Hinged, Circular Bars & Captive Rings: Which Jewelry Is Right for Your Daith Piercing?

Daith piercings have become popular for those looking for a cartilage piercing to add to the ear. They’re located in the innermost fold of the ear, known as the helix crus. While the daith is stylish and unique, finding the right jewelry can be daunting. With several options available, including hinged, horseshoe, and captive bead rings, it’s hard to know which is right for you.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled this guide that explores all three options and their pros and cons.

Hinged Rings

Hinged rings, also known as “clickers,” have gained popularity due to their ease of use. These rings feature a small hinge that allows one side to click open and close.

Benefits of Hinged Rings

  • Easy to Insert/Remove: Because of the hinge, you don’t have to worry about bending the jewelry or struggling with a tight closure when inserting or removing the jewelry. These are easy to insert and remove without the help of a piercer.
  • Variety: Hinged rings come in various designs, shapes, and colors. You can find plain hinged steel or titanium rings, 14k gold ones, or ones with gem clusters at the center. This makes it easy to find jewelry that matches your aesthetic.

Daith Hinged Rings

Cons of Hinged Rings

Hinged rings are not recommended as starting jewelry. While they may seem like great options for initial jewelry because of their ease of insertion and removal, the hinged area is, unfortunately, a trap for bacteria. It’s best to heal with another type of ring and switch to avoid the risk of infection while your piercing is healing.

Captive Bead Rings

Captive bead rings are seamless rings held in place by a captive bead. The bead is inserted into the ring's opening, and the pressure of each side keeps it in place.

Pros of Captive Bead Rings

A captive bead ring is often recommended for initial jewelry for daith piercings. This is because it is the most secure option–you don’t have to worry about the ends becoming loose and losing them. Another reason captive bead rings are excellent options is that there’s less likelihood of anything getting caught in the ring and snagging, especially while it heals.

Daith Captive Rings

Cons of Captive Bead Rings

The downside, or alternative, to captive bead rings being so secure is that they’re not as easy to insert and remove on your own. Therefore, a captive bead ring may not be your best option if you often change your jewelry. You will either need to invest in tools to open the captive bead ring yourself, or you will need to visit your piercer each time you want to switch out the jewelry.

Circular Barbells / Horseshoes

Horseshoe rings, better known as circular barbells, are known for septum piercings but also work with daith piercings. This style features a U-shaped ring with two ends on it.

Pros of Circular Barbell Rings

One of the many benefits of circular barbell rings for daith piercings is their versatility. Because the ends can be switched out, you can mix and match or make unique combinations of ends as much as you please. You can even opt for gemstone ends or ends that are the shape of things, like stars, hearts, bees, and more.

Cons of Circular Barbell Rings

One of the risks of circular barbells (horseshoe rings) is that the ends can become loose, and you can lose them. While this isn’t a huge problem, it can be annoying to suddenly see that your jewelry is incomplete and have to get replacement ends.

Daith Circular Barbells / Horseshoes

Another downside is that circular barbells are more susceptible to hair or clothing getting caught on them, especially during the healing process, when they need to be slightly larger in diameter to accommodate swelling.

Ultimately, the right jewelry will depend on your personal preference. Consider how often you want to change your jewelry, how high or low maintenance you want your piercing to be, and whether you’re worried about it snagging on your hair or clothing. The goal is for you to express yourself in style and comfort.