Simple yet stylish, and so very sexy. The best part? The variety! Lots of different jewelry will work for a tragus piercing: bananabells, spirals, barbells, captive bead rings, tragus bars, labret studs… the options are nearly endless.
Tragus piercings have been gaining steadily in popularity over the past few years. A tragus piercing is not particularly painful because there are few nerve endings in that part of the ear. Because of its small size, a piercer generally uses a 16 gauge or an 18 gauge needle (18 is generally the same size that is used for many traditional piercings). The piercer will mark the area that is to be pierced with a pen or marker and press the needle straight through the cartilage.
As with any piercing, it is important to wait until the tragus is healed before changing your tragus ring. Professional piercers may differ on the recommended healing time- some say three to four months, others will extend that to six to eight months. Your piercer should give you more specific and personalized instructions. He or she will also give you information on cleaning and caring for your new ring. This generally involves cleansing with anti-bacterial soap and warm water once per day and avoiding rubbing alcohol, peroxide and other drying agents.
It can be rare to find a ring specifically created for the tragus because the sizes and styles are so diverse. When browsing BellyBling.net, you'll find a section dedicated to tragus rings and this includes rings from a variety of other categories. We pulled them together into one location to make your searching easier, so don't be surprised to find some of the same rings in the labret/Monroe or nose ring section.
Depending on the size of your piercing (typically 16 gauge or 18 gauge), you can wear a wide range of styles for a tragus piercing. Although posts and studs are common for this piercing, a ring and bead combination or even a spiral ring are great choices that look unique. Rings designed for the labret or Monroe also work for the tragus because they have a flat back. A traditional earring can be irritating when used in a tragus piercing because it can be difficult and uncomfortable to insert an earring back. A bone nose ring can also eliminate the need for an earring back.
Be sure to ask your piercer if he or she is using a 16 gauge needle or an 18 gauge needle so you know what size to look for when you are shopping for new jewelry.
Another somewhat newer piercing trend that is becoming more main stream is the anti-tragus piercing. It is the raised fold of cartilage that sits on the outside of the ear, just opposite of the tragus. Many people have an anti-tragus that is too small to pierce, however a professional piercer can you give you a definitive answer and may suggest mircro jewelry if yours is able to be pierced.
