Earring facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Earrings |
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Types of earring: 1- helix/cartilage, 2- industrial, 3- rook, 4- daith, 5- tragus, 6- snug, 7- conch, 8- anti-tragus, 9- lobe
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| Location | Ear |
| Jewelry | Captive bead ring, barbell, circular barbell, flesh plug |
| Healing | 6–12 months |
An earring is a piece of jewelry that you wear on your ear. Most earrings go through a small hole, called a piercing, in your earlobe or another part of your ear. Some earrings, like clip-ons, just attach to your ear without a piercing. People have worn earrings for thousands of years in many different cultures. They often have special meanings.
Besides the earlobe, you can get piercings in other parts of your ear. These include the rook, tragus, and the upper edge called the helix. Look at the image in the infobox to see these spots! Piercings in the upper ear are often called "cartilage piercings." These are a bit trickier to do and take longer to heal than earlobe piercings.
Earrings can be made from many different things. Common materials include metal, plastic, glass, precious stones, beads, wood, and bone. Designs can be tiny hoops or studs, or large, dangling pieces. The size of an earring is limited by how much your earlobe can hold without getting damaged. Very heavy earrings worn for a long time can stretch your earlobe.
The History of Earrings
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Ear piercing is one of the oldest ways people have changed their bodies. We have seen drawings and writings about earrings from cultures all over the world, going back to ancient times. For example, gold earrings were found in ancient sites in Lothal, India, and Sumer (modern-day Iraq). These date back to very early periods.
Hoop earrings made of gold, silver, and bronze were popular in the Minoan Civilization (2000–1600 BCE). You can see examples in paintings on the Greek island of Santorini. Later, in the Bronze Age Greece, hoop earrings with cone-shaped pendants were fashionable. Early proof of men wearing earrings comes from Persepolis in ancient Persia. Carvings of Persian Empire soldiers show them wearing earrings.
Howard Carter, who discovered Tutankhamun's tomb, noted that the Pharaoh's ears were pierced. However, no earrings were found on his body, even though some were in the tomb. This suggests that in ancient Egypt, earrings might have been worn mostly by children.
The Bible also mentions earrings. In the book of Exodus, it says that the Israelites gave their earrings to Aaron to make a golden idol (around 1500 BCE). In later times, like in Greece and Rome, earrings were mostly worn by women. However, they were popular among men in earlier periods and became popular again later. Famous thinkers like Plato were known to wear them.
The Ainu people of Japan traditionally wore earrings, but the Japanese government stopped Ainu men from wearing them in the late 1800s. Earrings were also common among nomadic Turkic tribes and in Korea. In India, fancy ear ornaments have been popular for a very long time. In Korea, during the Silla, Goryeo, and Joseon periods, both men and women wore earrings.
In Western Europe, earrings became popular among English gentlemen in the 1500s. A writer named Holinshed noted in 1577 that "Some lively courtiers and brave gentlemen do wear either rings of gold, stones or pearls in their ears." For sailors, a pierced earlobe meant they had sailed around the world or crossed the equator.
By the late 1950s or early 1960s, ear piercing became popular again in the Western world. Teenage girls would even have "ear-piercing parties" where they pierced each other's ears. By the mid-1960s, some doctors started offering ear piercing. Soon after, jewelry stores in Manhattan also began offering this service.
In the late 1960s, ear piercing started to become more common for men. This trend grew through the hippie and gay communities, though sailors had worn them for much longer.
By the early 1970s, ear piercing was very common for women. Department stores across the country held ear piercing events. At these events, a nurse or trained person would use a special tool to push a sterilized "starter earring" through the earlobe.
In the late 1970s, people in the punk rock community started doing their own piercings, sometimes using safety pins. They also started getting multiple piercings. By the 1980s, many male popular music performers had pierced ears, which made it a fashion trend for men. Later, many professional athletes also adopted this style. British men started piercing both ears in the 1980s, with George Michael being a famous example. Today, it is very common for teenage boys to have both ears pierced as a fashion statement.
Having multiple piercings in one or both ears became popular in America in the 1970s. At first, women would wear a second set of earrings in their earlobes. Men might get two piercings in one earlobe. Over time, people started getting more and more piercings in different styles. This led to the trend of cartilage piercings. In Central America, especially Costa Rica, it's common for newborn babies to have double ear piercings.
Many special cartilage piercings have become popular. These include the tragus piercing, antitragus piercing, rook piercing, industrial piercing, helix piercing, orbital piercing, daith piercing, and conch piercing. Also, earlobe stretching, which has been done in many cultures for thousands of years, became popular in Western society in the 1990s. These types of piercings are still less common than regular earlobe piercings.
Ear Piercing in Religions
In the Hindu tradition, most girls and some boys get their ears pierced. This is part of a religious ceremony called Karnavedha. It usually happens before they are five years old. Babies can even get their ears pierced a few days after birth.
Similar traditions are found in other Asian countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Laos. However, in these places, most boys wait until they are young adults to get their ears pierced.
The Bible mentions ear piercing in a few places. One example talks about a Hebrew slave who chooses to stay with their master instead of being freed. The master would pierce the slave's ear with a tool, and the slave would then stay with them for life.
Types of Earrings
Modern Pierced Earrings
Barbell Earrings
Barbell earrings look like a small barbell. They usually have a metal bar with a small ball on each end. One ball is fixed, and the other can be unscrewed. This lets you put the barbell through your piercing. Some barbells are curved or angled.
Claw Earrings
A claw or talon earring is a curved, tapered piece of jewelry. It is worn in stretched ear lobe piercings. The thickest end is often decorated. A rubber ring might be used to keep it from falling out. They are often made of acrylic or glass. A similar style is the crescent, which is shaped like a crescent moon and tapers at both ends. Claw earrings can be very fancy, like carved serpents. However, they can sometimes get caught on hair or clothes.
Statement Earrings
Statement earrings are designed to grab attention. They have bold, unique designs and often use interesting materials. They might include:
- Dangles
- Tassels
- Sparkles
- Bright or eye-catching colors
- Hoops
Stud Earrings
Stud earrings look like they are floating on your ear. You can't see how they are connected from the front. A stud has a gem or decoration on a thin post. This post goes through your ear piercing. A removable back, often called a "butterfly" or "scroll fitting," holds it in place behind your ear. More expensive studs might have threaded posts and screw backs to keep them extra secure.
Heart Earrings
Heart earrings are simply earrings shaped like a heart. They can be worn upright or turned upside down.
Hoop Earrings
Hoop earrings are round or semi-circular, like a ring. They usually open up to go through your ear piercing. Many are made of hollow metal tubing with a thin wire that goes through your ear. The wire attaches to the tube at the front and slips into it at the back. The earring stays closed because of the tension between the wire and the tube. Some hoops don't form a full circle. They use a post, like stud earrings, to attach to the ear.
A "continuous hoop earring" is made from one solid piece of metal. It goes through the ear and can rotate almost all the way around. One end is attached to a small metal tube or bead. The other end slides into this tube or bead and is held by tension. A special type of hoop is the "sleeper earring." These are small, thin gold hoops, about one centimeter wide. "Hinged" sleepers were popular in Britain in the 1960s and 70s. They have two half-circles connected by a tiny hinge and a small clasp. They form a continuous hoop, and the clasp is almost invisible. Sleepers are called that because they were meant to be worn at night. They kept new piercings from closing before ear-piercing guns became common. They are also a popular fashion choice because they are simple and attractive.
Dangle Earrings
Dangle earrings hang down from your earlobes. Their length can vary from very short to very long, sometimes even touching your shoulders. A pierced dangle earring usually has a thin wire that goes through the earlobe. It might hook closed at the back, or it might be a "French hook" design where the wire just passes through without a closure. Sometimes, small plastic or silicone stoppers are used to keep them from falling out. Rarely, dangle earrings use the post attachment like studs.
Huggy Earrings
Huggy earrings are hoops that fit very closely around your earlobe. They don't hang down like regular hoop earrings. Often, stones are set into huggy earrings.
Ear Thread Earrings
Ear thread, also called earthreader or threader earrings, is a thin chain. It is thin enough to slip through your ear piercing and dangle down the back. Sometimes, people add beads or other decorations to the chain.
Jhumka Earrings
Jhumka earrings are a traditional type of dangling, bell-shaped earring. They are mostly worn by women in the Indian subcontinent.
Chandelier Earrings
Chandelier earrings look like small chandeliers. They hang below the ear and are wider at the bottom than at the top.
Body Piercing Jewelry Used as Earrings
Many types of Body piercing jewelry are used for ear piercings. People choose them for reasons like larger sizes, better piercing methods, and fewer healing problems.
- Captive bead rings – These are almost full circles with a small gap. A small bead closes the gap and is held by the ring's tension. Larger rings can be hard to open and close without special tools.
- Barbells – Barbells have a thin, straight metal rod with a bead fixed to one end. The other end has threads, and another bead screws onto it after the barbell is in the ear. Some barbells have internal threads to avoid irritating the piercing. There are also "threadless" barbells where a slightly bent pin holds the front piece in place.
- Circular barbells – These are like captive bead rings but have a larger gap. They have one fixed bead and one threaded bead, making them easier to put in and take out than captive bead rings.
- Plugs – Earplugs are short, cylindrical pieces of jewelry. Some have flared ends to stay in place, while others use small rubber rings (O-rings). They are usually used in larger piercings.
- Flesh tunnels – Also called eyelets, these are like plugs but are hollow in the middle. Flesh tunnels are often used in larger piercings. People choose them to reduce weight or for their look.
Non-Pierced Earrings
There are several types of earrings that don't need a piercing.
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- Clip-on earrings – These have two parts that clip onto the earlobe. They use pressure to stay on.
- Magnetic earrings – These look like pierced studs. They attach to the earlobe with a magnetic back that holds the earring in place.
- Stick-on earrings – These have an adhesive back and stick to the earlobe. They are usually a fun novelty item.
- Spring hoop earrings – These look almost exactly like regular hoop earrings. They stay on using spring force.
- Ear hook earrings – A large hook that goes over the entire ear and dangles.
- The hoop – A hoop that goes over the ear and hangs from just inside the ear, above where ears are pierced. You can hang other decorations from it.
- Ear screws – These screw onto the earlobe. They allow for exact adjustment and are an option for those who find clips uncomfortable.
- Ear cuffs – These wrap around the outer cartilage of the ear. They can sometimes be chained to a lobe piercing.
Permanent Earrings
Most earrings in the Western world are easy to remove and change. However, some earrings can be permanent, meaning they are not meant to be taken off easily. In the past, they were sometimes used to show that someone was owned by another. Today, permanent earrings might be larger rings that are hard to remove without help. Sometimes, hoop earrings are permanently attached using solder. This can be risky due to the heat and materials involved. People also wear "locking earrings" for their special meaning.
Getting Your Ears Pierced
Pierced ears have one or more holes made in them for wearing earrings. These holes become permanent when the skin around the starter earring heals. This healing process is called epithelialization. If the starter earrings are taken out too soon, or if earrings are not worn for a long time, the piercings might close up.
Conch Piercing
A conch piercing is a hole made in the "concha" part of the outer ear. This is the hollow area next to the ear canal. Conch piercings have become popular with young women who like to have multiple ear piercings.
Helix Piercing
A helix piercing is a hole made in the helix, which is the upper cartilage of the ear. This is done to wear jewelry. The piercing is usually made with a small, hollow piercing needle. Common jewelry for this piercing includes a small captive bead ring or a stud.
Sometimes, two helix piercings hold the same piece of jewelry, usually a barbell. This is called an industrial piercing.
Like other cartilage piercings, helix piercings can be painful to get. Bumping or pulling on them by accident during healing can cause irritation. If left alone, they usually don't cause discomfort. Piercers suggest avoiding touching helix piercings while they heal, which can take 6 to 9 months.
Snug Piercing
A snug piercing goes through the anti-helix of the ear. This is a ridge of cartilage inside the outer ear.
Spiral Piercing
An ear spiral is a thick, spiral-shaped piece of jewelry. It is usually worn through a stretched ear lobe. It stays in place just by its own weight. While glass ear spirals are shown, they can be made from many materials. Some designs are very fancy and might have decorations coming off the spiral shape.
How Ears Are Pierced
Many ways are used to pierce ears. These range from "do it yourself" methods at home to very clean methods using special tools.
An old home method involves using ice to numb the ear, a sewing needle, and something like a potato or cork to hold the ear. Sometimes, sewing thread was put through the piercing to keep it open while it healed. Or, a gold stud was put in right away. Home methods are often unsafe because they might not be clean enough.
Another method, from the 1960s, used sharpened, spring-loaded earrings. These were supposed to push through the earlobe slowly. However, they could easily move, cause pain, and often didn't go all the way through. This method became less popular when faster and more successful ways to pierce ears came along.
Ear-piercing instruments, often called "ear-piercing guns," were first made for doctors. But they became widely used in stores. Today, many people get their ears pierced with these instruments in jewelry stores, beauty salons, and pharmacies. Some people even use disposable kits at home. Getting an earlobe pierced with a gun often feels like a pinch or a rubber band snap. Many piercing experts do not recommend using these guns for cartilage piercings. They say it can hurt the cartilage and make healing harder. Also, the outside of most ear-piercing guns is plastic and cannot be fully cleaned, which might increase the risk of infection. Piercing ear cartilage with a gun has been known to damage the cartilage and cause serious problems.
Since the 1990s, another method has become more popular: using the same hollow piercing needles used for body piercing. Some piercers use a clamp to hold the earlobe, while others pierce freehand. After marking the spot, the piercer quickly pushes the needle through the earlobe. Then, they insert the jewelry through the new piercing and secure it. The piercer cleans the earlobe again. Used needles are thrown away.
Before getting their ears pierced, clients choose their jewelry and sign forms. They usually sit down so the piercer can work easily. Piercers clean the earlobe with alcohol and mark the spot. The client can confirm the spot is correct. Once agreed, the piercing is usually done in a few minutes.
In some traditional cultures, piercings are done using natural tools like animal or plant materials.
Earlobe piercings usually take six to eight weeks to heal. After that, earrings can be changed. But if the piercing is left open for a long time, it might close. Experts suggest wearing earrings in new piercings for at least six months, sometimes up to a year. Cartilage piercings take longer to heal, sometimes two to three times as long as earlobe piercings. Even after fully healing, earlobe piercings can shrink if earrings are not worn for a long time, and might even close.
Health Risks of Ear Piercing
Health risks with regular earlobe piercings are common but usually minor. This is especially true if proper cleaning and techniques are used. One study found that about 35% of people with pierced ears had some problem. These included minor infection (77% of problems), allergic reaction (43%), keloids (2.5%), and tearing (2.5%). Pierced ears are a big risk for allergies to nickel in jewelry. You can reduce the chance of your earlobe tearing by not wearing earrings, especially dangling ones, during activities where they might get caught, like sports. Larger earrings can also help prevent tearing.
With cartilage piercings, using an ear piercing gun can hurt the cartilage. This makes healing harder. Also, ear cartilage has less blood flow than the earlobe, so infections are more serious. There have been cases of bad infections in the upper ear after piercing with a gun, which needed antibiotics to clear up. Infections can happen in many ways. The most common is taking out the piercing too soon. Experts say you should wait at least three weeks to change or remove a piercing to lower the risk of infection.
For all ear piercings, using a sterilized hollow piercing needle causes less damage to the tissue. It also lowers the chance of getting a bacterial infection during the process. Like any procedure that breaks the skin, there's always a small risk of infection from blood-borne diseases like hepatitis and HIV. However, modern piercing methods make this risk very small. There has never been a proven case of HIV spreading through ear or body piercing. There have been some cases of Hepatitis B spreading this way.
Research on Negative Effects of Wearing Earrings
The most common problems with wearing earrings are:
- inflammation (swelling and redness)
- keloids (raised scars)
- tissue loss from tearing
- earlobes splitting
- possible skin problems
Some researchers have found a link between piercing young girls' ears and developing allergies later.
Professor Ewa Czarnobilska, who led one research team, believes the main cause of allergies is nickel in earring metals. Even if a company says their jewelry doesn't have nickel, it's often a standard part of jewelry alloys.
Allergy symptoms can show up as eczema (itchy rash). People often think this is a food allergy (like to milk). But it might be caused by nickel from the earring touching the lymphatic system.
Even if children stop wearing earrings, the allergy symptoms might not go away. The immune system remembers the nickel. So, even without earrings, an allergic reaction can appear from:
- metal parts on clothes
- dental braces
- dental prosthesis (false teeth)
- orthotics (shoe inserts)
- food cooked in pots with nickel
- margarine (nickel is used to make it)
- coins
- chocolate
- nuts
- beans and peas
- wine
- beer
A study of 428 students (ages seven, eight, sixteen, and seventeen) found that:
- 30% of them were allergic to nickel.
- Many girls who started wearing earrings very young developed this allergy.
Other signs of a nickel allergy can include:
- frequent infections
- asthma attacks
- long-lasting sore throats
Images for kids
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An ear cuff
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A lobe and industrial piercing
