When using Auriculotherapy with EarSeeds, small round metal pellets or natural vaccaria seeds (from the vaccaria plant) are secured on the surface of the ear with a piece of adhesive tape. They are strategically placed over specific acupressure points.

The continuous mild pressure they exert is amplified by pressing the seed or pellet with a few seconds every few hours. Auriculotherapy can be done by licensed acupuncture practitioners with acupuncture needles, tacks, even electrical stimulation. Ear seeds are non-invasive, meaning, unlike needles or tacks, they are affixed on the surface of the ear and do not puncture the skin, making them an accessible and safe option for self-care.

The seeds in our Condition-Specific Kits are natural organic matter and are especially useful for patients who are sensitive to metals. They are held in place with tan colored tape and can generally be expected to stay in place 3-5 days, depending on the area of the ear where they’ve been placed. Please note the tape used in our vaccaria ear seeds contains latex. 

The metal pellets or beads are generally smaller and are held in place with clear tape which is less conspicuous. Clear tape is latex-free. Metal pellets can be expected to stay in place 2-4 days, depending on the area of the ear where they’ve been placed. All of our Swarovski Crystal and Limited Edition Ear Seeds use metal pellets plated in 24-karat gold.

EarSeeds can be left on for up to 5 days, even with showering, sleeping, swimming etc. They may fall off sooner, depending on where they’ve been placed. After 5 days of wear, remove seeds and allow the skin to rejuvenate for 8-24 hours before replacement with fresh EarSeeds. Following this cycle, you can continue to wear them on an ongoing basis. 

Although you do want to get very close to the designated point, the location of the point shown in each condition-specific kit is indicative of that general area. Using the corner of the tweezers or a probe, feel for a tender spot. Sometimes you may also see discoloration or a prominent vein in the area. If the general area feels sensitive you can apply more than one ear seed close together. That’s called “Clustering.” 

If you’re unsure if your placement is correct, take some time to review our ear point videos and our Tour Of The Ear. Have a friend, family member or your EarSeeds practitioner help. Once you learn to understand the general landscape of the ear, it is easier to find the correct point in relation to the areas surrounding it. For more tips on proper placement, click here.

Our condition-specific kits all include 120 vaccaria ear seeds on tan colored adhesive tape, as well as a Stainless Steel Tweezer. The chart and point locations change depending on the condition of your specific kit. 

All of our seeds and pellets, including the Swarovski Crystal ones, are disposable and should not be reused.

(Some crafty users have sent images of artwork that they’ve incorporated the crystals into! That’s a cool way to make them reusable… just not reusable as ear seeds.)

First be sure you are using the included tweezers to pinch just the corner of your ear seeds and touch as little of the tape as possible. Once the tape touches your ear it cannot be moved and re-secured. It won’t stick well.

Next, be sure your ears are thoroughly cleaned and dry. Many people have a thin wax build up they are unaware of.  Use an alcohol swab to gently clean the entire outer ear and concha. Be sure your ears are completely dry before applying the ear seeds.

Occasionally the seeds may feel “loose” when they are initially placed. Hold in place for a good 10 seconds with the pad of your index finger. This will help use body heat to activate the adhesive well.

Often, the adhesive bond will get stronger after a little bit of time. When pressing seeds onto the ear be sure you’re pushing the whole taped area and not shifting the tape.

Be sure to store the seeds in their original packaging and keep out of sunlight as that may break down the adhesive sooner than desired.

Note about adhesives: Generally adhesive tapes have an expected lifespan of 1-2 years before the adhesive starts breaking down. If you feel your EarSeeds have under-performed we are happy to replace them within 6 months of purchase. Please email [email protected] and include the batch number hand-written on the sticker attached to each item. 

Ear seeds may fall off sooner in children. They may also fall off sooner on curved ridges and in the inner concha area of the ear. 

If you have followed all of these tips and still find the ear seeds aren’t sticking to the ears, you can pick up a bottle of ear seed tape adhesive. Please note this adhesive will allow your seeds to stick longer than our recommended 5 days. We strongly advise you to manually remove the seeds to avoid irritation from prolonged wear.

If you are pregnant please consult your doctor before using Ear Seeds.

If skin irritation occurs from the ear seeds, or if swelling should occur, remove the ear seeds immediately and contact your doctor if symptoms persist. The tan tape ear seeds contain latex and should not be used by those with a latex allergy.

Sometimes, when a point is “active” the ear seed will make the ear feel sore, tender and sensitive to touch. This is normal. If discomfort persists you can remove the seeds and reapply at a later time. This discomfort is different than a skin irritation. Read more about ear seed pain here. 

On rare occasion, some extremely sensitive people may experience slight nausea or dizziness upon application. This should disappear within the first few minutes after application.

Never place Ear Seeds inside ear canal.

Ear Seeds can be used in conjunction with herbs and other ingestible medications without concern for contraindications.

No. According to the principals of Auriculotherapy, piercing directly into an auricular spot may initially provide the intended therapeutic response but after healing the point is generally considered “dead” or un-stimulatable. This is especially true for hollow needle piercings. 

Daith piercings are a common piercing in the concha through the base of the helix. Many claim this piercing has helped them with headaches or migraines. The auricular points around this area are generally related to digestion and, as it’s close to point zero, centering and general well-being. 

We have no direct experience with this area as used for headaches.

EarSeeds kits and charts are for educational use only. We are teaching you the points that are commonly associated with particular conditions but we can not and do not make claims to individual results if you experiment with Auriculotherapy with EarSeeds.

Historically and in studies, with proper placement, Ear Seeds have been shown to work immediately for some individuals with certain conditions, and take longer – up to a few weeks with multiple sessions – with others. Listen to your body. Auriculotherapy is a single modality that can help, but they are not a magic pill. 

There are several factors that could cause your ear seeds to not stick well to your ears. The time of year can really impact

Here are some tips:

– Clean the ear with alcohol and let dry completely prior to application

-Once you apply the ear seed hold your finger on it for 5 seconds to help reactivate the adhesive

The summer months can be especially hard on our delicate ear seeds. We have had some cases of the adhesive melting during shipment.

When the adhesive melts, it can cause the pellets to detach from the tape and lose its intended stickiness.

If you suspect your product has melted during shipment, please email us at [email protected] so we can make it right.