You don’t have to spend long on instagram before coming across a snap of an ear adorned with super cool hoops and studs.

But if you decide to take the piercing plunge, what do you ask for? We’re here to help, with this handy guide to what’s what.

Lobe

The old standard most of us had done in Claire’s Accessories back in school. That’s not it’s boring - multiple lobe piercings look hella cool, as do lobe cuffs, which fit through the pierced hole, and then clip onto your upper ear.

Helix

A stud or a ring located at the back top half of your ear.

Forward Helix

Sitting at around the same height as the classic helix, but on the curved fold at the front of the ear.

Industrial

Sometimes called ‘the bar’, the industrial piercing is - you guessed it, a bar - connecting two pierced holes either side of the ear.

Daith

Interesting fact: some claim that the daith piercing sits on a pressure point that can reduce headaches - but that hasn’t been scientifically proven, so y’know, take with a pinch of salt. The daith sits inside the ear, just above the ear canal entrance.

Rook

Situated on the flat inner surface of the ear, a rook piercing looks a bit like this.

Snug

It has the best name of the bunch, AND it’s cool af. A snug piercing sits towards the back of the ear, adjacent to the ear hole. Also known as an anti-helix.

Conch

A conch piercing, meanwhile, is nestled right inside, underneath the top ride of the ear.

Tragus

You’ve probably heard of this one: the tragus is that little flap bit that partly covers the entrance to your ear - hence the name ‘tragus piercing’. Clever.

Anti-Tragus

Not at all like the antichrist, the anti-tragus is actually a piercing directly opposite the tragus, just above the lobe.

Surface Tragus

A surface tragus almost isn’t even an ear piercing, sitting in front of the actual ear above the jawline. Ouchies.

So there you have it - every piercing you can get on dem ears. Remember though - ears come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, so what works for someone on instagram might not be possible on you. Talk to a piercing professional before you make any decisions, yeah?

- Words by Lizzie Cox

Now check out guys and girls playing a sexy (and seriously awkward)game of Would You Rather....