What to Know About Daith Piercings

With so many ways to curate your ears, if you are looking to add to your piercing collection, you are sure to have come across the ever more popular so-called Daith piercing that sits through the little fold of cartilage right outside of the ear canal. The piercing was thought of by piercer Erik Dakota and his client in the early 1990s. It is actually supposed to be pronounced ‘doth’, no matter how much one wants it to rhyme with ‘faith’. The word comes from Hebrew and means ‘intelligence’ or ‘knowledge’.

Tricky spot with pain 6/10

The area of the Daith is a little tricky to reach, and the cartilage is a lot tougher than the ear lobe. As such, it may feel a little uncomfortable as the piercer manoeuvres their way around the area to get a good enough hold on it. Beyond that, while pain tolerance is of course entirely individual, it is repeatedly reported to be about a 6 on a scale from 1 to 10. The piercing itself takes a little longer to do than other piercings – about six to nine seconds. After the initial procedure, most people report a dull ache for a few more days. It may stay sensitive to the touch for several months.

Healing time

Healing time for a Daith is usually anywhere between six to nine months but can take as long as one year. While healing it, it is very important that you do not rock the jewellery back and forth, as the placement is otherwise prone to what is called ‘bumping’. The actual term is ‘granuloma’, and while it may seem scary it is quite common. Usually, they tend to clear up on their own within a couple of months, but that was most likely not the look you were going for when getting pierced, so treat your Daith piercing with extra care. 

If you are unsure of whether or not your Daith is fully healed and it is time for you to upgrade your jewellery, book a follow-up appointment with your piercer. They can take a peek and also help you make the first jewellery switch to show you the proper procedure. 

Jury is still out on migraine relief

There is some mythology around Daith piercings in that they are anecdotally rumoured to help prevent migraines, due to their continuous presence at a certain acupressure point. While there is no scientific evidence to back up the claim, acupuncturists often target the area to help treat ailments on the spectrum of headaches. but A lot of people say they have found relief for their conditions by getting a Daith piercing. However, medical experts put the effects down to placebo, so if you are considering getting pierced solely for this reason, make sure you have a proper think about it beforehand.

Another thing you may want to take into consideration when planning for a Daith is that you will have a hard time wearing in-ear headphones such as AirPods, earplugs and even stethoscopes – anything that goes in the ear.

As with all piercings, the most important part is listening to your skilled body piercer’s aftercare advice. They can also help talk you through any anxiety you may be experiencing about the process beforehand.