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A tragus piercing hurts more than an earlobe piercing, Healthline says, because of the added pressure needed to go through cartilage. The pain tends to be short lived.
What the sources say
| Source | Tragus |
|---|---|
| Healthline | Tends to hurt more than an earlobe piercing because of the added pressure. A pinching sensation as the needle goes through. Short lived, and may resolve in a matter of minutes |
| Cleveland Clinic | Cartilage piercings tend to be more painful than earlobes, which hurt the least. Typically a quick pinch, followed by some throbbing |
| This site | 4 out of 10 |
How it compares
Our scale runs from 1 to 10, where 1 is a firm pinch you would barely register and 10 is the most painful thing you have experienced. It is applied to every placement, but it is an average and not a promise. See the pain chart.
| Piercing | Pain |
|---|---|
| Earlobe | 2/10 |
| Vertical tragus | 3/10 |
| Tragus | 4/10 |
| Helix | 4/10 |
| Anti-tragus | 5/10 |
| Conch | 5/10 |
The pages we read give no scores for individual placements, so the differences between cartilage piercings are our editorial estimates. Does ear piercing hurt covers every ear placement.
Afterwards
The Cleveland Clinic describes some throbbing after an ear piercing, and tenderness can last through healing. Healthline says a tragus typically heals in three to six months but can take up to a year. The Cleveland Clinic gives six to twelve months, and our guide gives 24 to 40 weeks. Tragus piercing healing time compares the sources.
Earbuds and sleeping
In-ear buds sit against the tragus and add pressure and friction. The Association of Professional Piercers (APP) advises avoiding friction, pressure and excessive motion on a healing piercing, so ask your piercer what suits you.
For sleeping, the APP says sleeping directly on a healing cartilage piercing can cause irritation and even shift its angle, and suggests a travel pillow on top of your pillow with the ear in the opening. Piercing pillow explains how.
If the pain does not settle
The APP says to see a doctor if you have severe redness, swelling or pain, or if symptoms last for a week or get worse. Leave the jewelry in unless a doctor says otherwise. Irritated or infected piercing has a symptom table, and cartilage piercing bumps covers lumps.
Related
How much a cartilage piercing costs covers the price of a tragus.
Not medical advice
This page is educational. If a piercing is hot, has spreading redness, thick coloured discharge or red streaks, or you feel unwell, see a doctor the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Does a tragus piercing hurt?
More than a lobe. Healthline says tragus piercings tend to hurt more than earlobe piercings because of the added pressure, that you may feel a pinching sensation as the needle goes through, and that the pain tends to be short lived and may resolve in a matter of minutes. On our scale a tragus is 4 out of 10.
Does a tragus hurt more than a helix?
On our scale they are level, at 4 out of 10. The pages we read give no direct comparison of the two. The Cleveland Clinic says cartilage piercings tend to be more painful than earlobes, which hurt the least.
How long does the pain last?
Healthline says the pain of getting a tragus piercing tends to be short lived and may resolve in a matter of minutes. Soreness can last through healing. The APP says to see a doctor if you have severe redness, swelling or pain, or if symptoms last for a week or get worse.
How long does a tragus take to heal?
Healthline says three to six months, though the whole process can take up to a year. The Cleveland Clinic gives six to twelve months, and our guide gives 24 to 40 weeks. The APP warns that a piercing may seem healed before the healing process is actually complete.
Can I wear earbuds afterwards?
Be careful. In-ear buds sit against the tragus, so they add pressure and friction, and the APP advises avoiding friction, pressure and excessive motion on a healing piercing. Ask your piercer what suits you.
Does a vertical tragus or anti-tragus hurt more?
On our scale a vertical tragus is 3 out of 10 and an anti-tragus is 5. These are our editorial estimates, because the pages we read give no scores for those placements.
Sources
- Healthline - Tragus piercing pain: how bad is it?https://www.healthline.com/health/tragus-piercing-pain
- Cleveland Clinic - Ear piercing 101: healing, hurting, cleaning and morehttps://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-to-expect-when-getting-your-ears-pierced
- Association of Professional Piercers - Suggested aftercare for body piercingshttps://safepiercing.org/aftercare/
- Association of Professional Piercers - Troubleshootinghttps://safepiercing.org/troubleshooting/
This article is for education only and is not medical advice. If a piercing is hot, swollen, spreading redness, oozing yellow or green discharge, or you have a fever, see a doctor today.