Orbital piercing vs Conch: Some people may get confused between an orbital and conch piercing when they glance at someone’s fully pierced ears. Well, an orbital ear piercing is not the same as a conch piercing. The difference lies between the two in their looks, jewelry, and pain level.
In an orbital piercing, two perforations are joined by a piece of small jewelry. You may say that an orbital piercing looks somewhat like an industrial piercing. On the other hand, a conch piercing is considered a cartilage piercing. The jewelry in a conch piercing lies in the conch area of the ear.
The price, healing time, and pain level of these two piercings are different as well. Therefore, today, I am giving you a detailed guide on orbital piercing vs conch in this article. Keep reading.
Orbital Piercing- What Is It?
As I have said earlier in the introduction section, in an orbital piercing, two perforations are joined by a piece of small jewelry. In this type of piercing, a person will be able to personalize her ear-piercing look. You can have multiple ways to individualize your look as you can have two piercings.
The orbital piercing jewelry can be located in multiple suitable areas in your ear. For example, you can have an orbital piercing on the heli. It is called the helix orbital piercing. Even, you may choose to do an orbital piercing on flats, forward helix, and tragus.
The Conch Piercing: Definition
A conch piercing is considered a cartilage piercing. The jewelry in a conch piercing lies in the conch area of the ear. Unlike an orbital piercing, you can have two types of conch piercings: an out conch and an inner conch.
The out conch is often mistakenly considered an orbital piercing. However, an outer conch piercing looks like the curved cartilage of your ear. On the other hand, an inner conch is done in the middle of the conch. An inner conch piercing looks like a daith piercing.
Generally, people wear labrets in a conch piercing. However, if someone chooses to do a conch piercing outside the ear, the person can wear large-diameter rings.
Differences Between An Orbital And Conch Piercing
An orbital and conch piercings are not the same. In an orbital piercing, double piercings are connected by a hoop. It can be done in the ear cartilage or in the lobe. On the other hand, a conch piercing is considered a cartilage piercing, done in the conch area of the ear.
Below is the table that will show the differences between an orbital and conch piercing.
| Characteristics | Orbital Piercing | Conch Piercing |
| Type of piercing | Cartilage or lobe | Cartilage |
| Location | Ear cartilage or lobe | Conch |
| Pain level | 4 | 6 |
| Healing Time | 8 to 10 weeks | 6 to 9 months |
| Combination preferences | Helix and lobe | Tragus, lobe, and helix |
| Price | $30 to $35 | $30 to $50 |
How Long Does The Conch Piercing Take To Heal?
According to some famous and experienced piercers such as Candice Butt, heal time for a conch piercing can vary from one person to another. However, people who have a conch piercing say that it can take 6 to 9 months to heal properly.
Therefore, the exact time to heal a conch piercing depends on the overall health of a person. If you do a conch piercing, you must follow the aftercare routine properly. If you choose to do a Dermal Punch piercing, it will take more time to heal. However, an out conch piercing heals faster than an inner conch piercing.
Why Are Conch Piercings Sometimes Referred To As An Orbital Piercing?
Piercers have said that they actually don’t know why people often refer to a conch piercing as an orbital piercing. However, they have guessed that when people do that, they always mean an inner conch piercing with a ring. This looks somewhat like an orbital piercing.
As orbital rings generally have large diameters, it looks like an inner conch piercing. That is why, people do this mistake.
The Bottom Line
Therefore, it is the suggestion of the piercers that people should do their research well before doing a conch or an orbital piercing. I hope after reading this article, your confusion is clear. All the best!
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