1Lobe
The most common of all piercings. Generally pierced with a gun it can also be pierced with a needle to a 1.2mm, 1.6mm or 2.4mm gauge with a bcr or barbell. If you are planning on stretching your ear after having it pierced a needle piercing is recommended, particularly at a 1.6mm gauge as this provides a ‘cleaner’ groundwork to stretch from.
Initial jewellery change: 6 weeks.
Healing time: 6 - 8 weeks.
Jewellery:
Plain or jewelled studex ear studs in gold or rhodium plated, titanium or solid gold
1.2mm, 1.6mm or 2.4mm titanium bcr or barbell.
2Rim
Is the outer curve of your ear, commonly called a cartilage piercing. Until recently the regular practice was to pierce this with a gun as done with a lobe piercing. However with the growing realisation of the damage done to the cartilage on behalf of the piercer and general public this has gladly become more obsolete. A bcr or barbell can be used for a tragus piercing, a barbell will look more like a ’normal’ stud whereas the ring will have a definite hang, sitting as vertically as your ear will allow.
Initial jewellery change: 8 weeks / 2 months.
Healing time: 2 - 4 months.
Jewellery:
A 1.2mm titanium bcr or barbell can be used. Neither will ensure your piercing will heal faster than the other so the choice is an aesthetic one.
3Tragus
The tragus is the protruding cartilage at the entrance to the ear canal. It has become a common piercing but can be a little more difficult to heal than other common piercings. A bcr or barbell can be used for a tragus piercing, a barbell will look more like a ’normal’ stud whereas the ring will have a definite hang, sitting as vertically as your ear will allow. There is a large amount of jewellery available for a healed tragus piercing from a delicately small internally threaded jewelled labret to a black spiked labret to a coloured titanium bcr.
Initial jewellery change: 8 weeks / 2 months.
Healing time: 2 - 4 months.
Jewellery:
1.2mm titanium bcr or barbell can be used. Neither will ensure your piercing will heal faster than the other so the choice is an aesthetic one.
4Anti-tragus
The anti-tragus is the fold of cartilage above your lobe and just opposite your tragus. This can be a problematic piercing so to counter this 1.2mm P.T.F.E with titanium balls is used. The flexibility and lightness of the P.T.F.E does not put the stress on this delicate piercing that a titanium bcr or barbell would, ensuring a faster and easier healing process. However once the piercing is fully healed any jewellery can be used. Because of the nature of the piercing your piercer at Urban Piercings will decide on the placement specifically to your ear and shape. Therefore few anti-tragus piercings will look alike.
Initial jewellery change: 8 weeks / 2 months.
Healing time: 2 - 4 months.
Jewellery:
1.2mm P.T.F.E with 3mm titanium balls on either end is used for an anti-tragus piercing. Generally more length is needed on the bar than other piercings but this excess can be trimmed 3 - 4 weeks into the healing process if the extra length is becoming too much.
5Snug
The snug piercing is the ridge of cartilage running parallel with your rim, it starts from the anti-tragus at the bottom and becomes the rook at the top. This can be a problematic piercing so to counter this 1.2mm P.T.F.E with titanium balls is used. The flexibility and lightness of the P.T.F.E does not put the stress on this delicate piercing that a titanium bcr or barbell would, ensuring a faster and easier healing process. However once the piercing is fully healed any jewellery can be used. Because of the nature of the piercing your piercer at Urban Piercings will decide on the placement specifically to your ear and shape. Therefore few snug piercings will look alike.
Initial jewellery change: 8 weeks / 2 months.
Healing time: 2 - 4 months.
Jewellery: 1.2mm P.T.F.E with 3mm titanium balls on either end is used for an anti-tragus piercing. Generally more length is needed on the bar than other piercings but this excess can be trimmed 3 - 4 weeks into the healing process if the extra length is becoming too much.
6Rook
The rook piercing is the horizontal ridge of cartilage at the top of the snug piercing. The placement of this piercing means it is almost tucked in behind the helix, still perfectly visible when viewed from the front, Best described as ‘peeping out’ from behind the helix.
Initial jewellery change: 8 weeks / 2 months.
Healing time: 2 - 4 months.
Jewellery: A 1.2 x 8mm titanium bcr or curved barbell can be used in a rook piercing and as neither will ensure your piercing will heal faster than the other, the choice is purely an aesthetic one.
7Helix
The helix is the beginning of your rim of cartilage, above your tragus and by the side of your temple. This piercing generally follows the line of your head running perpendicular to it. A bcr is recommended for the helix and it is pierced so that the bcr will find a comfortable place to sit and hang as vertically as your ear will allow. Therefore few helix piercings will look alike.
Initial jewellery change: 8 weeks / 2 months.
Healing time: 2 - 4 months.
Jewellery: A 1.2 x 8mm titanium bcr is used for the helix piercing but although a bcr is recommended a 1.2mm straight barbell can also be used.
8Diath
The diath is the low ridge of cartilage following on from the helix going into the conch, beneath the rook. The diath is always pierced with a bcr, as this will sit against your conch and provide the least amount of movement during the healing process. Once healed, if a barbell is preferred, the bcr can be replaced with a tight fitting curved barbell of your choice.
Initial jewellery change: 8 weeks / 2 months.
Healing time: 2 - 4 months.
Jewellery: A 1.2 x 8mm titanium bcr is almost exclusively used for the diath piercing.
9Conch
The conch is the inner part of the ear which resembles the shell from which it is named. This can be a problematic piercing so to counter this 1.6mm P.T.F.E with titanium balls is used. The flexibility and lightness of the P.T.F.E does not put the stress on the piercing that a titanium bcr or barbell would, ensuring a faster and easier healing process. However once the piercing is fully healed any jewellery can be used. The conch is generally pierced so that when your face is viewed from the front it will just be visible. This placement also often means a bcr can be worn comfortably once the piercing is healed.
Initial jewellery change: 8 weeks / 2 months.
Healing time: 2 - 4 months.
Jewellery: 1.6mm P.T.F.E with 4mm titanium balls on either end is used for an conch piercing. Generally more length is needed on the bar than other piercings but this excess can be trimmed 3 - 4 weeks into the healing process if the extra length is becoming too much.
10Scaffold
A scaffold piercing is the joining of two (or more) piercings with a single bar. The scaffold is considered the most serious of cartilage piercings because of the extra care and healing time required for it. Because of the nature of the scaffold piercing, 1.6mm P.T.F.E with 5mm titanium balls is used. The lightness, and most importantly the flexibility of P.T.F.E ensures that this delicate piercing can heal as quickly as possible, so that if one of the piercings is knocked, stress is not placed on the other, as happens when scaffolds are pierced with metal bars. The scaffold is pierced where it ‘needs’ to go, Ensuring ample cartilage is pierced, no other part of the ear will put pressure on the piercing once a metal bar has been inserted and it is aesthetically pleasing. Therefore, few scaffold piercings will look alike.
Initial jewellery change: A minimum of 8 weeks / 2 months.
Healing time: 3 - 6 months.
Jewellery: 1.6mm P.T.F.E with 5mm titanium balls is used for scaffold piercings.