20 Types of Ear Piercings: Styles, Pain Chart & Costs in 2023 (2023)

Ear piercings have always been popular and will continue to be fashion and beauty trends forever. While some girls still prefer the single, double or triple studs on the lobe or cartilage, cool ear piercings and pretty earrings have been trending strong as of late. With all the different ear piercings to consider, it can be a challenge choosing the right places to get pierced. Whether you’re going for cute and fashionable or edgy and bold, there are a multiple ear piercing styles to pick from. To inspire your look, here are all the different types of ear piercings to get right now. Read on to explore the best piercing ideas, how much these locations will hurt, and the cost to get your ears pierced!

Ear Piercing Chart

Picking a location for your piercing is easy once you understand the different ear piercings available. Doing research and figuring out the names of piercings can result in better communication with the professional who will pierce your ears. To help you understand the many ear piercings you can get, here is a diagram with the different spots and their names labeled.

For best results, we recommend you use this chart, bring a picture example of the kind of piercing you want, and ask a professional about the styles they recommend.

The most popular ear piercings for women continue to be found on the cartilage and lobe. The majority of girls have their lobes pierced when they’re young, so this is typically the first piercing women get. However, jewelry in department and specialty stores can be adapted for all types of piercings, making it easy to change out your earrings throughout the week.

Different Types of Ear Piercings

Industrial Piercing

An industrial piercing requires you to pierce the upper cartilage of your ear in two different places. Once this is completed, a small bar is placed between the two perforations and each end is affixed with a tiny ball closure to ensure the bar stays in place. The bar is visible across the exterior cartilage.

Ear Lobe Piercing

The lobe piercing is the most common. These piercings are created on the soft, lower portion of the ear and are less painful than other choices. Some women prefer to have multiple lobe piercings whereas others go with the classic look of having each lobe pierced once. There is a six-week healing period for each piercing.

Cartilage Piercing

The placement of a cartilage piercing is dependent on your preference, as there are numerous spots throughout the harder cartilage of your ear where the perforation can be made. Keep in mind that the healing process is mildly uncomfortable compared to earlobe piercings. Cartilage piercings take anywhere between four months and one year to heal completely.

Helix Piercing

A helix piercing is placed in the upper cartilage of your ear. As a cartilage piercing, the helix is one of the least painful piercings to get since it requires a small needle. Versatile and cool, you can select any type of earring or jewelry with this piercing. Some women like the barbell look whereas others pick a classic hoop.

Forward Helix Piercing

The forward helix piercing is a variation of the traditional helix, where this one has an entirely different placement. With a forward helix, you’ll have the cartilage pierced toward the front of your ear near the bottom of your helix. Placed lower down the ear, stud earrings look great and are easy to clean and maintain over time.

Daith Piercing

A daith piercing is situated in the cartilage of your inner ear. While this sounds painful, it’s one of the easiest piercings to get and is surprisingly cute and low-maintenance. The location also looks trendy and hot with many types of jewelry. Go for a small hoop with a flower or gem on the end to add flair to your everyday style.

Tragus Piercing

The tragus piercing is one of the most painful to get simply due to the location. The tragus is the area found at the front of your ear canal which makes it difficult to pierce. You’ll be able to choose from a variety of earrings, each of which can be used to reflect your style.

Snug Piercing

The snug piercing is another inner cartilage piercing for women who want something with an edge. The perforation is made along the inner cartilage closest to the outer rim of your ear. You’ll need micro-earrings for this type of piercing, which is something to consider if you want to browse through jewelry in advance.

Transverse Lobe Piercing

Like a traditional lobe piercing, the transverse lobe piercing is achieved by perforating the lower ear. The main difference here is that a tiny bar runs horizontally through the earlobe itself. This means the ball closures added on the ends are the only visible part of the piercing.

Orbital Piercing

The orbital piercing consists of two separate perforations that are then connected with one specially designed earring. Although commonly placed on the earlobe, some variations of the orbital piercing place it on the cartilage instead.

Anti-Tragus Piercing

Though the name implies something drastically different, an anti-tragus piercing is quite like the standard tragus. The primary difference is the location of the perforation which is made in the cartilage slightly above your earlobe. The anti-tragus piercing is less painful because it’s closer to the soft part of your ear.

Conch Piercing

The conch piercing is one of the most versatile since the perforation is situated on the inner or outer portion of the ear depending on which you like best. This cartilage piercing is located mid-way down your ear. For an elegant look, use a hoop with gemstones or go for a more casual look by choosing a classic gold or silver hoop.

Rook Piercing

A rook piercing is a refreshing take on other common piercings. Situated in the inner ear cartilage along the ridge closest to the top of your ear, the rook is alluring. Mix and match your jewelry looks depending on your mood.

Top Ear Piercing

A top ear piercing can look edgy and cute, but be versatile enough to work with other types of piercings as well. Helix piercings are the most popular upper ear piercings, but many women love combining lobe and cartilage locations to create a cool aesthetic.

Other bold ideas include adding an industrial bar at the top of your ear and using a piece of jewelry that attaches at one spot on the bottom and clamps or cuffs onto the upper part with a chain. Lastly, double or triple piercings can be fun and sexy when done properly.

3 Ear Piercings

Triple ear piercings are stylish and stunning when the jewelry comes as a set or complements your other pieces. Whether you want 3 cartilage or lobe piercings, this style looks good with studs, hoops, and cuffs. Flawless and feisty, girls can always start with a single or double piercing and eventually graduate to multiple piercings.

Double Ear Piercing

A double ear piercing is a fresh way of changing up your appearance without committing to one of the more painful placements. This look is achieved by making two perforations to your earlobes and inserting two earrings.

Some women choose to have both ears double pierced, while others prefer to get a double piercing on just one ear. Regardless of what you pick, a second ear piercing on your lobe is a great way of trying something different. Lobe piercings take a few weeks to heal, but the process is relatively painless and easy.

Full Ear Piercing

Going for a full ear piercing is a bold commitment. This requires you to pierce your ear several times through the lobe and cartilage. Women who enjoy the process of getting piercings and changing out their jewelry like to get their entire ear pierced as it allows them to experiment with different styles. It’s best to stagger your piercings over several months to ensure you’re giving your body the proper amount of time to heal.

Simple Ear Piercing

A simple ear piercing can look cute and chic, and elevate your style when executed properly. While some girls think they need to try exotic ear piercing styles just to stand out, simplicity and minimalism has its own charm.

Whether on your earlobe or in your cartilage, simple ear jewelry can look stunning and avoid being distracting. Classy piercings can be complemented by tiny studs and solid hoops. If you like to dress up a little while keeping it elegant and unique, there are a variety of creative yet simple ear piercings to explore.

Unique Ear Piercings

The emergence of unique ear piercings for women has been a growing trend over the last few decades. Previously, women were limited in their options as the lobe piercing was one of the only choices available. Nowadays, you can be as daring or reserved as you like with the type of piercing you get and the jewelry you select for it.

Be creative and opt for a combination of lobe and cartilage piercings on one ear or scatter them across both ears to create your own balance. Piercings are a way of expressing yourself, so don’t be afraid to try something new.

Ear Piercing Pain Chart

Naturally, different ear piercings will result in different levels of pain. While ear piercing pain is subjective because how much it hurts depends on your tolerance level, there are obviously spots that are the most and least painful.

Yes, an ear piercing does hurt. But the pain is sharp and short-lived. If you can’t handle needles or your body takes a long time to heal, stick with easy locations and the least painful ear piercings, such as the lobe. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with your response to pain and determined you have no allergies or reactions, then proceed to getting other areas pierced, such as the helix, tragus, daith and conch.

This pain chart can help you identify the least and most painful ear piercings.

How Much Do Ear Piercings Cost?

The cost of an ear piercing can range from $10 to $50. Prices vary based on a number of factors, including the piercing type, location, technique, studio location and popularity, the professional’s skill level, and materials used. Most studios offer deals in bulk, so it will cost you less to get more piercings.

However, at Claire’s and Walmart, you can get your ears pierced free of cost when you buy earrings or jewelry. These stores are generally clean, safe, reputable, and do a good job, making them the best places to get piercings. Ultimately, how much your ear piercing costs will reflect the quality of the service you get.