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There are many different types of piercings and placements for your ear.
There is a bit of confusion going around about the proper names and placement for certain piercings.
Allow us to clear the air with this Ear Piercing Diagram.
Here is a list of 18 ear piercings you should know.
1. Lobe Piercing
The simple lobe piercing is self explanatory and probably the most common piercing of all. It is a piercing through the soft tissue
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
2. Upper Lobe Piercing
The upper earlobe varies from person to person depending on the shape and contour of your ear. The upper lobe is the soft tissue that starts at the lobe and travels up to the 'snug piercing' area.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
3. Stretched Lobe Piercings
One of the most popular piercings in the body modification community is stretched ears. Stretched ears begin with a small piercing in the ear lobe, over time and through proper stretching techniques, this piercing can be achieved.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
4. Transversal Lobe Piercing
The transversal lobe piercing involves a barbell penetrating through the side of the earlobe through to the other side of the lobe. Done correctly, the barbell should be hidden within the tissue of the earlobe.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
5. Industrial / Scaffolding Piercing
The Industrial piercing (also called scaffolding) is a barbell that reaches the helix all the way to the forward helix. There are many different styles of the industrial piercing, the style and placement usually depend on your own anatomy and how creative you can get.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
6. Vertical Industrial Piercing
A vertical Industrial Piercing is similar to the Industrial piercing but instead is vertical. It is usually pierced through the conch to the inner conch. Another popular style of vertical industrials involves the barbell pierced through the conch to the top of the helix (as shown in the *alternate style*)
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
7. Tragus Piercing
The tragus piercing is placed on the cartilage "flap" that hovers over the opening of the ear canal.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
8. Anti-Tragus Piercing
The anti-tragus is pierced through the piece of cartilage that resembles the tragus but is on the opposite side.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
9. Helix / Scapha Piercing
The helix piercing can be placed nearly anywhere along the rim of the ear where the deep tissue exists. Since not every person's ear is the same, not everyone would have an ideal cartilage for proper placement of the helix.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
10. Forward Helix Piercing
The forward helix is the cartilage portion of the helix that curves downward.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
11. Daith Piercing
The daith piercing is the cartilage under the forward helix that continues onto the inner part of the ear.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
12. Rook Piercing
The rook piercing usually involves a curved barbell that pierces the cartilage of the upper part of the inside of the ear.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
13. Snug Piercing
The snug piercing is placed through the cartilage of the same ridge in which the rook is placed but farther away from the face. Needless to say this is not a phone or pillow-friendly piercing.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
14. Ragnar Piercing
The ragnar piercing is sort of a mix of the "snug piercing" and the "transversal lobe". This piercing enters the same way a snug would but continues on through the cartilage and soft tissue so that it comes out of the helix. If done correctly, the barbell will be hidden in the ear tissue and cartilage. This is similar to the transversal lobe.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
15. Conch Piercing
The conch piercing is in the inside lower part of the ear. There can be multiple conch piercings like the Triple Conch piercing in the example above.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
16. Outer Conch Piercing
The outer conch is pierced through the cartilage of the upper portion of the ear. Many people have multiple outer conch piercings like the example above.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
17. Inner Conch Piercing
The inner conch can be a stud or barbell that goes through the inner part of the ear under the outer conch area and behind the forward helix piercing
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
18. Orbital Piercing
Orbital piercings can be placed just about any place on the ear as long your specific anatomy will allow. The orbital is usually a captive bead ring that is pierced through 2 piercings.
[source: Wicked Body Jewelz]
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