FAQ on ear piercings

performed by Tribal Voice Body Piercing Studio, Plymouth, Devon

This page is designed to inform the reader of the wide range of piercings offered at Tribal Voice in Plymouth, location of specific piercings, what gauge and jewellery is used during the procedure, aftercare advice and a few “did you know” historical piercing facts. Due to the vast variety of piercing placements we have broken the piercings into 4 easy categories:

All the individual piercings listed have an aftercare section and will refer to the sea/rock salt solution that we recommend to use to clean your new piercing. Please read the following which gives more detail regarding this solution and why we recommend it:

The Body Piercer at Tribal Voice will explain to you in detail how to look after your piercing once you leave the studio.
We recommend that you use Sea/Rock Salt and hot water solution twice a day with a cotton bud around the piercing. Sea or Rock salt can be purchased from any supermarkets.
When making the salt solution make sure you boil the water and allow it to cool down before using it on your piercing and use a quarter tea spoon of sea salt to half a pint of boiling water.
We recommend this solution to clean your piercing with as it is a very natural solution and contains no chemicals. We do not recommend using any other solution than this due to the strength of chemicals in others such as TCP, Tea Tree Oil or Savalon. Your piercing is a small puncture in your skin and your body will react to this and heal the piercing appropriately; you only need to ensure that your piercing is clean and left alone to heal, your body will do the rest!
Once you have left the studio it is your responsibility to look after you’re piercing and important that you follow the aftercare advice.

Did you know?
In present western societies over 80% of the female population have had their earlobes pierced. Evidence of ear piercing exists in virtually all ancient and modern societies and was mans first attempt at body piercing.
Ears were probably first pierced for magical purposes, many primitive tribes believe that demons can enter the body through the ear, because demons and spirits are supposed to be repelled by metal, the ear piercing prevents them entering the body
The oldest mummified body in the world was found in an Australian Glacier in 1991, tests showed the body to be over 5000 years old, the frozen body had pierced ears and the holes had been enlarged to 7-11mm diameter.
The British Museum has an exhibit of the remains from a Sumerian grave dated 2600BC showing evidence of pierced ears.
The wearing of earrings has maintained its popularity throughout the ages. Earrings were worn by the likes of Sir Walter Raleigh, Francis Drake wore one in1588 and even the great scribe himself William Shakespeare wore one.

The following is a list of the different types of Ear Piercing
Lobe
Helix
Forward Helix
Auricle
Rook
Conch
Diath
Tragus
Anti Tragus
Orbital
Scaffold
All of these Ear piercings will take between 4-6 months to heal being that they are cartilage piercings with the exception of the Earlobe which will take between 6-8 weeks.
Tribal Voice recommends that all Ear Piercings are cleaned twice a day with a sea/rock salt solution and should be made up of half a pint of boiled water to a quarter teaspoon of sea/rock salt. Do ensure that you allow the boiled water to cool before applying it to the piercing with a cotton bud.
We also believe it to be a myth about turning & twisting an ear piercing whilst it is healing; this will do nothing other than interfere with the healing process and could cause an infection if your hands have not been cleaned.

EARLOBE
Location: The lobe is the soft fleshy part of the lower ear and consists of skin covered fatty tissue
Gauge & Jewellery: The Earlobe is pierced with a gun at Tribal Voice and is the ONLY piercing where we will use the Caflon Gun and studs.
Healing Time: 6-8 Weeks
Aftercare: The Earlobe should be cleaned twice a day with sea/rock salt and hot water solution. It is not advised by Tribal Voice that you twist and turn the stud whilst it is healing as this can interfere with the healing process and may cause infection if your hands are not thoroughly clean.

HELIX – (Top Ear)
Location: This along with the Auricle is probably the most common piercing after the lobe and is located along the uppermost flat outer face of the ear.
Gauge & Jewellery: The Helix is pierced with a 1.2m needle and a 1.2x10 BCR or 1.2x10 Labret.
Healing Time: 4-6 Months
Aftercare: Again we recommend using the sea/rock salt solution twice a day until the piercing is healed and avoid sleeping on the piercing if possible.

FORWARD HELIX
Location: This piercing is located at the front rim of the ear, just above the Tragus and looks its best if the finished piece of jewellery is designed to fall into the space above the Tragus.
Gauge & Jewellery: Pierced with a 1.2m needle and a 1,2x10 BCR or Curved Barbell
Healing Time: 4-6 Months
Aftercare: Sea/rock salt solution twice a day using cotton bud and avoid sleeping on the piercing or twisting with fingers.

AURICLE – (Middle Ear)
Location: The flat part of the ear cartilage located in the middle of the ear between the Helix and Lobe.
Gauge & Jewellery: The Auricle is pierced with a 1.2m needle and a 1.2x10 BCR or Labret stud.
Healing Time: 4-6 Months
Aftercare: Sea/rock salt solution twice a day and avoid sleeping on the piercing if possible.

ROOK
Location: An inner ear cartilage piercing, located in the upper auricle fold approximately 12-25mm from the top of the ear.
It is important that sufficient cartilage is available and a general guideline is that, if you can grab this area between the finger and thumb the piercing can be safely located.
Gauge & Jewellery: Pierced with a 1.2m needle and a 1.2x10 BCR or Curved Barbell
Healing Time: 4-6 Months
Aftercare: Sea/rock salt solution twice a day and avoid sleeping on the piercing if possible.

CONCH
Location: Placed in the shell of the inner ear, a little above the lobe.
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.6m needle and a 1.6x8 Labret Stud
Healing Time: 4-6 Months
Aftercare: Sea/rock salt solution twice a day plus avoid sleeping on the piercing if possible.

DIATH
Location: An inner ear piercing located in the crux of the helix, it is the skin covered cartilage fold just above the opening of the ear canal and directly below the Rook piercing
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.2m needle and a 1.2x10 BCR or Curved Barbell
Healing Time: 4-6 Months
Aftercare: Sea/rock salt solution twice a day and avoid sleeping on the piercing if possible.

TRAGUS
Location: The firm flap of skin covered cartilage located at the front of the entrance to the ear canal, just above the point where the lower and upper jaw bone meets.
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.2m needle and a 1.2x8 BCR or Labret Stud
Healing Time: 4-6 Months
Aftercare: Sea/rock salt solution twice a day and avoid sleeping on the piercing if possible.

ANTI TRAGUS
Location: The outer rim of the ear, opposite the Tragus and just above the lobe.
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.2m needle and a 1.2x8 BCR or Curved Barbell
Healing Time: 4-6 Months
Aftercare: Sea/rock salt solution twice a day and avoid sleeping on the piercing if possible.

ORBITAL
Location: This piercing is usually done on the flat part of the upper ear and rim.
Gauge and Jewellery: 1.2m needle and 1.2x10 BCR or Curved Barbell
Healing Time: 4-6 Months
Aftercare: Sea/rock salt solution twice a day and avoid sleeping on the piercing if possible.

SCAFFOLD – (Industrial)
Location: The scaffold piercing is actually two piercings; they can be treated as two separate piercings or two piercings using the same needle one after the other. Both piercings are located on the cuff off the ear and sit at an angle so a long barbell can be fitted.
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.6m needle and a 1.6x36 Barbell (Barbell length will vary therefore it is important to measure the length of the scaffold on each individual)
Healing Time: 4-6 Months
Aftercare: It is important to avoid sleeping on this piercing as it may cause great discomfort initially, we recommend that you use the sea/rock salt solution twice a day to clean the scaffold piercing.

If you have a specific question you would like to ask please email: piercings@tribalvoice.co.uk
Please note if the question is already answered on the website we most likely will not reply.