Discover Different Types of Piercings: Guide to Popular Piercings

Nearly half of Americans have at least one piercing. If reading that made you immediately imagine a pierced earlobe, your imagination isn't wrong: over eight in ten piercings are on the lobes. However, it's just the most popular of the different types of piercings people get nowadays.

So, if you've always wanted to get pierced, this piercing style guide is for you. Read on to discover the most popular piercing types, where to get them, and how to care for them.

Different Types of Piercings

Ear piercings are among the oldest forms of body modification, with evidence of their first use dating back five millennia. Historians say ancient cultures used them to honor and send wealth to their beloved departed.

But the ears aren't the only places you can get piercings; the face, the inside of the mouth, and even the nipples are all potential piercing locations. So, without further ado, here are the most common types of piercings and their locations.

Ear Piercings

Interestingly, as small as the ears are, people have found creative ways to decorate them in over a dozen ways. Fortunately, most are okay, with about 15 spots on the ear being safe to pierce.

Here's a quick overview of the various types of ear piercings.

Standard Lobe Piercing

Earlobes, or lobules, have always been the most common location for piercings because they have no cartilage. Cartilage is a sturdy, flexible type of connective tissue, so the lobes are easy to pierce without it. Indeed, the lobes' only known function is aesthetics, and that's to serve as a place for piercings.

A standard lobe piercing involves piercing the center part of the lobule. The standard thickness of the bars or rings used for these piercings is 1.2 mm.

High Lobe Piercing

High-lobe piercings sit to the side of the earlobes, either to the left of the left lobe or to the right of the right earlobe. Since they're still on the fleshy part of the ear that has no cartilage, they have a low level of piercing pain.

Like standard lobe piercing bars or rings, the ones used for high-lobe piercings are typically 1.2 mm.

Stacked Lobe Piercing

A stacked lobe piercing goes directly above a standard lobe piercing. Because of its position, it creates a "stacked" appearance.

Since stacked lobe piercings still pierce the lobe, the pain associated with them is similar to that of high-lobe piercings. You can also use the same gauge for bars or rings with this piercing.

Auricle or Mid-Helix Piercing

To understand this type of ear piercing better, you need to know two other parts of the ear: the helix and the tragus.

The helix is the outer ear's outermost curved part, extending from the head to the lobe and made of cartilage. On the other hand, the tragus is the tiny, often triangle-shaped lip of cartilage above the lobe and over the ear canal.

With a mid-helix or auricle piercing, the hole's location is between the helix and the lobe, across the tragus. It may hurt slightly more than lobe piercings, but not much because the cartilage here is relatively thin. In most cases, 1.2 mm studs, bars, and rings work well for this area.

Helix Piercing

These piercings go on the helix area or the ear's upper outer cartilage. They're popular piercing options for those who want to move from the lobe because the cartilage here is still thin. However, remember that since these pierce the cartilage, their pain level is higher than the lobe ones.

Conch Piercing

Conch piercings are piercings of the middle section of the conch or concha, the inner, cup-like area of the ear. The entire concha consists of cartilage thicker than that of the helix. It still depends on your pain threshold, but prepare for a bit more pain when you get this type of piercing.

Inner Conch Piercing

If you get an inner conch piercing, your cymba, which is your ear's upper conch area, gets pierced. Because of its closeness to the ear canal, avoid wearing earbuds as your piercing heals.

Outer Conch Piercing

An outer conch piercing involves piercing the cavum, the lower conch area. You can usually get both an inner and an outer conch piercing. However, if you wish to decorate both piercings simultaneously, you may have to use smaller studs.

Daith Piercing

If you've ever heard the controversial news about a type of piercing supposedly bringing anxiety and migraine relief, it's the daith piercing you've heard of. But you don't have to have anxiety or migraines to try these piercings; they're quite a pretty way to decorate the inner middle area of your outer ear.

A daith piercing penetrates the protruding piece or fold of cartilage above the tragus and where the inner ear meets the outer area. This area is a thick and curved section of flexible tissue.

Because of the location's features, a daith piercing can be more time-consuming than typical lobe piercings.

Forward Helix Piercing

Like helix piercings, forward helix piercings also go on the upper ear's outer cartilage. However, their location is typically more "forward," being closer to the temple rather than on the ear's outer section. Since the space here is more limited, these piercings can be trickier than typical helix piercings.

If you go to a highly experienced piercer, they'll likely use a piercing needle rather than a gun.

Tragus Piercing

As mentioned above, the tragus is a tiny flap of cartilage just over the ear canal. It's the same one you press into your ears when you need to cover them from loud noises.

That said, tragus piercings, as the term suggests, penetrate this lip of cartilage. The pain associated with this type of piercing can be similar to conch and daith piercings.

Anti-Tragus Piercing

Like the tragus, the anti-tragus is a tiny flap of cartilage that sits above the earlobes. The "anti" in its name refers to its location: directly opposite the tragus.

Unlike the tragus, which can be prominent in most people, some folks may not have an anti-tragus that's prominent enough. In this case, some piercers may decline to do the job as it can be risky.

Orbital Piercing

An orbital piercing combines two ear piercings with one piece of hoop or ring. The hoop creates the illusion of an "orbit," hence its name.

Most people have orbital piercings on the helix region of their ears, but you can also get them done on the lobes.

Industrial Piercing

Like an orbital piercing, an industrial piercing is another type of two-in-one piercing. The chief difference is that the latter uses a bar rather than a hoop.

The helix is the most common site for industrial piercings, where one hole is in the helix, and the other is in the mid-helix.

Rook Piercing

The rook of the ear is in the upper cartilage, beside the daith. So, with a rook piercing, you'll get a horizontal piercing that penetrates the fold of cartilage that separates the ear's inner and outer portions.

Facial Piercings

If you're feeling bolder, you may consider getting facial piercings. From different areas of the eyebrows to the lips and even the cheeks, here are some places on the face where you can get a piercing.

Eyebrow Piercing

An eyebrow piercing is a vertical surface piercing usually located on the side of the eyebrow closest to the temple. Experienced piercers insert the piercing needle from the bottom section and through the top of the eyebrow. You can adorn this with hoops or bars.

Anti-Eyebrow Piercing

Also called cheekbone piercing, an anti-eyebrow piercing goes just above the cheekbone or under the eyebrow. It's a type of surface piercing that can be horizontal or vertical, depending on your preference. Bars or barbells are the preferred type of body jewelry for these piercings.

Jestrum Piercing

A jestrum piercing is a lip piercing done in the middle section of the upper lip, just below the nose's septum. It's a vertical piercing that typically uses a barbell, with one end sitting on top of the upper lip and the other end showing on the bottom area of the upper lip.

Labret Piercing

Labret piercings usually penetrate the middle of the lower lip. One end of the barbell sits on top of the lower lip, while the other end pushes out of the bottom area of the lower lip, just above the chin.

Madonna Piercing

When you hear the name "Madonna," what's the first thing that comes into mind? If you picture the beautiful singer's face with her beauty mark, then it'll be easier for you to imagine what a Madonna piercing is. It's a piercing on the upper lip's right side, where Madonna's beauty mark stands out proudly.

Monroe Piercing

Like the Madonna piercing, this lip piercing also got its name from a beauty mark, but this time, of Marilyn Monroe. It's a lip piercing located on the upper lip's left side.

Cheek Piercing

Cheek piercings penetrate the cheek from the outside and into the oral cavity. Some also refer to them as "dimple piercings," as they create an appearance of dimples. Most people get them in pairs for a more symmetrical look.

Nose Piercings

Nose piercings are another type of body piercing with a rich and long history that goes back as far as 4,000 years ago. Experts associate the earliest evidence of the first nostril piercing with the Middle Eastern people.

Today, there are at least nine ways to decorate the nose with body jewelry.

Austin Bar Piercing

An Austin bar piercing is a horizontal piercing that penetrates the sides of the tip of the nose. It goes from one side to another and sits above the nostrils. Because it's on top of the nose, it doesn't affect the septum, the vertical wall of cartilage separating the nostrils.

Bridge Piercing

A bridge piercing penetrates the skin directly on top of the nose bridge, between the eyes. While it's only a surface piercing, it's more prone to scarring and has a higher risk of rejection by the body.

Nostril Piercing

Nostril piercings are the most popular type of nose piercings. They start from the exterior and go into the interior of the nostril. They work well with almost all nose shapes, hoops, and studs.

Septum Piercings

As mentioned above, the septum is a piece of cartilage that divides the right and left nostrils. The wider it is, the better candidate you are to septum piercings.

Rings and curved barbells are the most commonly used jewelry for septum piercings.

High Nostril Piercings

These piercings sit higher on the nose than standard nostril piercings. They're closer to the nose's bridge, around the area where you can feel a dimple between the nostril and the bridge.

Nasallang Piercings

Nassallang piercings are horizontal piercings that penetrate the walls of each nostril. However, unlike the Austin bar piercings, they also go through the septum wall. Because of their length, they're especially ideal for folks with thin noses.

Rhino Piercings

Rhino piercings, also called vertical bar piercings, are vertical piercings that penetrate the tip of the nose. Their appearance is reminiscent of a rhino's horn, hence their name.

Septril Piercing

The septril piercing is one of the most time-consuming nose piercings, requiring an initial septum piercing. After getting your septum pierced, you must stretch it to accommodate the septril piercing.

After the first septum piercing heals, your piercer will penetrate through it in a vertical line. The visible end shows through just below the tip of the nose.

Third Eye Piercings

A third eye piercing sits on the forehead, just above the bridge of the nose. Its position is similar to that of the third eye chakra. It's best for people with thinner, fleshier noses.

Intraoral Piercings

Intraoral piercings are piercings on the inside of your mouth. Conversely, posterior piercings are those you see outside the mouth (e.g., cheek and exterior lip piercings).

Here are some of the most common types of intraoral piercings.

Tongue Piercings

Tongue piercings go through the tongue. The most popular style is the middle tongue piercing, wherein a bar penetrates the middle part of the tongue. One end of the barbell shows on top of the tongue, while the other rests at the bottom.

Another style is the venom piercing. In this horizontal piercing, both ends of the barbell show on top of the tongue toward the center part.

There's also the snake eyes piercing, another horizontal type of tongue piercing. Piercers position this by the tip of the tongue.

Oral Frenum Piercing

A frenum or frenulum is a tiny connective tissue joining two structures. Two types exist in the mouth: one connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth, and another connects the lips to the gums. Both frenums are common locations for intraoral piercings.

An example of a lip frenum piercing is the horizontal smiley piercing. In this procedure, a curved barbell penetrates the frenum on the underside of the upper lip.

If there's a smiley piercing, there's also a frowny piercing. With this style, a barbell penetrates the frenulum that connects the lower lip to the mouth.

Uvula Piercing

The uvula is a small fleshy hanging ball in the back of the throat. A uvula piercing is a type of piercing that penetrates this piece of flesh.

Nipple Piercings

Here's a bit of trivia that may surprise you: The first known use of nipple piercings traces back to the 1400s to none other than the Queen of France, Isabella of Bavaria. And at the time that Vice wrote this story (2016), around 9% of women had their nipples pierced.

Nipple piercings usually involve horizontally piercing this raised region of tissue on the breasts. Circle barbell rings are the most common jewelry used for this body modification. Some people also have multiple nipple piercings stacked on top of each other.

Belly Button or Navel Piercings

Belly button piercings penetrate the skin of the navel, the flat, hollow, or protruding area on the abdomen that marks the attachment site of the umbilical cord. Piercers typically position these piercings on the upper fold of skin in this area. However, some folks have also done theirs around the edges or underneath the navel.

Finding the Right Place to Get Piercings

The location is the most crucial consideration when deciding where to get your piercings: it must be a sterile environment. The last thing you want is to contract germs, even infectious diseases, when you only want to have your ears pierced. If that happens, you'll likely face more problems than just dealing with and managing piercing pain.

State Licensure Laws

Start your search by researching your state's licensure laws for body modification artists. Many U.S. states require these individuals to carry a license and insurance. Their studios must also pass stringent health and safety codes.

Online Reviews

Read online reviews to learn about other people's experiences with the piercers. Pay attention to those who share information about the artists and their studio's cleanliness and sanitation. If you find any complaints, consider moving on to your next prospect.

Physical Visits to Studios

While reviews can give you insights into a piercer's experience and practices, seeing them and their studio in person is much wiser. You may not get your piercing on your first visit (some only accept appointments), but you'll at least be able to check the piercing environment.

Here are the most crucial signs to look for that indicate you're in a safe and sanitary piercing environment:

• The studio's surfaces are clean
• There are no debris and stains on the counters and floors
• There are no exposed needles on the counters
• There are garbage receptacles specifically labeled for hazardous waste (e.g., used needles)
• The piercer wears clean, disposable gloves
• The studio has an autoclave, a specialized kind of sterilizing equipment

You should also ask to see the piercer's license (if applicable). Additionally, the professional must have their valid health and safety certificate displayed somewhere prominent.

Then, on the day of your piercing, ensure the piercer shows you a sealed pack of fresh needles. They must open the package in front of you. That can help give you peace of mind, knowing they'll use new and clean needles for your piercings.

Piercing After Care

The area around your new piercing will likely be tender, red, and swollen for a few days. It may take longer for more sensitive areas like the lips, the inside of the mouth, and the navel. While this is a normal reaction, there are ways to encourage your body to heal faster while preventing infections.

Use Mouthwash for Intraoral or Perioral Piercings

Whether it's your lip, tongue, or cheek you've had pierced, rinsing your mouth with an alcohol-free, antiseptic mouthwash can help sanitize the piercing. Do this after every meal and before you head to bed.

You should also use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean the jewelry and the pierced area daily. That can help remove disease-causing plaque and bacteria.

Clean Exterior Piercings With a Saline Solution

Always wash your hands thoroughly before touching and cleaning your skin exterior piercings.

A saline solution may only be a mixture of salt and water), but it's an effective antiseptic. Use it to clean your exterior piercings, such as those on the ears, face, nose, nipples, or navel.

When cleaning the wound, be gentle and do your best not to knock around the jewelry. Never use harsh products, such as iodine or hydrogen peroxide, either.

Swimming Can Wait

Stay away from bodies of water (e.g., rivers and lakes), pools, and hot tubs while your piercing is still healing. That can help prevent waterborne germs from infecting your wound.

Explore These Types of Piercings

And there you have it, your ultimate guide on the different types of piercings you can get today. As you learned, piercings are more than just getting those tiny holes in your earlobes. As long as you choose the right piercer, you can get piercings on your face, nose, lip, mouth, navel, and even nipples.

Just as crucial for your safety, though, is to use high-quality body jewelry.

Luckily, you're in the right place. Body Pierce Jewelry offers the finest discount jewelry made of high-quality materials like surgical-grade steel, titanium, and hypoallergenic acrylic. We also offer a 90-day guarantee for your added peace of mind.

Shop our collection now to start adorning your piercings!