Ear piercings are among the most popular body modifications as they add to your style and appearance. You can choose between different styles of ear piercings, all of which offer a stylish appeal. Of course, you should be wary that getting a piercing is a painful process.
Since the ear is a delicate part of the body, the area grows more sensitive once you get a piercing, and for your ear piercing to heal, you have to take proper care of it. A major concern for many people with ear piercings or people who plan to get one soon is if whether or not they prevent you from wearing earbuds.
Ultimately, this depends on the type of ear piercing you are getting. Piercings like the Conch, Daith, Tragus, and rook piercing may make it difficult to wear earbuds, but is this really true? To find out more about wearing earbuds with certain ear piercings and what you can do to keep your piercing safe, read further below.
Different Ear Piercings That Might Prevent You from Wearing Earbuds
If you regularly wear earbuds when listening to music, getting a piercing may affect this habit. Earbuds often accumulate dirt, so there’s a chance of them infecting the piercing or hindering the healing process.
If you’re a music lover or someone who can’t live without their AirPods, you must pay attention to the following points, depending on the type of piercing you get. Mentioned below are different types of piercings and whether or not they prevent you from wearing Earbuds.
The Rook Piercing
The rook is a unique type of piercing that is right in the cartilage fold beneath the helix of your ear. You experience a moderate level of pain while getting this piercing, and it is more like a slight pinch. While most describe the pain to be quite bearable, pain tolerance differs from one person to the next. The healing process of a rook piercing takes around 2-3 months, depending on how well you take care of it.
One of the biggest aftercare tips to follow for a rook piercing is to avoid wearing anything that can press against your piercing. Thankfully, it doesn’t come in contact with an earbud, making them great alternatives for headphones or larger earphones.
The Daith Piercing
Now fairly common, a Daith piercing hails from Jewish culture. It is a hoop-like feature that joins the cartilage on the inner part of your ear. Daith piercings are painful but a little less intense compared to other piercings. Of course, this depends on the person’s tolerance. Daith piercings take around 6-9 months to heal, but the timeline differs for everyone.
A Daith piercing’s positioning comes in the way of putting anything in your ear. Hence, it’s best to refrain from wearing earbuds for a while after getting a piercing. You can wear silicone earbuds a week after getting your ear pierced, but you should still avoid AirPods. Apple’s popular wireless earphones are made using a robust material that will come in the way of the healing process.
The Conch Piercing
The conch piercing is a trendy modern piercing style that’s gaining traction among fashion influencers and trendsetters. This style involves piercing in the middle of the cartilage to create a spiraled look. You can get an inner or outer conch piercing. But this depends on the size of your ear and which fold offers more space, the higher or, the lower.
Make sure you aren’t expecting a painless piercing experience, as the area features a thick layer of cartilage, which hurts more than piercing the just skin. Of course, whether you experience immense or just a little pain depends on your tolerance and previous experience.
You cannot wear earbuds with a conch piercing, especially while it’s healing. You can, however, wear one once the healing process is complete. Nevertheless, you have to be very careful and make sure you clean your earbuds before putting them in your ear. This way, at the very least, you don’t have to worry about an ear infection.
The Tragus Piercing
The distinct tragus piercing gives wearers a bold look and fiery appearance. This piercing appears on the part of the ear that is attached to one side of your face, partially covering the ear canal. Getting a tragus piercing will be painful to some extent.
After all, this part of the ear comprises thick cartilage. You may experience more pain than usual, but ultimately, it depends on your pain tolerance. A tragus piercing takes about 3-6 months to heal, but it can take even take longer, depending on how well you take care of your piercing and your body’s reaction to it.
The Tragus is a sensitive part of your ear, so you have to be very careful with anything that could come in contact with the piercing. This is one of the reasons you must avoid wearing earbuds during the healing process.
Otherwise, you risk getting an infection, especially if you haven’t cleaned and sanitized the Earbuds properly. This will only delay the healing process, and at some point, make you regret getting a piercing in the first place.
How Long Does It Take To Heal Before You Can Start Wearing Ear Buds?
Each type of ear piercing takes a different amount of time to heal. On top of that, every individual’s body heals at a different pace. Some ear piercings, like the daith, takes around 6-8 months to heal, while the Tragus can take 3-6 months.
But remember, it isn’t necessary that your healing process matches the time period mentioned. Let’s not forget that your aftercare routine determines how fast your ear piercing heals. The most important thing to remember is to stay patient through the healing process.
At times, it can get a bit frustrating when your ear piercing isn’t healing as quickly as you expected it to, but the wait is always worth it. Our internal systems don’t accept foreign objects like piercings as a way to defend themselves. So keep in mind all these factors and stay patient till your piercing fully heals.
Once you undergo the healing process, you can enjoy the perks of having a cool ear piercing and wear earbuds for as long as you want. You have to make sure that you clean out your Earbuds properly before putting them in your ear. Even once your piercing heals, it’s still vulnerable and prone to a bacterial infection.
The Bottom-Line
Now that you are aware of the different types of ear piercings that face a risk of infection by wearing earbuds, you can make a suitable decision. To avoid an infection, take a break from wearing Earbuds for a while. A cool ear piercing is definitely worth the wait, especially a cool one like the Tragus or the Daith. Make sure to practice ear piercing aftercare until your piercing has healed properly.