Tragus Piercing – The little flag of cartilage just in front of your ear canal is sometimes used when you plug your ears. That’s your tragus. The tragus is generally a round angled triangle shape. Its size and shape usually varies according to different people. Some individual have a pronounced tragus, others hardly any at all. It is also an adorable piercing.
Further, because the tragus piercing is placed in a unique part of the ear, the piercing itself can serve perfectly well to make its own statement. With this convenient location, just inserting a cartilage stud with an even tiny gemstone will get you something low profile that is also eye-catching.
Close to the ear canal, the tragus is highly susceptible to these bacteria brought by dead skin cells and ear wax. Further, cartilage has a poorer blood supply than fleshy areas and is vulnerable to scarring and infection. Thus, you must be stricter with piercing care than with other types of piercings.
The tragus piercing does not work for everyone, but do not be too frightened. Here is everything you need to know about the tragus piercing in order to decide if it is the right one for you.
Tragus Piercing Pain Level
However, the cartilage in the tragus is somewhat thicker than in other places, so although there is not any more pain involved in comparison to other cartilage piercings, if you already have a helix, auricle (outside pinna), conch or some other ear-cartilage piercing, then you should at least know what to expect as far as pain goes.
However, the tragus lies close to the ear canal, so beyond that pain and pressure applied in piercing, you will almost hear a pop when the needle goes through. This can be unsettling to some.
Moreover, as with every piercing, pain depends on the skill of the piercer. If you are a little bit nervous, find a professional piercer who is patient and experienced enough to get you through it.
Tragus Piercing Healing Time
The tragus will take several months to heal: Cartilage is famous for differing healing times, but the tragus generally heals between 2 and 3 months. However, many report healing times of a year or more, so take note of your piercing and see a piercer if there is any doubt that you are healed.
The inside of a piercing always takes long time to heal, it may appear healed from the outside but will still need time to finish healing. As revealed earlier, the tragus healing process needs rigorous aftercare.
It is vulnerable to infection and scarring because it is adjacent to the bacteria-laden ear canal, its repair is difficult. Besides the usual aftercare, here are some special aftercare tips for tragus piercing:
Be careful with your headphones: If you put pressure on any new piercing it can cause trauma to the area and often results in complications. Moreover, because the tragus is so close to the ear canal, headphones will squeeze on your new piercing. Small amounts of pressure over a long period can also produce problems.
You can listen to ear buds, just do not let your jewelry backing be crushed. If you wear headphones, be sure that headphone cushions around your ear without touching touch the tragus.
Take care when you sleep: Do not sleep on your piercings. Wearing headphones and sleeping on your side will both put pressure on the earring. Your bedding should also be kept clean to prevent dangerous bacteria.
Do not move the jewellery: This is a standard rule, but it is doubly important with cartilage piercings. Moving the jewellery only slows down healing and harms the skin, which may result in piercing bumps. To prevent crusties, wash them off tenderly with a saline solution or salt bath.
Keep the ear clean: Earwax exists to protect the eardrum from bacteria and other foreign substances. It stops them dead in their tracks. Therefore, earwax is plentiful with things that you do not want anywhere near your piercing. Make sure you clean the ear canal when carefully cleaning jewellery.
Why Not A Tragus Piercing?
Aftercare for the tragus piercing should be done meticulously. Do not buy it if you know that you cannot follow a cleaning regimen.
The tragus is highly individualized in shape. If your tragus is too thin or in a difficult location, getting this piercing may not be possible. Apart from the tragus, the anti-tragus is another option in that area. Let your piercer know if you want to try other fun cartilage piercing options.
Since getting your tragus pierced is unsettling, it is perhaps not an ideal first piercing. Do something light so you do not get scared off from piercings.
Healing may also produce cartilage bumps, some of which need to be removed by surgery. Moreover, if you have had keloids in your cartilage piercings, perhaps twice before having your tragus pierced.
Some FAQs
What not to do when it comes to a tragus piercing
You do not want to be rotating the jewelry through the whole healing period. That is why if the jewelry scabs, rotating will tear it off and reopen the wound. When possible, do not sleep on the piercing and try not to hit or knock it with a brush or hand.
What happens after your tragus is pierced
Your standard lobe piercing will generally take 6 to 8 weeks to heal, whereas a cartilage piercing (such as a tragus or rook piercing) typically takes between four months and one year. When your tragus is completely healed, you’ll know. You’ll have no pain, redness or discoloration, swelling, drainage, tenderness.
