Helix, tragus, conch or flat: which ear piercing suits you?

Types of ear piercings: the ear map

Your earlobe is just the start. From bottom to top, your ear has seven spots where a piercing looks beautiful, and each one plays a different part in your ear stack.

Want to know more about the daith? Read our guide to the daith piercing. Here we focus on the four people search for most.

The ear map

Tap a spot

Every spot has its own piercing. Tap to see where it sits and what fits.

Helix

The upper rim of your ear: made for stacking small studs.

Gold Helix Piercings →

Helix, tragus, conch and flat: what goes where?

Helix

The helix follows the upper rim of your ear. Wear one helix piercing there, or two or three in a neat little row. Placed at the front, close to your face, it's called a forward helix. A stud always works. A small hoop that clicks shut adds a touch more movement.

Tragus

The flap in front of your ear canal is small, so keep your tragus piercing small too: a single sphere or a single stone. Wear in-ear earbuds? They can press against a tragus.

Conch

The conch is the deep part in the middle of your ear. This is the place for a conch piercing with a little more presence, like a cluster or a stone. The cartilage is often thicker here, and you'll notice that in the post length you need.

Flat

The smooth area at the top of your ear is the biggest canvas you have. This is where a shape belongs: a moon, a flower or a cluster of spheres. A flat is less obvious than a helix, but anyone who spots it looks twice.

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Sphere Cluster Piercing €119,00 Spheres Bar Piercing €74,00 Mini Diamond Lotus Piercing (0.02 ct) €154,00

Does it hurt, and how long does it take to heal?

Everyone feels it differently. An earlobe is soft tissue and usually heals within a few months. The helix, tragus, conch and flat are cartilage. That feels firmer when it's pierced and heals more slowly: allow six to twelve months, sometimes longer.

• Your piercer chooses your first piece, because it has to suit a fresh piercing.
• Don't sleep on that side for the first few weeks, and don't twist the piece.
• Only switch to your gold piercing once your piercer says it has healed.
• Still red, warm or sore? See your piercer or your GP.

Which length: 5, 6.5 or 8 mm?

The length of the post decides how your piercing sits. Too short and it pinches, too long and it sticks out from your ear. That's why we make almost all our piercings in three lengths: 51 of our 62 come in 5, 6.5 and 8 mm.

Not sure? Measure a piercing you already wear comfortably, or ask your piercer how long your current post is. Our posts are 1 mm thick. If you wear a thicker post now, check with your piercer whether 1 mm suits you. Everything about sizes is in our piercing size guide.

Flat back with a screw-on top: why it feels so good

Our piercings have a flat back: a flat disc behind your ear instead of a point with a butterfly. It lies flat against your head, so you won't feel it when you sleep, take a call or brush your hair. The top screws onto the post, so it stays put. Screw it on firmly, without forcing it.

They're made of real gold, 14 or 18 karat, nickel-free and suitable for sensitive skin. You buy them per piece, so you choose exactly what you want for each spot. Prefer a hoop? Our cartilage hoops click shut and look beautiful in a helix.

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Essential Cartilage Hoop Piercing (9mm) €149,00 Twisted Cartilage Hoop Piercing (9mm) €149,00 Three Prong Diamond Piercing (0.05 ct) €199,00

Building a whole stack? In how to build an ear stack you'll see how to combine huggies, hoops and piercings.

Gold Piercings Real gold, nickel-free, mostly in three post lengths. Shop Gold Piercings