually slimmer than you would expect from an earring). Now, as far as the position goes, the piercing can be in the lobe, in the helix, or in a tragus ear piercing. In other words, this has more to do with the type of jewelry than anything else.
Triple helix piercing
Even in a world where so many people are pierced, triple helix piercings are incredibly rare. Now, keep in mind that a triple helix piercing may heal between two and nine months. After the first two months, the initial healing period will be over but the full healing won’t be done before six months, at the earliest. The reason behind this is the fact that the circulation in this area is not that great (it’s mostly cartilage), which is why you want this to be done by a professional. Ideally, you would look for medical ear piercing places instead of just going to a random piercing salon.
Orbital ear piercing
The term orbital is usually used to describe a piercing that enters and exits in the same part of the ear. Now, when talking about the orbital ear piercing, 9 out of 10 times, we’re talking about the helix (outer ear rim). This type of piercing has a significantly lower pain level and a shorter healing time. Depending on the placement, on a scale of 1 to 10 (of how much getting an ear piercing can hurt) the majority of people describe it as a solid 4 (sometimes even a weak 5). The healing process can be as short as 2-3 months.
Tragus piercing
In the past, it was believed that a tragus piercing could have been used as acupuncture to treat or prevent migraine headaches. This belief has long since been debunked (however, to be completely frank, so was acupuncture as a whole) but a lot of people are still getting their tragus pierced. Why? Well, because, when done right, it can look amazing. One potential problem that you can have with this type of piercing is sleeping on your side during the healing process. Seeing as how this can take weeks and months, it’s a lot harder than you expect it to be and it might make you think twice.
The constellation
The constellation piercing is a piercing layout that consists of a group of piercings, usually three or four, making a unified pattern on your ear. The thing is that while a lot of people have multiple piercings on their ears, these don’t always come together. Now, don’t get us wrong, it’s completely fine that they act in a standalone manner, it’s just that this is a huge missed opportunity. Now, as we’ve mentioned, it’s usually not a great idea to get more than 4 piercings in the same ear in a single sitting. Therefore, this might be a project that will take a while.
Stacked piercings
Stacked piercings are a similar concept to constellations, only that they have the privilege of being less interconnected without breaking the theme. They’re more chaotic, which is exactly what some people are looking for in a piercing layout. Sometimes, two or three piercings can be connected with a chain but this too is not a rule. In other words, the simplest way to describe stacked piercings is a free-for-all.
In conclusion
In the end, piercings were always a way to express oneself, which is why it’s so important that you spend some time choosing the best option. Keep in mind that there’s no right or wrong choice, there’s only a right or wrong choice for you. While personal preferences are the determining factor, they’re certainly not the only factor at play. All in all, you need to start by weighing all your options and considering all things, including the process itself. Only then should you feel emboldened to make this move.