What's That Piercing Called? 10 Unique Piercings You Don't Know About

It makes perfect sense that the body piercing industry's worth $710.4 million. First, body piercing dates back 5,000 years to sacred rituals and rites of passage.

Second, skin's the body's largest organ and therefore the most exposed. Where there's skin, there's an opportunity for unique piercings.

Tattoos and unique piercings are self-expressive body art techniques. People are more creative today than ever when it comes to self-expression.

There are no harsh rules about what can and can't get pierced, so long as it's safe for the body's anatomy. Piercing enthusiasts are no strangers to innovating new piercing places.

As a result, you might be wondering, what's that piercing called?

It's time to find out. Here are the ins and outs of unique piercings.

What Makes Unique Piercings?

What makes piercings unique? It's easy to answer with their placement or type of jewelry. While that's true, all piercings are unique because of their ancient history.

No matter how simple or minimalistic a single lobe piercing may seem, piercings carry profound traditions.

Piercing Rituals

Ear piercings were the first piercings in ancient times, though they've diversified since then. Body modification practices like piercings, bloodletting, and tattoos signified the following things:

• Rites of passage into the lineage
• Symbol of independence
• The transition from childhood to adulthood
• Wealth and status
• Distinction of cultures

Common piercings performed included:

1. Gauged earlobes
2. Lip labrets
3. Septum
4. Nose rings

Piercing placement and meaning varied depending on the culture. For example, in ancient Egypt, only the pharaoh could have a navel piercing and others who had them were cause for execution.

Piercings held symbolic and intentional meanings depending on the culture's values. Common symbols were:

• Power
• Class
• Strength
• Religion
• Ceremony
• Invocation
• Beauty
• Gender roles
• Family roles

The history of body modification informs the significance of piercing today. Unique piercings and tattoos still pose controversy for many. Conversations around what's beautiful, what's professional, and what's safe continue on—and now we know why.

Piercings for All People

There's a piercing for all types of personalities. The placement, jewelry style, and meaning to you will ensure unique piercings. If you've been scanning the web for inspiration, look no further.

Here's a breakdown of all the unique piercings you never knew the name of.

1. Lip Labret

Doesn't it even sound like a chic and elegant lip accessory? There are several placement options.

Medusa

Starting at the center of the top lip crease, there's an opportune spot for a stud between the lips and the septum. Also known as the philtrum piercing, consider what it'd be like to embody Medusian energy.

Monroe and Madonna

Monroes and Madonnas land on either side of the Medusa—Monroes on the right and Madonnas on the left. Monroe represents the iconic beauty of Marilyn Monroe, and Madonnas represent Madonna's infamous beauty.

Have these icons played a role in your self-expression? A Monroe or Madonna piercing could be the perfect way to embody them more.

Ashley Labret

Moving down to the bottom lip, Ashley labrets pierce through the center of the bottom lip and hoop through, landing under the lip at 6 o'clock. Both the bottom lip and lower exit point have small round studded beads.

Side Labret

The side labret rests on either side of the Ashley labret. The main difference is that there's a single bead instead of two piercing points like the Ashley. Side labrets are like Madonnas and Monroes except it tucks in closer to the bottom lip.

2. Tragus

The ear has three main parts: the outer, middle, and inner ear, so there are plenty of ear piercing options.

The external ear is home to tragus piercings. The cartilage that's closest to the side of the face is meant for them.

If you trace the inner side of your ear closest to your face, that's a prime spot for a different tragus piercing, called the surface tragus.

The third tragus piercing option's called the anti-tragus. If you locate the tragus on the external ear and jump across the inner ear canal to the opposite side of the external ear, that's the anti-tragus location.

If you know some type of tragus is for you, talk to your piercer to land on a specific one!

3. Flats

Flats are small flat studs that sit inside the upper inner ear. Flats are easy to remember for their flat jewelry, as well as the flat part of the ear they rest on. These are perfect as a subtle yet bold accessory.

They can look like tiny coins in your ear—how luxe!

4. Rook

Rooks share the Ashley lip labret shape, though it's located inside the ear. It's a "C" shape piercing with two studded beads on both sides, hugging the cartilage at the top of the inner ear.

5. Helix

Helix piercings are cartilage piercings with hoop rings. How far up or down the cartilage the helix goes is up to you.

The hoop rings often have a small bead attached for an accent. Like the tragus piercing, helix piercings have other variations.

Forward Helix

If you trace your ear cartilage all the way up and around your ear, the forward helix goes at the front part of your ear cartilage. Whereas helix cartilage piercings rest at the backside of your ear, forward helixes are inverse, at the front.

Antihelix

Antihelix piercings are like rooks and lip Ashley labrets for their "C" shape. If you trace the central part of your ear, starting at the lobe and moving upward, there's a small crease halfway up.

While the antihelix is a "C" shape, it's rotated horizontally to pierce through the creased part of the ear sideways. It has two studded beads on both entry and exit points.

6. Conch

You'll notice the ear has varying levels. Before entering the ear canal, there's the visible inner dip. A conch piercing's a bold single stud that rests on top of the inner ear canal.

Piercings like conch piercings illuminate delicate body parts that otherwise go ignored.

7. Daith

Daith piercings are beaded hoops like the helix and forward helix options. If you move upwards from the tragus and into the inner ear, the Daith piercing hugs the cartilage bridging the inner and outer parts of the ear.

The outer ear where the tragus lands is vertical, whereas the Daith location's cartilage is horizontal. It moves from the outside, in.

8. Industrial

Industrial bars rest horizontally through your ear cartilage at the top of the ear. They run the length of the ear with a thick beaded bar on both ends. It's easy to remember this piercing for it's edgy, bold, and demanding look.

Industrial jewelry's thicker than other piercings to emphasize its statement!

9. Dermal

It helps to know there are two piercing types: surface and dermal. Dermals are single piercings that rest on top of your skin. They're best on flat parts of the body.

Surface piercings have different entry and exit points underneath the skin. If you want something pierced but don't know how the posts and tops rest, your piercer will have the answer!

Common locations for dermal piercings are:

• Chest
• Cheekbones
• Neck
• Back
• Upper shoulders
• Stomach

If you feel resonant with a certain part of your body, consider how a dermal could amplify it! Why not sport the places you love?

10. Septum

Septum piercings are hoops connecting the left and right parts of the inner nose. The hoops can rest upside-down or right-side-up depending on your jewelry preference.

Cousins to the septum is the Septril—or nose tip—piercing. Consider a cute stud resting at the central part of the nose's bottom. A Septril stud makes it so everyone can have a cute button nose!

Piercing Considerations

Deciding on unique piercings can take time. Intuition can guide you to the body part you're looking to spruce up, or you might peruse the web for inspiration.

Either way, there are several things to consider. Ask yourself:

• What do my piercings represent?
• What am I communicating?
• What's my style? Quirky? Elegant?
• How can my style inform the piercing placement?
• What makes me feel most authentic?

The more you know yourself, the more likely you are to love your piercings. Piercings aren't the time to be modest or unsure, so consider how your personal style can inform your choices.

It can help to break your thoughts down into these categories.

Self-Expression

It's easy to get lost in the unique piercing options but there's good news. You're not limited to one! Knowing your style helps build your lookwith different piercings.

Your style comes from a few things.

• Jewelry preferences
• Gold or silver? Colors? Big and bold or small and subtle?
• Clothes
• Are you looking for timeless, everyday piercings or ones to change up often? What works with your wardrobe?
• Visibility
• Do you want to sport your jewels or keep them private? Why not a bit of both?

Sometimes unique piercings are pure desires. You might find yourself thinking, I just want that because it's cute. Brilliant!

Whether you map out your piercings or honor your impulses, it's all about what works for you.

Body Symbolism

Skin bridges the inside and outside of our beingness. It's how we wear our true selves. Clothes, makeup, piercings, and tattoos are important modes of communication and expression.

As a result, consider what your piercing placement means to you. There are a couple of ways to do this.

Jewelry Direction

The way your piercing jewelry faces can be symbolic to you. Long earrings can rest horizontal or vertical, and to the north or south for septum piercings.

If you're seeking connection to ancient times, consider the direction of your piercing. The 4 directions have different meanings to different cultures today.

Native Americans know the north as the place of wisdom, the south as new beginnings, the west as endings, and the east as spiritual guidance.

How might bringing intention into your piercing placement clarify your decision?

Body Location

Are you drawn to one side of the body more than the other?

The left side of the body is feminine and the right side is masculine. How might knowing that inform your unique piercings?

How might accenting your feminine or masculine energies make your piercing more unique to you?

Taking Care

Nothing says unique piercings like well-maintained ones. Not caring for your piercings defeats the purpose of celebrating your uniqueness!

Be sure to do your research when it comes to piercers, jewelry quality, recovery time, and maintenance. Piercings are forever if you want them to be, but lack of maintenance can mean infections and surgical removal.

Piercings are profound experiences. They bridge the individual with the collective—modern-day to ancient times. Consider why you're drawn to certain expressions.

What informs your choices? Family? Ancestry?

What makes you look and feel most like you?

No doubt piercings and tattoos pose a specific culture—remember where they started! Regardless of societal norms and conformist beauty standards, we praise those who aim to stand out.

Everyone has the right to express their uniqueness and piercings are the perfect way to do so.

Live Unique

Unique piercings are the perfect way to deepen your relationship with yourself. They encourage walking through the world in a bolder, confident, more authentic way.

Like in fashion, making a fashion statement means owning it. Without working it, the message gets lost.

While some piercings are objectively unique, it's you who makes them so. Not everyone wears piercings the same, so consider what calls you to you.

Life's too short not to be your whole self. Shop our lookbook today to see how our jewels can aid your perfect look!