Rook

When people ask me what my most painful piercing of the 40 on my ears was, I typically say the rook. Sometimes, other people with rook piercings passionately agree, and others respond that theirs barely hurt (must be nice). But for me, there’s no question: This is the spiciest piercing I’ve ever experienced.

“The rook piercing is pierced vertically through the highest ridge in the inner ear, it sits just above the tragus and daith ridge,” explains Studs piercing educator Connie Pullan. “Getting the rook pierced can feel extra spicy due to the thickness of the cartilage there. It takes about eight to 12 months to fully heal, [but] after it’s pierced, people find the care of the rook super easy as it’s tucked away on the inner ear and much less likely to catch and snag. The rook should be pierced with a curved barbell; once fully healed, it can be changed to a hoop.”

Forward Helix

When I say Tumblr inspired my ear piercings, I especially mean my forward helix. There was a viral image of a girl with three stacked forward helix piercings that’s burned into my brain, and by sixth grade, I decided I had to have at least one. I’ve got two now, but a small part of me is still tempted to complete the trifecta (stay tuned on that).

“The forward helix piercing is placed on the outer cartilage through the forward-facing surface near the top of your ear,” Pullan shares. “Clients often describe the pain of getting their forward helix as ‘sharp’ but quick, as most clients have a thin forward helix. The spice comes from snagging during healing—we always suggest clients pick smaller, smooth pieces of jewelry to be initially pierced with to reduce snags. The forward helix typically takes six to nine months or more to heal.”

I agree that sharp is a good word to describe this piercing. The pain was quick, but more noticeable than other areas of the ear. And as someone who loves a slicked back bun, during the healing process, I was extra mindful of using product to make sure it didn’t touch the piercing. I couldn’t recklessly throw globs of gel on my hands or spray an unhealthy amount of hairspray everywhere, but achieving my Tumblr dreams was more than worth the attentiveness.

Daith

My daith is my favorite ear piercing, and one I would recommend ten out of ten times. I love the way it looks on anyone and everyone, and it feels like the perfect centerpiece. The number one question I get about this piercing is whether I can wear earbud headphones, and my personal answer is yes (though I imagine this is anatomy-dependent and worth asking your piercer). But all that said, I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t one of the spicier piercings I’ve gotten. The area is a bit awkward, so even the clamping pre-piercing felt uncomfortable, and the cartilage is thicker than other areas of my ear.

“The daith piercing is pierced through the smallest fold of cartilage in your ear, placed at the point where the tragus meets the forward helix, just above the opening of the ear canal,” Pullan explains. “Clients often describe feeling lots of pressure during the piercing, and it can feel more painful due how deep into the ear this placement lives. It can take eight to 12 months to heal.”

Personally, I found the daith healing process slightly easier than others, given its placement in my ear. I rarely bumped it or touched it, and picking the crusties (if you know, you know) was not as temptingly accessible, so it was a more straightforward healing process. That said, I’d always advise getting a piercing like this on your non-sleeping side to avoid any issues while healing.

Mid-Helix

The mid-helix, also known as the “midi,” was my first ever non-lobe piercing and is still a favorite to this day. If you asked 15-year-old me if that piercing hurt, I’d say absolutely not. But adult me, who has gotten a second midi on this ear (and two on my other ear as well), would argue that it does, in fact, pinch. It’s such a thin part of the ear that feels more vulnerable (am I watching too much Love Island?) and an entryway to where the cartilage becomes more prevalent.

“It is important that piercers check midi anatomy to select the right height to pierce at,” Pullan says. “As the ear moves from lobe to cartilage, a small area is a mix of both tissues. Piercing in this mixed area can make healing extra challenging, so ensuring you are piercing just through cartilage will help in the long run. However, the midi lives in a high hair traffic area, so snags and pulls will still remain a challenge while healing, which typically takes at least six to nine months.”

Fourth Lobes

For a very similar reason to the mid-helix, the fourth lobes are secretly spicy, oftentimes more so during the healing process than actual piercing. The word “lobe” feels misleading here, as first and second lobes are typically the least painful, but as you move higher on the lobe towards the cartilage, the potential pain scale goes up.

“Although lobes are usually less spicy and easier to heal, a fourth lobe may be closer to cartilage territory and may feel more like a helix piercing,” Pullan explains. “Chat with your piercer to assess what tissue will be pierced when getting an upper lobe so you can plan for spice level and heal time accordingly. Typical heal time is four to six months.”

Is it me? Am I the drama?

Stacked Conch

Most people with a conch piercing would agree that generally speaking, this is one of the pinchier spots. For that very reason, my stacked conch piercings make the list (especially the second of the two). The heart wants what it wants, but my ear would beg to differ.

“A stacked conch is placed above or below an existing conch piercing,” Pullan tells us. “Clients often feel getting a second piercing in the same area during an appointment can be extra spicy. This is due to adrenaline: Before you get pierced, your adrenaline runs high, but after the first poke, your body relaxes. As adrenaline lowers, you’re more susceptible to feeling pain. This pain will increase by proximity to the first poke as well. A stacked conch will take six to nine months to heal.”

My second piercing of the two, the top of the stack, was pierced separately from the first about three years later. Still, the proximity and sensitivity of the area led to this being more painful than the original conch piercing. Still, it remains what I think is my “coolest” piercing and definitely is an out-of-the-box look I’d recommend to someone who wants a unique look.

Hidden Helix

If you scroll back and forth between the two ear images I’ve been using to showcase piercing placement, you’ll notice that the top curve of my two ears look different from one another. After a vertical helix-gone-wrong, my right ear never healed properly and ended up with a fold that I didn’t have prior to the piercing (which I have since taken out). I wasn’t happy with how my ear looked, so I ventured to add a different piercing to the area, a hidden helix (pictured above). Thanks to scar tissue, this was quietly one of my most painful piercings, though I’m not sure whether that would be the case had I not already had trauma to the area.

“Hidden helixes are super popular and can complete an earscape look with a hidden dangle piece,” Pullan shares. “Although it’s placed higher than a regular helix, the pain would be about equivalent. However, for people who wear glasses, make sure they do not sit too close to your piercing exit, as this can cause discomfort and slow healing. The hidden helix takes six to nine months or more to heal.”