Popular Types of Piercings & Body Jewelry Styles | Painful Pleasures Community
 

Popular Types of Piercings & Body Jewelry Styles

There are many types of piercings, but some are definitely more popular than others. In this blog post, we discuss the most popular body piercing types and the best styles of jewelry for each.

by Whitney Johns June 26, 2025

There are tons of body piercing types out there, but let’s be real, some styles are way more popular than others. Wondering which piercings are trending and what kind of jewelry works best in each? Let’s break it down.

Ear Piercings

Ear piercings have been around forever, and they’re still the #1 go-to for both first-timers and piercing fanatics. Lobes forever take the most popular spot. But more and more people are taking on curated ear looks and choosing different cartilage piercings like helix, tragus, daith, and industrials.

Each ear has space for up to 13 unique piercing types (yep, 13!), and depending on the placement, certain jewelry styles just work better. Overall, the most popular ear piercings are:

  • Earlobe
  • Industrial
  • Helix
  • Tragus
  • Daith
  • Rook

A curated pierced earlobe.

Jewelry choices also vary by style preferences. For instance, a lot of folks go for stretched lobes with plugs or tunnels as opposed to stud earrings or other piercings. Others like their edge in a different flavor, choosing stacked helix piercings for cartilage jewelry. But hey, these are just trends—you do you. No rules here when it comes to expressing your vibe through body jewelry.

Check out these different ear piercing jewelry examples below and think about which ones are best for your look.

Ear Piercing Jewelry Types:

  • Stud Earrings: Perfect for earlobes, and can work in healed helix or conch piercings.
  • French Hook Earrings: Usually worn only in earlobes; a more feminine, dangly style.
  • Fake Plugs: Meant for lobes, giving the look of stretched piercings without the stretch.
  • Circular Barbells: A versatile basic that fits in any collection. Great for lobes and many cartilage spots.
  • Spiral Cartilage Earrings: Designed for helix piercings, especially if you have multiples.
  • Captive Bead Rings: Super flexible; wear them in lobes, helix, rook, daith, tragus, and more.
  • Segment and Seamless Rings: Great for cartilage piercings, especially daith and tragus.
  • Industrial Barbells: Specifically for industrial piercings; some prefer captive rings during healing.

Stretched Earlobe Piercing Jewelry:

  • Ear Hangers, Plugs, and Tunnels: Ideal for stretched lobes or conch piercings. Tons of unique shapes and materials to choose from.

A man with a stretched earlobe piercing.

Nose Piercings

Nose piercings are wildly popular too, especially nostril and septum piercings. Of the several types of nose piercings, nostril and septum are the two most popular lately. Septums piercings can be broken down even further:

Nose bonesnostril screws (which can be custom-bent to fit you perfectly using fishtail nose rings), nose hoops like segment or seamless rings, and labret studs are the most popular styles of nostril piercing jewelry. Check out examples of each nose piercing type below.

A septum and cheek piercing.

Nostril Piercings Jewelry Types:

Septum Piercing Jewelry Types:

Belly Button Piercings

Navel piercings went through a dip in popularity after the early 2000s, but they’re back, baby. Whether you like bold dangles or low-key rings, there’s a belly ring style for everyone. It’s no wonder so many people love belly button piercings, since they accentuate the midriff in a variety of styles (e.g. circular barbells or captive rings).

Take a look at the traditional belly ring styles below, or visit the Belly Button Rings section to see the full selection of navel jewelry.

A belly button piercing.

Belly Button Ring Jewelry Types:

Nipple Piercings

Nipple piercings are edgy and bold, but they definitely hold up as one of the most popular piercings. Their aesthetic and sensory qualities make them appealing to anyone looking to make a statement when they take their shirt off. Some of the most popular nipple piercings are:

A man with large nipple piercings.

Tongue Piercings & Eyebrow Piercings

Tongue and eyebrow piercings are neck-and-neck in popularity. Like navel piercings, they’re making a comeback after a few years of laying low.

Straight barbells are the only practical type of tongue ring, but there are several jewelry styles you can wear in an eyebrow piercing. Micro bent barbells, circular barbells and captive rings are the three most popular types of eyebrow rings.

Other Popular Piercings

If you’re into dermal piercings, lip piercings and male and female genital piercings, visit the Piercing Information section of our Information Center. There are tons of FAQs, guides, and helpful tips to explore all your piercing options.

A woman with multiple face piercings.

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