Body piercingsin the nose, belly button, and other areas are also popular.
How Are Ears Pierced?
Piercing techniques vary depending on where you get it done.
Achisatha Khamsuwan / Getty Images
You might get alocal anestheticor ice to numb the spot before the needle goes into your ear.
Ear-piercing guns hold a stud earring on one side and the earring back on the other.
Some people only find out they have or develop a metal allergy after piercing their ears.
DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
A dermatologist can do a skin patch test to see if you have a metal allergy.
The most common metal allergies are nickel and cobalt.
Is a Metal Allergy Life-Threatening?
DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
A metal allergy affects the skin and typically causes a rash (contact dermatitis).
It does not cause anaphylaxis (a life-threatening complication of some allergies).
If your earlobes are very asymmetrical, tell your piercer.
They may need to take extra care to double-check your earrings are level with each other.
Consider whether that kind of scar on your ear would bother you before you get a piercing.
You may want to talk to your healthcare provider about it beforehand.
Should You Pierce Your Ears at Home?
While it might be tempting to do your piercing at home, its best left to a professional.
Summary
Ears can be pierced using different techniques, including a gun or needles.
It’s important to keep your piercing clean and rotate the earrings regularly while they are healing.
Keloids are more likely if you have a personal or family history of them.
Most professional piercing locations are safe but all piercings come with risks.
Association of Professional Piercers.Issues with piercing guns.
Seattle Children’s Hospital.Ear piercing symptoms.
Association of Professional Piercers.Jewelry for initial piercings.
Lucerna A, Espinosa J.Acute atraumatic pinna (auricular) perichondritis.World J Emerg Med.
2018;9(2):152-153. doi:10.5847/wjem.j.1920-8642.2018.02.013
New Zealand Trust: DermNet.Jewellery allergy.
Nickel Institute.What do you oughta know about nickel allergy?
2017;6(3):517521. doi:10.4103/2249-4863.222045
