Everything You Need to Know About Tragus Piercings
If you're ready to add some extra hardware to your ears in the form of a new piercing, you may have come across the term "tragus piercing" at some point.
But before you head straight to your local Piercing Pagoda, it's good to make sure you have some background knowledge on a few key things. With that said, here is everything you need to know about getting a tragus piercing:
1. What Exactly Is a Tragus Piercing?
Let's start with the most important thing you need to know about tragus piercing: What exactly are they? To keep it simple, what you need to know is that your tragus is the small section of cartilage on your ear that can be found directly in front of your ear canal, partially covering it (think the part you can press down when you "close your ears"). So, naturally, a tragus piercing is when you have that piece of cartilage pierced with some sort of earring. Historically speaking, this is a newer style of piercing that really only started gaining traction around the 1980s, at least in the world of fashion and media that we know.
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Also Read About: What I Wish I Knew Before I Got My Cartilage Pierced
2. What Types of Jewelry Can Be Worn With a Tragus Piercing?
While options for traditional lobe earrings are virtually endless, tragus piercings typically stick to a couple of basic styles. Similar to what you might wear for piercings on your upper ear—which consists of similar cartilage to the tragus—small studs, barbells and mini-hoops are the best choices for a tragus piercing.
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Also read about: Everything You Should Know About Ear Piercings
3. Does It Hurt?
Like most piercing professionals will tell you, when it comes to any piercing, pain is relative. Overall, though, everything you need to know about the tragus piercing in terms of how much it hurts will depend on your personal pain tolerance levels. Some people claim they felt more pressure than pain when they got theirs, as it can be compared to a helix piercing or other style completed on the cartilage of the ear. Pro tip: Try to relax and reduce your stress when the piercing is taking place. Tensing your body in anticipation of pain when the piercing gun is fast approaching can only make it hurt worse—and besides, it's over in a flash.
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Also Read About: A Definitive Ranking of Ear Piercings, From Least to Most Painful
4. How Do You Care For a Tragus Piercing?
The healing process for any cartilage piercing can be a bit trickier than what you might be used to if you've only ever had your lobes pierced before, but it's nothing to worry about so long as you take the right steps for piercing care. Here's everything you need to know about healing and caring for your tragus piercing:
- The piercing can get in the way when you're using things like earphones that have direct contact with your tragus and ear canal
- It may be best to avoid touching the piercing as well as anything (such as the items listed above) coming into contact with the fresh piercing for at least a few weeks afterward
- You can keep it clean using similar methods that you would another piercing, but avoid using soaps or disinfectants for the first day
- It is usually recommended to avoid sleeping on the piercing for at least the first couple of months when healing (travel pillows can help you stay comfortable while preventing pressure on your pierced tragus)
- Complete healing can take anywhere between 6 and 12 months
Also Read About: How to Properly Clean Your Ear Piercings
It's also good to note that, while rare, some people can have an allergic reaction, hypertrophic scarring or other forms of irritation after having their tragus pierced, but this is a risk with any piercing you might get.
And there you have it—crash course over! Now that you know everything you need to know about tragus piercings, it's time to decide if it's the right choice for you. And if you decide to go for it, you can check out our list of Instagram captions for your grand social media piercing reveal by clicking HERE.