Conch – word that, most always, conjures up the thought of some tropical paradise with phenomenally soft sand, and maybe a soft hammock and a fabulously fruity cocktail.
It would only seem fit, then, that an ear piercing would be named after this tropically infused ear phone to the sea. My thoughts – I’m totally in love!
Let’s get a bit of a background on mi amore.
Earning its name based on the fact that the piercing adorns the shell, or the outer part, of the ear – the conch piercing is a favorite piercing because of its options and versatility. Ear piercing fanatics can choose to go single, double, or even triple on either of the conch surfaces.
Truly, that sounds like a personal question to the lay person, but I got ya – I know exactly what you’re asking for!
Put your finger in your ear. Instead of pushing your finger into the hole that leads to your brain, move over a bit and feel the flat surface that is directly located next to that auditory cavern. That is the inner conch portion of your ear. Ready to take a bit more of an ear adventure? Move your finger directly up from the inner conch of your ear, go over the part that juts out a bit, and find a bit more open area at the top of your ear. This is your outer conch.
Ironically enough, if you fold your ear over to touch your face, you end up making your entire ear look like a conch shell. Don’t believe me? Stop reading right now and go watch yourself perform this act in the mirror.
What? The whole sultry, tropical vibe of the name and the fact that you can do party tricks to make a conch out of your ear aren’t enough to convince you to try out a conch piercing?
That’s cool.
I have something that may blow your mind, though. The ear is one of the ‘hot spots’ for acupuncture. There are so many little pressure points hiding in our ears, that it’s damn near impossible to find a spot that doesn’t have some type of added benefit when pierced correctly…by a professional…in a professional and highly reputable piercing studio.
The conch piercing’s benefits? Simple. Allegedly, a conch piercing targets the acupuncture points that aid in muscle relaxation. Even more, these conch piercings are associated with the ability to combat chronic pain – two more reasons why you should absolutely be falling in love with the conch piercing.
This is always a question that so many people ask when considering a piercing. I get it – I’m a total pain wimp that digs body piercings – a total paradox.
Let’s reference my tried and true shot-of-tequila pain tolerance scale.
I’ve never personally had my conch pierced – it’s on my list of ear piercings to add to my collection, but I just haven’t gotten there yet. There are a couple of nasty testimonials out there about conch piercings that scare a lot of people off, some saying that it’s the most painful ear piercing a person can get.
However, overwhelmingly, it seems that those cases are in the minority, and that for the most part, the conch piercing is one of the easiest, most pain-free piercings you can get. You can expect some of the intial soreness and sensitivity that comes with any cartilage piercing, but what you experience in the piercing parlor is very rarely anything to be nervous about – it’s over in seconds, and very few people experience much pain.
As with most cartilage piercings, the conch is pretty flexible in terms of what you can wear starting out. Most piercers will want to see you in a straight or curved barbell for the ease and comfort of the healing process, but you can certainly do a captive ring or circular barbell if you’ve absolutely got your heart set on that look (and let’s face it – it’s pretty rad).
Twisters look great too, but again, it’s not an ideal piece of jewelry to wear right from the start – they are going to be even more apt to catch on your hair and clothes, and anything that gets tugged on a lot is going to take that much longer to heal.
Cartilage piercings typically don’t swell much, so you don’t have to worry too much about that – just choose a material that’s going to agree with your body chemistry. Surgical steel is the go-to for most piercers, but titanium, Bioplast, and gold are also great for fresh piercings in the beginning stages of the healing process.
Regardless of whether you fall head-over-heels for a conch piercing(s) – remember to embrace your inner awesome and showcase your individuality in whatever way embraces your spirit and energy!
Be Bold. Be Fierce. Be FRESH. Be You.
Get Conched.
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