50185 Gratiot Ave, Chesterfield, MI

Open 7 days a week — walk-ins welcome

(586) 949-6200

Book NowInkslingersEst. 1989 · Detroit

Body piercing

Tragus Piercings

The small flap in front of the ear canal — subtle, versatile and surprisingly quick to pierce.

The tragus is the little shield of cartilage covering the ear canal. It's a compact, understated placement that works with almost any other ear jewelry, and because the tissue is thin relative to other cartilage, the piercing itself is over in a moment. The anti-tragus, directly opposite it, is a tighter placement that needs a more pronounced ridge.

Thickness varies a lot

Some people have a tragus you could park a car on and some have one barely thick enough to take a post. We check yours before marking, because the thickness determines both the gauge and the jewelry length. A too-short post on a thick tragus will embed; a too-long one on a thin tragus catches on everything.

Headphones, phones and pillows

This placement sits exactly where earbuds, over-ear cups and your phone all press. For the first two to three months, use speakerphone or switch sides, skip over-ear headphones, and sleep with a travel pillow. It's a genuinely easy piercing to heal if you respect the pressure problem and a genuinely annoying one if you don't.

Jewelry that works here

A flat-back labret with a threadless end is the right starter — it sits flush, it won't rotate, and there's nothing on the inside to press against the canal. Rings look great in a healed tragus but are a poor choice for a fresh one, since the movement keeps the channel irritated.

What's included

  • Tragus and anti-tragus placements
  • Tissue thickness measured before jewelry selection
  • Flat-back titanium labrets with threadless decorative ends
  • Free downsize once initial swelling subsides
  • Pairs cleanly with daith, conch and helix layouts

Questions

Tragus Piercings — what people ask.

Can I still wear earbuds with a tragus piercing?

Once it's fully healed, yes, though some earbud shapes will still press on the jewelry. During healing, avoid anything that sits in or over that ear — use the other side or speakerphone for the first couple of months.

Does a tragus piercing affect hearing?

No. It passes through a flap of cartilage outside the ear canal and doesn't touch any structure involved in hearing. You'll hear the cartilage pop as the needle passes, which is startling and completely normal.

Full piercing aftercare instructions →

Related

Often paired with

Daith Piercings

The innermost fold of the ear — striking, well-hidden, and slower to heal than it looks.

Cartilage Piercings

Helix, forward helix, flat, rook and snug — placed to your anatomy, not to a diagram.

Conch Piercings

The broad bowl of the ear — the placement that carries a big ring better than any other.

Serving

Tragus Piercingsfor clients across metro Detroit and Macomb County — we're on Gratiot between 22 and 23 Mile, with parking out front.

Chesterfield TownshipNew BaltimoreNew HavenHarrison TownshipMacomb TownshipRichmondSee all areas →

Book a session

Ready when you are.

Consultations are free. Call the studio or stop in — we take walk-ins every day.

Call (586) 949-6200Plan your visit