Anti-tragus piercing pain

Love the look of an anti-tragus piercing? Worried about visiting a piercer because you think it will hurt?

We have been there too. Facing a new piercing is not always easy. You are in the right place.

Discreet and less common, the anti-tragus piercing sits just above the lobe. We like wearing slim, lightweight hoops here once healed, for a beautifully layered ear stack. This area of the ear is sensitive, so an anti-tragus piercing can be quite painful.

In this short article, you will learn:

• Why piercing cartilage hurts
• How to ease anti-tragus pain
• A few personal accounts

Is an anti-tragus piercing painful?

To begin with, the anti-tragus is the section of cartilage just above the lobe and opposite the tragus (hence the name 'anti'). This curved, folded ridge of cartilage can be difficult to pierce if it is too thin. Your ear anatomy may not allow you to have a piercing in this area.

The anti-tragus is a fold of cartilage: piercing it can hurt, and healing can take time. A fixed score out of 10 cannot predict your experience; pain is personal (see the IASP definition of pain). 

As is often the case, the intensity of pain depends on many factors: your stress, tolerance, past experiences. In the next section, we will look at ways to feel more prepared.

When the piercer's needle passes through the cartilage, you may feel a sharp pinch, followed by tenderness afterwards.

We gathered a few accounts from this site and this site:

• “As for pain during piercing: anti-tragus, nothing to fear, no worse than a standard cartilage piercing, as cute said.”
• “Personally, my only cartilage piercing is a tragus […] As for the anti-tragus, I think the pain is about the same. […]” This is one person's opinion, not a guarantee of a painless piercing.
• “I have had my anti-tragus for 6 years now and have never had any problems […] As for pain, I just remember that the clamp hurt more than the needle.”

How can you reduce cartilage piercing pain?

Despite the reputation of some piercings, there are ways that may help you feel more comfortable and less stressed on the day. Let's explore them.

 

Prepare mentally and physically!

Like top-level athletes, you will need to prepare before your anti-tragus piercing. If you feel unsure and/or tend to get stressed, you can try the following before your appointment:

 

• Meditate for 10 minutes
• Breathe deeply: breathe in for 5 seconds and out for 5 seconds
• Bring a friend or someone close to you
• Listen to music 

Remember to eat well a few hours beforehand, drink enough and get enough sleep. If you are considering a numbing product, check with a qualified healthcare professional first.

 

Finally, visit a competent piercer. The studio must be clean, and the practitioner must use quality, disinfected instruments, with sterile equipment for the piercing itself. Do not go to a jewellery shop for gun piercing on cartilage.

 

Is your piercing still painful?

There are two possible reasons why your anti-tragus piercing may remain painful.

 

If your piercing is still fresh, some tenderness can happen. Pain should gradually ease, but worsening or persistent pain needs assessment. Follow your piercer's aftercare instructions carefully, avoid snagging, and do not touch your ear except during aftercare.

 

If pain starts later or returns, it may be a sign of irritation or infection. If your jewellery has caught on something, your piercing may be irritated. If you have a fever or pus is coming from your anti-tragus, these are concerning signs. See a doctor without delay. See the signs of infection described by the NHS.

 

Finally, do not change your anti-tragus jewellery before your piercing has fully recovered. If you really want it changed, return to your piercer so they can assess whether it is ready. This does not mean it is ready for our catalogue jewellery, which is for healed piercings.

 

For a healed piercing, favour barbells and small hoops, and choose materials suited to your skin: gold, titanium, 316L steel or gold-plated jewellery may be options, but none of these descriptions guarantees freedom from allergic reactions.