Earring

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Earrings
Common terminology for earring locations: 1: helix/cartilage; 2: industrial; 3: rook; 4: daith; 5: tragus; 6: snug; 7: conch; 8: anti-tragus; 9: lobe
Location	Ear
Jewelry	Captive bead ring, barbell, circular barbell, flesh plug
Healing	6–12 months

An earring is a piece of jewelry attached to the ear. Earrings are commonly worn via a piercing in the earlobe^[1] or another external part of the ear, or by some other means, such as stickers or clip-ons. Earrings have been worn across multiple civilizations and historic periods, often carrying a cultural significance.

Locations for piercings other than the earlobe include the rook, tragus, and across the helix (see image in the infobox). The simple term "ear piercing" usually refers to an earlobe piercing, whereas piercings in the upper part of the external ear are often referred to as "cartilage piercings". Cartilage piercings are more complex to perform than earlobe piercings and take longer to heal.^[2]

Earring components may be made of any number of materials, including metal, plastic, glass, precious stone, beads, wood, bone, and other materials. Designs range from small hoops and studs to large plates and dangling items. The size is ultimately limited by the physical capacity of the earlobe to hold the earring without tearing. However, heavy earrings worn over extended periods of time can lead to stretching of the earlobe and the piercing.