Ear piercing with a needle and gun: photos, types of piercing

Ear piercing

– one of the most popular procedures in the world, which has come to us since ancient times. The tradition of earlobe piercing among the tribal peoples of Africa, Asia and the Middle East has turned into an entire art that appeals not only to modern women, but also to men. But, despite the prevalence and popularity of piercing, many still do not know how to properly prepare for the procedure and what to do after ear piercing to prevent complications. In this article we will take a detailed look at all the important questions that arise for anyone who wants to decorate their ears with beautiful accessories.

photo Ear piercing – everything you need to know about the procedure

Types of ear piercing

Professional piercers distinguish 34 types of ear piercings. Options are classified by location.

Ear piercing with a gun

The most common types of ear piercings (with photo):

Lobe piercing
. The softest part of the ear is pierced. Healing is similar to any other piercing of the fleshy areas of the body;

Lobe piercing
Helix
. The hole is made in the upper part of the helix of the auricle. During its execution, no pain is felt, because there are no nerve endings in the cartilage;

Helix puncture
Anti-helix or Snug piercing
. It is done in the upper cavity of the auricle. Unlike a regular helix, here the cartilage is pierced in two places;

Snug piercing
An upper helix
is an ear piercing located at the top of the helix of the auricle, as close to the head as possible. Due to the complexity of the implementation, it is done very rarely; mainly carnations are used for decorations;
The most difficult type of ear piercing is Daith
. Its meaning is related to the acupuncture teachings of India. They say that this is not just a decoration of the body, but provides protection for the “vessel”. To make Daze, you need to prepare a special curved needle that can pierce the middle ear cartilage. The placement of the earring plays a decisive role in this type of piercing: if holes are visible, the Daith is considered to be of poor quality;

Earring for Daith
Tragus or tragus
. It got its name because of its location. It is believed that this type of piercing is very painful, although it, like many other types of punctures, is located in the cartilage;

Tragus
Piercing of the lower part of the ear or antitragus
. Also, the decoration can be located in the curved cartilaginous tissue of the helix;

Antitragus
Industrial
. Professional ear helix piercing with two piercings. Subsequently, they are connected to each other using a long earring - a barbell. For maximum convenience, the pierced points should be parallel to each other. Although, occasionally, it is allowed to raise the second part of the earring slightly above the point where the first hole is located;

Industrial piercing
Rock
outwardly very similar to the puncture of the antitragus, but differs in lower requirements for the holes for installing the earring. The decoration is located on top of the tragus, in the auricle;

Piercing rock
Fallout
. A special feature of this piercing is the arrangement of the earrings. Most often, several parallel Helix punctures are made, after which rings of the same diameter are inserted into them.

Piercing of the earlobe or cartilage

Ear piercing is carried out in two ways, with a special needle or a so-called pistol.
This or that method causes pain, especially when getting your ears pierced for the first time in your life. But after testing this transformation method on yourself, you understand that it’s not that painful, which is why even the smallest girls, one might say from the cradle, already wear earrings. When agreeing to an ear piercing procedure, parents are very concerned about the health of the child, as soft tissues are damaged, and there is a high probability of infection due to poor sterility, as well as pain after the procedure. And as practice shows, these fears are not justified. Instruments must be sterile if it is a reputable salon and qualified workers, so contamination is out of the question. The child immediately forgets about the pain and becomes the owner of beautiful gold jewelry. Also, after piercing, the main thing is to observe the rules of hygiene and follow the recommendations of specialists.

An ear piercing is a hole made by a specialist using a disposable needle or a gun with a second movement. At the client's request, not only the earlobe, but also the cartilage can be pierced. Holes are made in the ears for wearing jewelry, which is chosen from inexpensive and precious metals of various types and shapes. The desire to decorate ourselves in this way has come to us since ancient times; evidence of this was the excavation of the mummy of Ötzi, which is more than 5,000 years old. And this leads to only one result - earrings will never go out of fashion.

Ear piercing with a gun

An earlobe piercing is most often performed with a pistol. It is important to note that the vast majority of professional piercers do not recognize guns in principle. Instead, they use needles or catheters.

Ear piercing in salon

How an earlobe piercing is done by a doctor in a salon:

The selected area is carefully treated with alcohol-containing solutions. Based on the location of acupuncture points (points, the exact location of the future hole is selected);
Needles are inserted into the gun (they must be in a sterile container). The selected earring is placed next to the needle;
The planes of the gun are placed above the earlobe, the needle should be located exactly above the selected and marked puncture site. Afterwards, the doctor sharply presses the handles of the device and its planes close;
The needle pierces the skin, and the decoration is immediately pushed into the hole. The pistol is unfastened and removed from the ear, and the earring is secured with clips.

What you need to pay attention to before getting a piercing

In addition to the qualifications of the specialist, the most important thing for a successful piercing procedure is maintaining sterility. Pay attention to the cleanliness of the room, as well as to the hands of the master - he must wear gloves. If your ears will be pierced with a gun, your cosmetologist should open a sterile package with a disposable set of needle earrings in front of you. Remember that you have every right to ask the craftsman for the package of earrings to make sure it is intact and to familiarize yourself with the sterility markings applied.

How to pierce with a needle

If medical services of this kind are not suitable, then ear piercing can be performed at home. To do this, you can purchase a special Studex gun, which is used in salons, or buy a catheter of a suitable size at the nearest pharmacy.

Catheters

As a standard, they come in 6, 8, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20 mm. Naturally, the size of the hole must correspond to the diameter of the decoration.

Piercing punches

Specialized piercing stores also sell professional needles. They are made from an alloy of steel and titanium. Like catheters, they are classified by size (1; 1.1; 1.2, etc.).

Drawing of types of ear piercings

How to perform ear cartilage puncture at home:

A place is marked on the ear. To do this, you can use a regular alcohol-based felt-tip pen;
It is very important to thoroughly clean your hands and ears. For disinfection purposes, you can use Chlorhexidine or pure alcohol. If you don’t have either one or the other at hand, then use vodka or other strong alcohol (more than 40%);

Ear piercing at home
The hole is made on the outside of the cartilage so that its location can be seen. The auricle is stretched and manipulation is performed. Blood may appear at the site of the hole - don’t worry, everything is normal, in the cartilage, like in other parts of the body, there are small vessels and capillaries. You just touched one of them;
While the needle is in the ear, you need to insert an earring in its place. We recommend using a nail - it is easiest to install in a fresh hole. The hole is washed with “Chlorhexidine”, “Miramistin” or alcohol, the needle begins to be carefully pulled out of it, and the earring, on the contrary, is inserted;

Miramistin
To make the stud fit inside the puncture easier, you can apply any regenerating ointment to its tip.

The technique may vary depending on the type chosen, but in general, the system is the same. At first, ichor will appear around the earring - it must be washed off with Chlorhexidine all the time. Do not use peroxide under any circumstances, otherwise you will delay the healing process for many months.

Chlorhexidine

Choosing earrings

High quality earrings used for ear piercings have simplified the process of making holes for wearing jewelry. The material for their production is titanium, which is hypoallergenic, or special medical steel. To decorate and improve the appearance, pearls and various stones of different values are used.

Titanium or steel jewelry acts as a needle, which simplifies the process, where there is no need to perform additional uncomfortable and unpleasant manipulations with the installation of earrings. Punching the hole is done instantly, painlessly, and stud-shaped jewelry looks elegant in the ear.

System 75 for ear piercing

If you don’t want to bother with catheters or needles, we recommend purchasing a special system for piercing from the company Stadex - System-75. It is often used in beauty salons for simple piercings of the nose, ear and lip. If you need equipment for more complex piercings, such as septum or tongue, then it is better to choose a professional set of tools.

In addition to the System 75, Caflon Clinic devices are actively used by home piercers.

How long does it take for ears to heal after a piercing?

The rate of tissue healing varies greatly between adults and children. We will look at how much tissue regeneration occurs after piercing in young people after 17:

Type	Time (weeks)
Earlobe	2–4
Helix	8–10
Anti-helix, upper helix	6–8
Daith	Up to 12
Industrial	8–10
Tragus, tragus, antitragus	6–12

At the same time, if you remove the earring, the ear will heal much faster. For example, an unsuccessful lobe piercing will be invisible 2 months after removing the jewelry, and a cartilage piercing will be invisible after 3 months.

How to treat ears after piercing

To prevent the ear from becoming inflamed, it is important to properly treat it after the piercing. First of all, you will need mild antiseptics. This can be any available remedy, but remember that alcohol can greatly dry out the skin and reduce the healing rate.

Ear treatment after piercing

Sequence of ear piercing treatment:

As soon as the piercing is done, you need to rinse the hole with Chlorhexidine and apply a small amount of Bepanten or Rescuer to it;
Before washing your hair, to avoid complications, in the first 3 weeks of healing, you will need to cover all punctures (single and multiple) with a thick layer of fatty regenerating ointment. Ichthyol or “Rescuer” is ideal - they are greasy and do not wash off with water;
Reviews claim that if after ear piercing they itch very much, then the healing process has begun. Just under no circumstances should you scratch these areas with your fingers;
To prevent inflammation, the piercing should be washed twice a day and rotated regularly. If this is not done, then during the healing process the earring will grow into the skin;
In the future, redness or bumps may appear on the overgrown piercing. If they have formed, then particles of skin and dirt have collected in the hole - just rinse the hole with peroxide; Drawing peroxide for piercing treatment
To prevent inflammation inside the ear during the healing process, it is recommended to drip otitis media drops into the ear;
If, after removing the jewelry, the piercing is overgrown, a second puncture can only be done in a different place. A hole in the same area is fraught with complications.

Contraindications

A hole in the ear for wearing an earring is a quick, inexpensive and virtually pain-free procedure, and most importantly, non-hazardous even for children. Jewelry in this way is now worn not only by the female half, but also by the male half, as our fashion dictates. But no matter how simple the procedure, there are a number of contraindications regarding the client’s health:

Diabetes;
Skin, blood diseases, diseases of the auricle, cartilage;
Rheumatism;
Neurological disorders;
Keloid scar tissue;
Head injuries;
Weak immunity.

You can make an appointment by phone: +7(495)212-1534 . Our specialists are ready to answer all your questions at any time convenient for you.

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If your ear hurts or festeres after a piercing

After ear piercing there can be different consequences. Immediately after the piercing, swelling will begin. There is no need to remove it - with normal healing it will go away the next day. If this does not happen, and the ear is completely swollen, then suppuration of the lobes or cartilage begins.

Ear piercing inflammation

Tips on what to do if your ear festers:

The piercing site must be thoroughly treated with an antiseptic. Miramistin is ideal;
To prevent lumps from forming at the ear piercing site in the future, you need to lightly knead the tissue every day. If numerous granulomas have already appeared, only professional treatment will help;
It is strictly forbidden to sleep on the side of the punctures. This contributes to poor circulation;
If a lump has formed there that hurts or itches, it’s a granuloma. It is a “skin bag” containing pus inside. The most important thing is to remove the purulent fluid. Ichthyol ointment, onion gruel, aloe leaves will help with this;

Ear inflammation after piercing
Any of the selected products is applied as a compress to the affected area for several hours. After 2–3 hours, remove the compress and replace it with a new one. After the second time, you need to rinse the hole with hydrogen peroxide; in most cases, this is enough for the pus to begin to come out;
If the ball is too large, then it is optimal to squeeze out the pus manually. To do this, take a cotton pad and moisten it generously with any available antiseptic. Just below the puncture site, begin to apply light pressure on the lump. Pus will come out of the hole. As soon as this happens, press a little harder. To finally get rid of the granuloma, apply a compress with ichthyol ointment to the piercing site.

In addition, even despite proper care and careful handling of the puncture, the body may begin to reject the earring. During the process, the temperature may rise, the ear will become very sore, and pus may even be discharged. You can try installing an earring made of noble metal or a ring (this will make it easier to wash). If this does not help, you will have to remove the jewelry.

Does it hurt to pierce your ears with a gun?

This is not to say that during the procedure there are no unpleasant sensations at all, they exist and can be rated 3 out of 10. Some say that a loud shot near the ear creates more fear.

In modern realities, a piercing gun is the main way to pierce the ears, because for business it is a goldmine:

No need to learn piercing
Cheap
Fast

Although it is not painful, the whole picture is spoiled by the decoration, which leaves behind a lacerated wound, and this is a direct path to a keloid or, even worse, to a granuloma.

The only good news is that cases of such jewelry being rejected are rare.

Such carnations are made of stainless steel, and for primary decoration it is customary to use titanium or bioplastic , which are highly biocompatible

Children under 3 years of age

Mothers love to pierce the ears of unconscious children, as it is believed that the baby will not remember this unpleasant pain. Also, when the child grows up, he will not remember how his mother helped treat his ears so that they would heal faster.

Not everything is so pessimistic, because the child is almost not in pain and it all goes away in a matter of moments. If you know how to care for it and assume that the jewelry is relatively normal, then you can use this method because the earlobes heal relatively well.

The perception of pain depends on the age and personality of the baby, and what is important is whether you can quickly distract the child if he starts crying, and he will cry

Another unpleasant detail of all this is that the baby may be strenuously reaching for the pier with his hands for the first three days, and if we take into account his weak immunity, it is generally sad that he may get sick.

Ear piercing earrings

For quick healing, it is important to choose an earring that is suitable for a specific puncture. Beautiful decorations are not always practical or convenient, so this needs to be thought through in advance.

Types of stud earrings for piercing

Types of earrings:

Carnations. Classic jewelry. Suitable for piercing earlobes in children or for filling numerous holes in cartilage;

Stud options
Rings. Promotes rapid healing. Thanks to their shape, they greatly simplify care;

Unusual rings for piercing
Barbells. They consist of balls at the edges and a flat pin in the center. Just like rings, it is easy to care for. Suitable for industrial and anti-helix;

Options for barbells in the ear
Snails. An extremely rare ear decoration due to its unusual shape, but if it is made by Daze, then this is the best choice. They allow you to hide puncture marks and are attached very tightly - they definitely won’t get lost.

Industrial bar

Earring for multiple punctures.
Based on the material, they are divided into plastic, metal (steel, nickel, titanium) and noble (gold, platinum and silver). Plastic has various contraindications due to its high surface roughness. Some girls say that this material slows down healing.

What to do if your earlobe becomes inflamed from an earring?

As a rule, inflammation of already healed punctures is associated either with trauma or with the qualities of decoration that we discussed above. Exacerbations of systemic diseases cannot be discounted - they can also cause atypical reactions.

It’s not just that the ear gets inflamed from an earring: you should find out the reasons for this phenomenon in order to avoid them in the future. As sad as it may be, sometimes you have to completely abandon such decorations. Nothing critical - there are a great many cool clips on sale.

If a hole in your earlobe becomes inflamed from an earring, you should at least temporarily stop wearing the corresponding jewelry. Wait until traces of the inflammatory process have completely passed. Recommendations on how to care for your ears during this period are below.

Total redness of the ear, accompanied by the discharge of pus from the puncture, is a good reason to consult a surgeon. And if the temperature rises, you should not go to the doctor, but run!

Inflammation after puncture

Most often, inflammatory reactions occur after unprofessional punctures made on a whim: there are hands, ears and a sewing needle - why not? The inflammatory response is the lesser evil of such rash decisions.

Gold earrings with topaz in the Sunlight catalog
In salons, ears are pierced with special guns, which immediately and almost painlessly insert the earrings, or with piercing needles. Although it is impossible to completely sterilize a special gun, the risk of infection tends to zero. An even better option is a disposable catheter needle: it is guaranteed to be sterile.

Redness of the earlobe and the appearance of crusts are a normal reaction of the body in the first couple of weeks after surgery. But if the lobe becomes purple, a “tugging pain” appears, and pus literally flows from the puncture, adequate measures need to be taken.