The daith piercing is one of the trendiest cartilage piercings right now. Style icons like Zoë Kravitz, Miley Cyrus and Kylie Jenner already wear one.
A daith piercing is a hole in the innermost cartilage fold of your ear, just above the ear canal. It is one of the most eye-catching ear piercings and also one of the most sensitive to get. You usually wear a small hoop or a curved bar in it. There is a lot of talk about the daith and migraines, so below you will read not only about pain, healing and jewelry, but also an honest answer to whether it really helps against headaches.
What is a daith piercing?
A daith piercing sits in the daith: the small, curved cartilage fold in the middle of your ear, directly above the opening of your ear canal. Because that fold is deep and narrow, the daith is harder to pierce than most ear piercings and you need an experienced piercer. The jewelry curls beautifully along with the shape of your ear.
Want to see how the daith compares to other ear piercings? Check out the overview of all the different types of piercings.
Does a daith piercing hurt?
A daith piercing hurts more than most ear piercings, because the needle goes through a thick, deep-set piece of cartilage in a hard-to-reach spot. Most people describe a short, sharp pressure followed by a throbbing feeling that lasts a few days. On our pain scale, the daith sits at the more intense end, just below the rook.
The piercer's experience makes a big difference, especially in this spot. How all ear piercings compare in terms of pain is explained in which ear piercing hurts the least.
How long does a daith piercing take to heal?
A daith piercing takes six to nine months to heal on average, longer than a lobe because cartilage has less blood flow and the spot is hard to keep clean. Some swelling, redness and tenderness in the first weeks is part of it. It is only truly healed once there is no more fluid or pain.
Leave the jewelry in during that time and follow a fixed routine. Read more about healing times in when is a piercing healed; daily care is covered in our piercing aftercare.
Does a daith piercing really help against migraines?
There is no strong scientific evidence that a daith piercing cures or reduces migraines. The idea comes from acupuncture, where the daith is said to sit on a pressure point linked to migraines, but good research is lacking and experts mainly point to a placebo effect. Some people experience fewer symptoms, others nothing at all, and a piercing always comes with the usual risks of cartilage.
In short: get a daith because you love the look, not as a replacement for medical treatment. If you have serious migraines, discuss the proven options with your GP or neurologist first.
What is a medical or therapeutic daith piercing?
A "medical" or "therapeutic" daith piercing is the same piercing, but placed with the intention of relieving migraine symptoms, often at a specifically determined point. There are clinics that focus on this, but the treatment is not medically proven and health insurers generally do not cover it. So the term "medical" says something about the intention, not about any proven effect.
As a jewelry brand, we don't do piercings ourselves; for that, go to a professional piercer or specialized studio. We take care of the skin-friendly 14k gold jewelry you wear in it afterwards.
Daith piercing infected or irritated: what should you do?
You can recognize an infected daith piercing by persistent redness, warmth, swelling, throbbing pain or yellowish pus. Because the daith is deep and hard to clean, it gets irritated more easily than a lobe. Rinse twice a day with a sterile saline solution, otherwise leave it alone and don't twist the jewelry.
Never remove the jewelry yourself if there is an infection, because the hole will then close over the infection. If it gets worse after a few days, see your GP. The full routine is in our piercing aftercare guide.
How much does a daith piercing cost and where do you get it done?
Getting a daith piercing at a professional piercer usually costs 40 to 60 euros, excluding the jewelry, slightly more than a simple ear piercing because of the tricky spot. Choose a studio that works with a sterile needle (never a piercing gun) and that first assesses the shape of your ear, because not every ear has a suitable daith fold.
You buy the jewelry separately. Our daith piercings in 14k recycled gold are skin-friendly and made to last for years.
Which jewelry fits a daith piercing? Hoop or bar?
A daith piercing fits a small hoop (clicker or segment ring) or a curved bar that sits nicely in the curve of the fold. A hoop is the classic, eye-catching choice; a curved bar looks finer and more subtle. During healing, choose something smooth and skin-friendly and only switch once everything has calmed down.
Popular choices are a delicate ring with lab-grown diamonds or a minimalist bar in 14k gold. Browse the options in the Eline Rosina daith piercings.
Daith left or right, and can everyone get one?
For the look, left or right doesn't matter; choose the side that suits your ear stack best. The migraine myth often recommends the side of the headache, but since the effect is not proven, that is not medical advice. More important is that your daith fold offers enough room.
Not every ear has a suitable daith. An experienced piercer assesses beforehand whether the fold is deep enough; if not, they will advise against it or suggest an alternative such as a conch piercing.
Frequently asked questions about the daith piercing
Is a daith piercing dangerous?
A daith piercing is not dangerous as long as an experienced piercer does it with a sterile needle and you follow the aftercare properly. Because it involves deep, hard-to-reach cartilage, the risk of irritation and infection is higher than with a lobe. So choose skin-friendly 14k gold instead of cheap nickel-containing metal, and see your GP if redness or pus persists.
What is the difference between a daith and a conch piercing?
The difference between a daith and a conch piercing is the placement. The daith sits in the curved cartilage fold just above your ear canal, the conch in the large, hollow bowl in the middle of your outer ear. The daith often heals a bit less easily because it sits so deep. Not sure which one suits you? Read more about the conch piercing.
Can everyone get a daith piercing?
Not everyone can get a daith piercing, because you need a sufficiently deep and pronounced daith fold for the jewelry to sit properly. If that fold is too flat or too small, a good piercer will advise against it or suggest an alternative. That is why a professional studio always assesses the anatomy of your ear first.
What jewelry is best to wear in a fresh daith piercing?
In a fresh daith piercing, it is best to wear a smooth, skin-friendly hoop or a curved bar that moves gently with the fold. Only change your jewelry once the piercing has fully healed. The Eline Rosina daith piercings are made of 14k recycled gold with lab-grown diamonds, suitable for long-term wear.
How long does it take for a daith piercing to heal?
A daith piercing heals in six to nine months on average, longer than most ear piercings because cartilage recovers slowly and the spot is hard to keep clean. Redness and tenderness in the first weeks are normal. Read more about healing times per piercing in when a piercing is healed.
Does a daith piercing work against migraines or anxiety?
There is no strong scientific evidence that a daith piercing works against migraines or anxiety. The idea comes from acupuncture, but good research is lacking and the effect is mainly attributed to placebo. So get a daith because you love the look, and discuss serious symptoms with your GP.
How much does a gold daith piercing cost?
A piece of gold daith piercing jewelry costs more than a gold-plated or nickel-containing one, but solid 14k gold doesn't discolor, hardly causes allergic reactions and lasts for years. That makes it a smart choice, especially for a slow-healing cartilage piercing. Check the prices in the Eline Rosina daith piercings.