Tragus Piercing Pain Level: Infection, Does it Hurt, Vertical, Surface, Aftercare, Healing Time, Jewelry

Apart from the inspiration from numerus celebrities who have it, the craze on tragus piercing is trending now than ever. However, there are a number of good reasons for getting your tragus pierced. This is because it is more pleasing, super easy and less painful. Get insights on tragus piercing pain level, infection aftercare and healing.

What is tragus piercing?

This mode of ear piercing is named after the location of ear that is pierced. Someone can even hide this piercing easily either with her hair or with clothing like scarf if necessary. The small triangle part connecting your face with outer portion of cartilage is known as tragus. It is located in front of ear canal. This portion of ear helps us to hold ear phones and make it fit within.
Anti -tragus ear piercing
Anti-tragus is located on the elevated fold of the ear which is located just opposite the tragus .It is the place where anti tragus is pierced. Though cost and care for both of these variations come close to the same, due to its risky location, it is important to check with the piercer’s portfolio before getting it done. Unlike other piercings, you don’t have lots of places to play around for anti-tragus. Also bear it in mind that, Anti -tragus piercing is widely known for its tough healing process.

  1. Types of tragus piercing

There are two types of tragus piercings which include vertical and surface tragus piercings and are both known as double tragus piercing.

  • vertical tragus piercing

Vertical tragus piercing runs vertically on your tragus from outside to inside and to the outside again. As you are creating 2 channels, it will create a little more pain as opposed to the plain tragus piercing. It is also known as sideburn piercing.

  • surface tragus piercing

This piercing is very similar to the vertical tragus piercing except the fact that it traverses through the flesh of cartilage without making any hole. About the pain level, it’s needless to say that it is the most painful than all other piercings.

  1. tragus piercing: gun vs. needle

A major question that is repeatedly asked in all forums is about the tragus piercing pain level of piercing using gun Vs. Needle. To be truthful, gun shots are less painful than the needle. But most of the professional piercers argue that Guns are not suitable and should not be used even for your earlobe.
They add on that gun for piercing any body part is not good, as it poses high infection risks. In case of needles, it is very easy to sterilize so the healing process will be smooth and speedy. If you want to use guns to avoid the minute of pain, you will be needed to endure the pain that lasts for 2 months. Above all, some people claim that pain level of tragus piercing is the same in both Gun and Needle.

  1. tragus piercing step by step process

This process of Tragus piercing is quite different from many of the other piercings. It involves the following steps:
Step 1:
To get the tragus or anti tragus piercing, you should lay your back so that the piercer can easily access and work at the piercing site.
Step 2:
Since tragus has thick cartilage, the piercer may need to apply more pressure than all other piercing while making a puncture. In order to avoid the accidental damages to ear, the piercer will place a cork inside the ear canal.
Step 3:
A straight or curved needle will be pushed through the skin (outside to inside). Once the necessary hole is made, the initial jewelry most preferably a barbell will be added to the piercing.
Step 4:
This Jewelry should not be changed until the tragus piercing completely heals.
Once you get your tragus pierced, you might expect a slight bleeding and a bearable tragus piercing pain for few minutes. The bleeding may be accompanied by Swelling around the pierced area. However, few people reported a Jaw pain soon after piercing. Under normal circumstances, it could even last for 2 to 3 days.
Normally, this jaw pain is a soar triggered by tragus piercing which gives a feel as if the jaw hurts. This pain will worsen each and every time you smile. The pain will go away on its own within few days. However, if it lasts beyond 3 days then it is a sign that all is not going well. Check with your piercer and treat the infection before it gets worse.

Tragus Piercing Pain Level

If you compare tragus pain when piercing to pain from other piercings, tragus piercings has very few nerve endings. That does not mean you will not feel any pain in tragus piercing. As the needle breaks the skin, there will be a little discomfort like pain of a sharp pinch or cut. Usually this pain is bearable and last up to few minutes.
However, if you are considering a piercing on your tragus, it is worthwhile knowing more about tragus piercing pain level. This is due to the fact that different people can tolerate different magnitudes of pain. Of course, you do not expect to miss some level of discomfort completely.  It will be there, but to very bearable levels.
However, if you have a thicker cartilage, you might experience some more pain than the people with thinner cartilage.
Factors That Influence Tragus Piercing Pain Level

The amount of pain experienced during this process is never the same across the board. Apart from the few factors we will discuss below, the pain level one is about to experience you have also to consider a good clean place to get your tragus piercing.

  1. Piercer Skills

Just as the skilled piercer can do his / her job in a precise manner, it plays a major in reducing the pain. It will also ensure safety and faster healing.

  1. Piercer Experience

Experienced piercer knows the right way to handle your tragus no matter whether it is thick or thin. She knows to get the job done probably in just a single stroke. So the sharp pain will go off without even you realize it.

  1. Tragus Jewelry Choice

Regardless of where you get your tragus pierced, your piercer will only recommend the long bar bell jewelry as an initial jewelry. It is not supposed to be taken out until the wound get completely heals. Some people have reported the increased pain after insertion of wrong Jewelry.
To keep off these complications, always go with the noble metal or Titanium or hypo allergic Jewelry which will make your healing process smoother and faster. Once the tragus piercing pain has gone and it is perfectly healed, you can use barbells, bead rings, studs or anything that suits your tragus.

Tragus Piercing aftercare

For you not to languish in pain, the main essential factor for the fast healing of the tragus pierced is to follow the tragus piercing aftercare measures efficiently. For at least 4-8 weeks you should take good care of your tragus piercing for the smooth healing of your tragus. However, the healing duration also depends on the skin type which may either be oily or dry, its immune levels, as well metabolic disorders such as diabetes wherein any wound or infection takes a longer time to heal.
Tragus Piercing Aftercare
The new wound on your body usually has higher risks to infection. A part from that, it is easy to avoid the infection with proper care. To some people even the extreme care will worsen the infection. Follow your piercer’s advice on aftercare activities and stick to it thoroughly. With proper care, your tragus piercing would heal without any issues.
What to do for tragus piercing pain and fast healing

  • Tie your hair up and make sure your hair or any other products does not come in contact with the pierced site.
  • Never share personal belongings like comb, towel etc. .

What not to do on tragus piercing

  • Do not at any cost remove or change the Jewelry by yourself until the piercing heals completely. It may trap infection to other body parts.
  • Do not use alcohol or any other dehydrating solutions to clean the piercing.
  • Never touch the pierced area with your bare hands even if there is any irritation.
  • Avoid sleeping on the same side until the piercing heals.
  • Do not answer the phone call or hold the headset in the pierced ear. Use your other ear to carry out these tasks

More at home care activities

  1. Keep the tragus area clean

The tragus piercing area must be kept clean and tidy by soaking a clean cotton ball in a disinfectant or a saline solution and gently applying it in and around the pierced area. The solution should be applied in such a way as to allow it to seep into the pierced hole. The tragus piercing jewelry must be twisted gently as and when required in order to ensure the even distribution of the solution all around the tragus. This cleaning procedure must be followed twice or thrice a day.

  1. Avoid touching the tragus area

Always Wash your hands using antibacterial solution or antiseptic soap before and after cleaning (touching) the piercing site. You should not touch the pierced area with dirty or uncleaned hands as it may cause bacterial infections and lead to tragus piercing complications. If there is any kind of irritation in the pierced area owing to the tightness of the jewelry or the discharge of any kind of fluid from the affected area, you should carefully loosen or change the jewelry or wipe the fluid by a hand washed properly by an anti-bacterial soap.

  1. Change your pillow covers every day until few weeks.

Always make sure that when you sleep you lie on a clean bed on the either side of the ear affected. The pillow on which you rest your head should be cleaned and changed on a regular basis so as to avoid the area to get infected. Vigilance is also required while sleeping to restrain oneself from touching or irritating the ear affected.

  1. Do not the tragus piercing pain area

Try so much to refrain from scraping any kind of crusty formation over the tragus. Any such irritable cause must be carefully dealt with following the guidelines that have been laid down by the experts and the doctors.

  1. Avoid clothing and helmets that touch the wound

No such clothes should be worn which may touch the area pierced. Pull-overs and T-Shirts with collars must be avoided during the healing process as it may hurt the pierced area and aggravate the vulnerability of the same.

  1. Avoid the use of earphones during the tragus healing period

Putting up earphones on the tragus pierced is very unhygienic as it may transfer micro-organisms to the wound. You should be extra vigilant using the cellphone as under no circumstances the cell should be brought close to the affected ear.

  1. Salt Water Soaks

Clean the piercing site and the surrounding area twice a day with the saline solution. Use 3 to 4 Q-tips or cotton balls to clean the piercing. You can also use sea salt water solution for cleaning. Cleaning a recently perforated area helps keep it safe from dirt and germs and prevents bacterial infection. Add a tsp of sea salt into a glass containing 8 ounces of water.

Tragus Piercing Infection

Failing to follow strictly the instructions you might end up infecting the tragus, thereby delaying the healing process and leading to tragus piercing complications. Any injury to the pierced area may make it vulnerable to infections. So you must take extra care of the ear and have to avoid swimming for as long as it does not get completely healed as the water is chlorinated in swimming pools.
Also, the infection may cause the occurrence of a keloid or a boil or may also lead to a swollen tragus piercing pain. This can be treated by the application of tea tree oil with warm diluted water over the affected surface in a calm and gentle manner. One may carefully change the jewelry if required but changing tragus piercing jewelry frequently is staunchly prohibited. However it is advisable to consult a dermatologist.
Signs that indicate the Tragus Infection
You are advised to seek medical care if you feel any of the following symptoms beyond 3 days.

  • Continued bleeding
  • soreness around the piercing site
  • jaw pain
  • yellow or green discharge
  • swelling
  • foul smell emerging from the pierced area

You are not supposed to fear, if you suspect that your piercing is infected. Just be calm and fix an appointment with dermatologist. Never remove the Jewelry by yourself. It may make your infection even worse.
When to visit your doctor
Though experiencing the above symptoms are completely normal after tragus piercing pain, if it continues beyond 3 days and it does not respond well to your home remedies, fix an appointment with a dermatologist immediately. You can also contact your piercing studio. They will help you to get a speedy recovery.
One of the most common difficulties of tragus piercing is for it getting infection. The risk of getting affected with an infection is high as the tragus is exposed to environmental hazards. There are various symptoms or signs that may indicate the occurrence of infection.

  • Swelling and pain for a few days is common and may ebb away in a week’s time. However, if these symptoms persist for over a week or two, then this is an anomaly which may indicate underlying infection.
  • Redness and inflammation of the punctured area also indicates prevalence of infection. Intense pain may also be felt due along with these signs.
  • Appearance of pustules adjacent or on the punctured area is a common indication of infection. There may be bumps filled with liquid in the back of the front of the tragus.
  • In severe situation of infection some individuals may also experience foul greenish or yellowish discharge with bad odor from the pierced region.

Tragus Piercing Healing Time

For a tragus piercing, there is no set time in which it would certainly heal. The time needed for the perforation to heal may vary significantly according to each individual. For some individuals it takes around 2 months while for other it may take even 6 months. However, the average healing time needed for tragus puncture to be cured is 2 months to 4 months.
Moreover, the healing time will depend on the aftercare techniques. For example, in eastern regions it is believed that applying warmed coconut oil in tragus puncture speeds-up the healing process. However, it is better to consult a doctor who will suggest assured way to heal the perforation. Even if you experience any infection with tragus piercing approaching a doctor is the best option you may have.
Though it takes 6 month for the tragus piercing to be considerably healed some people say that it may take around 8 to 9 months for pain or sensation to stop completely. No matter how long your puncture takes to heal, you should follow proper aftercare methods as it does not only avoids infection but may also speed up your healing process.

Tragus Piercing Jewelry

A jewelry type you are supposed to wear after a tragus piercing depends on the pace at which the pierced area gets healed. You should as well be cautious as not to wear funky artificial accessories or earrings made of poor quality as it may have a harmful effect on the tragus.
Many people prefer to wear tragus piercing rings, studs, barbells or earrings made of sophisticated metals such as those made of gold, silver, platinum, or titanium which are of non-corrosive nature and shall not cause harm to the ear. The jewelry must be of a good quality and should not be very tight but of a comfortable nature. It must also suit your personality well
Jewelry types for tragus piercing
There is a wide range of options of jewelry for pierced tragus. Conventional starter jewelry for freshly pierced tragi would be 14 or 16 gauge micro curved barbell earning or CBR. It is believed that most people with pierced tragus prefer CBR than barbell earning. Some other suitable options may include

  1. Rings

These are the most common and conventional choices for tragus piercing. You can choose from a range of rings for your ear. These may include smooth segment rings, beaded rings, circular barbell rings and many more.

  • Beaded rings are often adopted by women as it suits them better and looks more fashionable.
  • Ball closure earrings are also available and are preferred for their simply attractive look.
  1. Studs

They are also a nice choice for those looking a unique look. They are simply ear adornments add stylishness to your character. Usually, they are extremely suitable for those who want to look fashionable but at the same time maintain their professionalism. The reason why these studs are used is because they do not block the ear canal. These studs come in various forms and design providing you a spectrum of options to choose from.

  1. Barbells

This is an eye-catchy piece of jewelry which is suitable for pierced tragus. The barbell earrings are highly suitable for those who want to portray their wild side. These are highly exotic adornments which are available in different patterns. One of the highly preferred design for these barbell earing is circular arrow barbell earing. However, using complicated barbell initially is not suggested.
More references

  1. Tragus piercing pain: http://www.medhealthdaily.com/tragus-piercing-pain/
  2. Tragus piercing care: http://www.skin-artists.com/tragus-piercing-care.htm
  3. Tragus piercing pain and risks: http://doctordecides.com/tragus-piercing-pain-infection-risks-healing-time-cost-jewelry-types/