Tragus

A tragus piercing is the perforation of the portion of the ear known as the tragus, the small, fleshy piece of cartilage at the entrance of the ear canal.

A perforation of the of the piece of cartilage opposite the tragus is called an anti-tragus piercing.

A ball closure ring or a labret stud is used for this kind of piercing, and if you opt for a labret, then it should be made slightly longer to take into account the swelling of the tissue in that area.

Opposite the tragus you can also perforate the so-called anti-tragus.

Piercing procedure:

The piercer can use a straight or curved venous cannula for the process, depending on his/her preference.

A dermal punch is also an option, but is rarely used by piercing studios. We no longer use this method.

The tragus piercing is performed with a regular piercing needle.

The cartilage tissue in this particular spot is thinner than in a conch piercing, but due to the smaller surface area it is subjected to more stress during perforation and especially when inserting jewelry. Keep in mind that using a ring as a first application is more painful than a stud in this case. Stretching the piercing canal is possible but uncommon. Bleeding is minimal during and after the piercing, since there isn’t a great deal of connective tissue in this area.

Healing and care:

A tragus piercing can take between 3 and 8 months to heal completely, rarely longer. Like other external piercings, in the first three weeks it should be cleaned with ProntoLind spray twice a day, and then coated with ProntoLind gel. It is important to wash your hands before touching the pierced area and the jewelry itself. By caring for the piercing in the correct manner and with the proper materials, you can do a great deal to prevent the onset of proud flesh. Disinfectant solutions containing alcohol or chlorine should be avoided.

Dangers and tall tales:

You will hear a lot of the following, all of which is patently false:

„Since the nervus facialis (facial nerve) transverses the outer portion of the tragus, an error during perforation can lead to permanent facial paralysis. Therefore, people with a small tragus should think twice about subjecting themselves to this kind of piercing.“

This is what is known as an „urban legend“, in other words a blatantly false claim. The facial nerves in this area are actually close to the bone and below the muscles, and are therefore not exposed to any risk of damage or impairment.