The Ultimate Guide to Tragus Piercings: Tips and Aftercare

The tragus piercing has become one of the most popular piercings all around the world. It is located in the ear, in the small cartilage flap protecting the ear canal.

What jewelry should I choose for my tragus piercing?

Like in other ear piercings, you can choose among many types of piercing jewelry!

Labrets are more comfortable because they have one flat end. Besides, they’re easy to put in and keep clean. However, if you want a piercing with a pendant, for example, then you should wear a straight barbell Rings, horseshoes, and curved barbells are also excellent choices for a tragus piercing.

Remember to choose a low wire thickness - they exist as thin as 1 mm - and that the length or diameter should be either 6 mm or 8 mm, depending on your desired look.

What materials are best suited for the tragus?

You can use many different materials for ear piercings, like the tragus. We recommend titanium, PTFE, and Bioplast if you have a nickel allergy or have sensitive skin. If not, you may also wear surgical steel, 14K gold, or brass. You should always avoid using silver piercing jewelry in your piercings.

You quickly risk a black discoloration in your ear with silver, which can be hard to remove. In addition, silver releases high amounts of nickel so that you might experience a rash. Instead, you can choose the silver look of white gold jewelry, which is far safer.

Should I get pierced with a gun or with a needle?

Like with any other kind of piercing, you should get your tragus appropriately done by a professional piercer and not with an ear gun. The most important reason for this is that ear guns push a quick pin through the ear, creating trauma to the cartilage and thus complicating the healing process. This can cause unnecessary pain afterward, as the piercing becomes inflamed. Another important aspect is the piercing jewelry that one gets with ear guns. Ear guns have the wrong measurements for a tragus piercing, which means you’ll not be able to use the desired jewelry in your tragus.

How is a tragus piercing made safely?

Going to a professional piercing studio will give you the guarantee of being in the hands of an experienced, certified piercer. They will make sure that the hygienic conditions are optimal, which means the piercer will disinfect your ear up to several times.

As opposed to being pierced with a gun, piercing studios only use sterile tools and sterile disposable needles.

Once you and your piercer determine the exact spot for your tragus piercing, the area will be disinfected and marked with a one-use sterile pen. The piercer will then grasp your tragus with pliers, and you’ll feel a small prick. Take a deep breath after, and it's over! Now the needle is replaced with the desired piece of jewelry and you can show off your new tragus

How should I take care of my tragus piercing?

When it comes to caring for your piercing, it's recommended that you first follow the advice that your piercer has given you. It is your piercer who has given you the guarantee, so you should follow their advice and guidance. A tragus piercing isn't a super complicated piercing, but it is made through several layers of cartilage. That means it will take a long time to heal, typically around 3 to 4 months.

The longer a piercing takes to heal, the more chances of getting an infection.

Due to the location of this piercing, you’ll need to be extra careful and prevent your tragus from coming in contact with hairspray, make-up residue, earwax, headphones, etc.