Yes, technically speaking, every earring is a piercing. As soon as you get a hole made in your ear and wear jewelry through it, that is a piercing . However, in practice, there is an important difference between what we call an ' earring ' and a 'piercing'. That difference lies in the placement in your ear, the thickness of the bar, and the type of jewelry. In this article, we will explain it to you step by step.
What is the difference between an earring and a piercing?
The popular distinction is actually based on where the hole is located:
Earring → a hole in the soft earlobe. This can be done at a jeweler or even with a piercing gun. The jewelry typically has a 0.8 mm thick bar.
Piercing → a hole in the cartilage of your ear, such as a helix, tragus, conch, or rook. This must always be done by a professional piercer using a needle. Piercing jewelry has a thickness of 1.2 mm or 1.6 mm.
The biggest practical difference: an earring has a thinner bar than a piercing . If you use an earring in a piercing site (cartilage), the hole can adapt to the thinner bar and become narrower, making it difficult to replace it with a real piercing later.
Can you wear an earring as a piercing?
That depends on the location. For most spots on the outer rim of your ear (helix positions 1 through 11), the cartilage is thin enough to accommodate an earring. Many women deliberately wear earrings here instead of piercings, simply because the selection of earrings is much larger.
For piercing sites with thick cartilage – such as the tragus , conch , or rook – preferably choose jewelry with a thickness of 1.2 mm for optimal healing and comfort.
At Eline Rosina, you will find 14-karat gold piercing jewelry specifically designed for cartilage placements. Solid 14k gold is hypoallergenic, never tarnishes, and is safe for sensitive skin, ideal if you wear your piercing 24/7.
👉 View Eline Rosina's piercing collection .
Which numbers in your ear are earrings, and which are piercings?
Your ear has dozens of possible placement positions. As a rule of thumb:
- Positions 1–4 (earlobe): classic earring positions, to be done by a jeweler
- Positions 5–11 (outer edge/thin cartilage): earrings and piercings possible
- Positions 12–24 (thick cartilage: tragus, conch, rook, daith): always get a piercing by a professional piercer
Not in the mood for a piercing needle yet?
Then an ear cuff is your best friend. Ear cuffs give you the look of a cartilage piercing, without a hole. They clamp onto the edge of your ear and can be put on and taken off in one movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an earring a piercing?
Yes, technically speaking. Every earring presupposes a hole in your ear — and that is by definition a piercing. In practice, we distinguish between earrings (earlobe, thinner bar) and piercings (cartilage, thicker bar).
What is the difference in thickness between an earring and a piercing?
A standard earring has a bar thickness of 0.8 mm. A piercing piece of jewelry starts at 1.2 mm and can go up to 1.6 mm.
Can you wear an earring in a piercing?
In the thin cartilage of the outer rim (helix positions), this works fine. In thicker cartilage (tragus, conch, rook), a 1.2 mm piece of jewelry is recommended for proper healing.
Which material is best for a fresh piercing?
14-karat solid gold is the gold standard (literally). It is hypoallergenic, nickel-free, and does not tarnish, making it ideal for both fresh and healed piercings. At Eline Rosina, all piercing jewelry is made from 100% recycled 14k gold.