The Best Way to Get a Lobe Piercing

Lobe Piercings with a Needle

Earlobe piercings are the most common type of body piercing, with an estimated 83% of people in the U.S. having at least one. For decades, piercing guns have been a popular method—especially in mall stores or kiosks—often used to pierce the ears of children and teens.

While a piercing gun in the hands of a minimally trained 17-year-old employee might seem like a convenient option, the results can range from “kind of okay” to disastrous, with infections, poor angles, and other complications. If you’re considering getting your lobes pierced, here’s why choosing a needle and a professional piercer is a safer and smarter choice.

Four Lobe piercings featuring different threadless stud earrings

Pictured: Four Lobe piercings featuring Lux Punk Studs in black and silver titanium. Also featuring a Tragus and a Conch piercing.

Why Choose a Needle Over a Gun?

Piercing Gun Risks:

  • Hygiene Concerns: Piercing guns are often made of plastic and cannot be fully sterilized between uses, which poses a serious risk of infection.
  • Minimal Training: Mall employees using piercing guns typically receive limited training, focusing only on operating the gun rather than understanding anatomy, hygiene, or proper piercing technique.
  • Low-Quality Jewelry: Guns often use gold-plated or low-grade metals, which can lead to irritation, allergic reactions, or infection. These jewelry pieces aren’t designed to accommodate swelling and can trap debris.
  • Poor Piercing Angles: The force of the gun often results in uneven or improperly angled piercings, which can lead to healing issues or the need to re-pierce later.
Piercer marking a lobe for piercing
Pictured: Tabitha, Owner of Lux Punk, getting a new lobe piercing placement marked by a professional piercer.

Why Needles Are Better:

  • Sterility: Professional piercers use single-use, sterilized needles for each piercing, ensuring a clean and sanitary experience.
  • Expert Training: Licensed piercers undergo extensive apprenticeships, training in infection control, and bloodborne pathogen safety protocols. They have the skills to pierce with precision and care.
  • Custom Jewelry Options: Piercers use high-quality jewelry designed to accommodate swelling and promote healing. Titanium flatback studs are a common choice for new lobe piercings.
  • Less Trauma: Needles create a clean, precise hole by removing tissue rather than crushing it like a gun does, resulting in less damage and easier healing.

What to Expect with a Needle Piercing

When you visit a professional piercer, the process is straightforward and safe:

  • Consultation: Your piercer will assess your ear anatomy, discuss jewelry options, and ensure proper placement for an even and aesthetically pleasing result.
  • Sterilization: The piercer will clean the area thoroughly and set up sterile tools and jewelry.
  • The Piercing: Using a hollow needle, the piercer will create a clean, precise hole in your lobe, followed by inserting a flatback post or stud.
  • Aftercare Instructions: You’ll receive detailed guidance on how to care for your new piercing during the healing process.

A more detailed story about my personal experience getting a new lobe piercing can be read here: My Stacked Lobe Piercing Story.

Jewelry Recommendations for Lobe Piercings

For new piercings, it’s crucial to use high-quality, hypoallergenic jewelry. Titanium flatback posts are an excellent option because they are biocompatible, lightweight, and designed to accommodate initial swelling. Avoid butterfly-back earrings and externally threaded studs, as they can irritate the piercing and hinder healing.

Photo of the back of an ear with 4 lobe piercings done with flatback studs and a couple with hoops
Pictured: Four lobe piercings with flatback studs and two with seamless hoops. The far-right piercing shows a longer post used for a new piercing to allow swelling, compared to the other three fitted studs in healed piercings. This image also shows the disc size comparison between a 3mm disc and a 4mm disc in the middle stacked lobe.

Healing Tips for Lobe Piercings

Lobes are typically the easiest piercings to heal, but they still require proper care. Follow the LITHA method (Leave It the Hell Alone) to promote natural healing.

Quick Tips:
Don’t Touch: Avoid touching or twisting the jewelry.
Clean Gently: Rinse with warm water in the shower daily. Use sterile saline solution (0.9% saline) for extra care if needed.
Monitor Swelling: If swelling begins to cover the post, consult your piercer for a longer post.
Healing usually takes 6–8 weeks for lobe piercings, though everyone’s body heals at a different pace.

For more detailed aftercare tips, read our full Healing & Cleaning Guide here.

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