Daith piercings: Everything you need to know about Instagram's coolest piercing trend
We're guessing you've landed here because you're deep into daith piercing research and trying to decide if this is the right piercing for you. Well, you've come to the right place. Thanks to luxury piercing experts and jewellery designers like Maria Tash, plus the arrival of boutique piercing salons, we're obsessed with achieving that carefully curated pierced ear, with the daith being a perfect addition.
Yep, the humble ear piercing has become a lot more experimental since those days sitting in Claire's Accessories getting your standard lobe pierced. Now, mystical-sounding names like helix, tragus and daith are cropping up everywhere and these cool-girl piercings help build that perfect earring stack. For us, the daith definitely stands out. The central placement lends itself nicely to a hoop earring, looks super elegant and sits so well alongside surrounding cartilage piercings.
If this sounds like the one for you, we're here to help before committing to your new bejewelled ear. We've got all the essential details, including where it sits on the ear, how much it hurts and if the rumours are true on whether the daith really helps with migraines. All thanks to the helpful tips and insights from some of our fave jewellery brands, including Penny at Sacred Gold and Astrid & Miyu piercer, Chloe. Plus, with celeb endorsers like Zoë Kravitz sporting the daith piercing, we probably don't need much more convincing.
What is a daith piercing?
The first question you'll want answered is where exactly on the ear is it? A daith piercing enters through the cartilage fold that sits just above the entrance to the ear canal. It's actually pronounced 'doth' like goth (don't worry, we've been saying it wrong too) and was invented by piercer Erik Dakota in California in the early '90s. The handy piercing chart below gives you a good idea where it would sit amongst other piercings.
Does getting a daith piercing hurt?
As someone who has had her fair share of painful piercing experiences, I'd rate the daith pretty low on the pain scale. Like, a two out of 10. It may seem like a brave choice, based on the unique location and it being thicker skin than a lobe, but it wasn't particularly painful. I even said to my Astrid & Miyu piercer, Chloe, "is that it?" after my new earring was sitting pretty in position.
But, it's good to consider that everyone's pain thresholds are different, with Sacred Gold's Penny reassuring us that "you can sometimes feel a mild amount of discomfort for a second but most clients describe the sensation as pressure". I'd agree, and compare the pain after the piercing to a mild earache that subsided by the evening.
How long does a daith piercing take to heal?
The healing time usually takes around six months to a year, which sounds like a big undertaking. But hey, Rome wasn't built in a day, you know? With the right aftercare, you'll be playing around with different earrings and showing off your pierced bling in no time. But whilst it's healing, make sure to resist the temptation to switch up your jewellery. Which speaking of, leads us on to...
How do you take care of your daith piercing?
Penny explains that the daith "requires minimal aftercare but a bit of patience". She recommends using a sterile saline solution – which your piercing salon will usually sell, or you can pick up from your local Boots – sprayed onto some non-woven gauze and gently wiping the area twice a day.
Chloe suggests that you can even spray the saline solution directly onto the pierced area thanks to Astrid & Miyu's Aftercare Solution coming in a handy spray bottle. It saves fiddling with cotton buds or gauze as it's actually pretty difficult to see where you're cleaning due to the placement of the piercing.
Also, PSA! It is advised not to sleep on the ear you've had pierced during the healing process as well as avoiding wearing earbuds or earphones for a while, so be aware if the idea of a p0dcast-less commute is your idea of a waking nightmare.
Do daith piercings help with migraines?
Really, the answer is no. Penny explains, "There's no evidence that supports that a daith piercing helps with migraines." Anecdotally, people who suffer from migraines have said they've found it to relieve pain – because of the pressure point area and how the piercing can act like acupuncture – though it's been suggested that this could be a placebo effect. It still looks pretty darn great though.
Can everyone get a daith piercing?
It's also good to keep in mind that a daith piercing is anatomy dependant – our ears come in all different shapes and sizes after all – and piercing salons will offer a consultation before getting pierced. This is to asses whether your ear can hold the particular piercing you're after to make sure it's the right one for you.
A daith piercing is not for everyone. No, literally. Some people can't get it done if there isn't enough space. For me, my piercing just sits slightly higher than most due to the anatomy of my ear, which Chloe says is pretty normal. Good to be aware of!
Shop these cute earrings for your daith piercing
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