It’s neither the dainty detail nor the bold pain threshold that makes the Helix piercings pop. So what is it that makes these lesser known piercings a staple for rockstars and your favorite celebrity be that Scarlet Johansson, Miley Cyrus or RiRi #TheBarbadosBabe? Clearly we are not the only ones obsessed with this “new” look as the elites choose to bear the immense pain just to have a piece of the action. Yes, helix piercings are some of the most painful spots to take your needle on your earscaping quest, here is why.
While the helix forms one of the larger canvases to play with on your ear, it is also a cartilage piercing which make it painful? Oh Yes! Is it a whole new level of pain? But not all helix piercings are born equal as there are a variety of placements and gauging options for whoever dares to pursue this madness.
Let’s Be Clear On All Variations Of Helix-Adorned Beings
The helix is anatomically the whole of the upper rimmed cartilage of the ear. Possible piercings are;
- Forward Helix/Anti-helix: Located in the nook of your ear that is created when you trace the curve of your ear’s top around till it touches your skull.
- Double And Triple Forward Helix: A variation of the Anti-helix where two or three studs are used on the forward helix placement. There are even quadruple helix piercings with corresponding numbers of studs.
- Flat Helix:Placed in the flap of the helix underneath the upper rim in the flat region of cartilage.
- Midi: Goes in the middle section of the helix loop. Again can be single or double or multiple to create a chain of jewelry.
- Snake Bites: Two helix piercings in close proximity for twin studs.
The top cartilage provides lots of room for helix piercing modifications, as if there weren’t already enough options to customize your helix piercing. To create a lengthy chain of jewelry that extends the whole length of the ear, some people choose to combine several helix piercings with auricle, upper lobe, and forward helix piercings. There is no restriction on the number of piercings you may get along your cartilage; just make sure there is adequate room between each one to alter your jewelry without risking the ear’s structural integrity. It’s a good idea to get each piercing separately if you want many ones so that you just have to worry about one piercing at a time needing to heal.
Helix Piercing Pain Level
Let’s face it: Helix piercing soreness is genuine. One of the most painful forms of piercings is cartilage. That said, the soreness ought to pass quickly. Additionally, skilled piercers will lead you through breathing exercises to minimize discomfort as much as possible. If you are sensitive to discomfort, though, you might want to think about getting a piercing in a less unpleasant location, such the upper lobe.Is the pain genuinely worse than the lobe? Because it is less fleshy than your lobes, your helix will often hurt more than your lobes. Pain tolerance varies. Because cartilage tissue is denser and may need more power to cut through, there may be a little increase in discomfort. However, the discomfort is just momentary, and your stunning new piercing is totally worth it.
Helix Piercing Healing Time
More so than other piercings, cartilage piercings have different healing timeframes. Expect a minimum of 4 to 9 months for recuperation. Before discontinuing aftercare procedures, speak with your piercer to ensure that the helix has entirely healed since the piercing will seem healed on the exterior before it has totally recovered.
Healing is a subjective process that depends on your general health, your sleep and stress levels, as well as your aftercare routine. It makes sense given how differently our bodies respond to and recover from physical traumas.
What’s The Helix Piercing Aftercare?
The helix piercing necessitates specific precautions to prevent things like cartilage lumps or scarring because of the problems that might occur after healing. Here are some things to remember as you recover;
- Sterilize Daily: Use a clean cotton bud and sterile saline solution to clean the piercing twice a day, being sure to get rid of any dried blood or discharge. Gross. However, avoid twisting the jewelry because doing so is ineffective. It just serves to aggravate it and increase its susceptibility to infection. Return to the piercer for advice on what to do if you believe it to be infected.
- Be Gentle: As you clean, use caution. You should take a salt bath or saline soak two to three times each day, just as with any healing piercing. But while cleaning a helix piercing, take additional care not to move the jewelry around too much. A piercing aftercare fine mist spray is a smart purchase that you may spritz on the front and rear of the piercing and then let dry.
- Keep it Dry: Any healing wound needs to be protected from moisture, but cartilage piercings require extra care. You must take particular precaution to completely dry your helix piercing after cleaning because some piercing bumps form as a result of moist skin. Use a fresh paper towel to gently pat the piercing dry, or use a hair dryer set to the cold setting to speed up the process.
- Keep the Jewelry in Place: Keep the jewelry in place. While moving the jewelry around excessively can cause skin harm in any piercing, cartilage piercings are less forgiving. You should take particular care to avoid moving the jewelry when cleaning your new helix piercing. Try your best to avoid sleeping on the jewelry, and keep caps and headphones off of it while it heals so they won’t touch or move it.
- Mind Where You Lay your Head: invest in gentler pillow covers and ensure proper hygiene to avoid a slew of bacteria which can live in a pillow.Take it from us; you should think about getting a new cushion to use while you’re recovering. Change your pillowcase every night to maintain cleanliness. A fresh t-shirt may be used to cover your pillow each night if you don’t want to keep washing your pillowcases.
- Trust Only Saline Solution: There are really few alternatives. You want to go with only trusted products. Specifically, saline solution is good for blood circulation, pulling out the discharge and has no harmful effects to the healing process as opposed to rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide which can cause the wound to dry out excessively.
Hot Jewelry Options for Helix Piercings
After going through basic maintenance procedures, it’s time to daydream about the jewelry your helix piercing will eventually wear.
The position of the helix piercing provides for a ton of cute jewelry designs, and the piercing itself allows for unlimited originality.
Studs
A stud is a little piece of jewelry with a long, thin backing that is put into the hold of a piercing. It is used for helix piercings. You fasten a tiny fixture on the other side of a stud to seal it in place. A simple cartilage stud is a sweet, understated way to adorn your helix piercing. The top of your ear is adorned with tiny jewels for a sparkling yet understated flare. Additionally, you may display your personality with adorable charms. You may pick a ball back if you want to adorn both sides of the ear or a flat disc back for a less obvious backing.
Hoop/Ring
For a helix piercing, a hoop, also known as a ring, is a common option. It’s a ring-shaped piece of metal, however it can be readily bent due to its flexibility. Simply pull apart the two ends to remove a hoop. Hoop earrings are great for a clean, understated appearance, seamless hoops work well. This design is popular among those who have several ear piercings since it balances out the surrounding jewelry without being too heavy. Additionally offering a smooth appearance in a jewelry design that is a bit simpler to place into the ear are clicker hoops and segment rings.
Captive Bead Rings
In the helix piercing, captive bead rings (CBRs) also look amazing. The best of both worlds is combined when a hoop and a bead are used. Choose from vivid bead alternatives like opals, gemstones, or even pearls, or go for a straightforward metal bead.
Circular Barbell
Another excellent choice for the helix piercing is a circular barbell. It is like the captive bead ring made out of a straight barbell bent in a circle without the ends touching. These appear to be popular types among those who wear various bead jewelry designs in their ears.
How to Replace a Helix Pierce
A helix piercing can be readily altered, but wait until it has fully healed—three to six months—before attempting to replace the jewelry. Valentini advises working with your piercer to make the initial adjustment since errors must be avoided at all costs. Additionally, your piercer can demonstrate how to adjust the jewelry so that you feel comfortable doing it yourself. If it’s a stud, you just need to take the backing out of the piercing and slide the ring out by gently pulling on the flexible metal ring. Simply insert the new one after that in the same way.
Visit your piercer for assistance if you need it if you run into any problems. If the piercing is removed, there is a chance that the hole will close up, especially in the first few months.
Pro Tip: For any piercing, but especially for cartilage piercings, you should never go to a piercer who utilizes a piercing gun. By forcing the jewelry through with brute force, piercing guns risk damaging the cartilage right away. A razor-sharp needle must be used in order to prevent any problems.
How Much Does A Helix Piercing Cost?
Where you go will determine the prices. Each of them cost us £20, but some of the establishments we visited charged as much as £40. Additionally, a forward helix could cost extra in some locations.
If you decide to have a helix piercing, you should budget around $30 for the piercing itself and jewelry. Set aside at least an additional $30 for the enticing items because you’ll want to choose from premium metals like real gold or titanium.
Best Jewelry Materials for a New Helix Piercing
The finest piercers prefer titanium or stainless steel because they are comparatively inert and shouldn’t trigger a reaction in your body. Stainless steel is obviously cheaper and can be made in a larger assortment of colors which makes it the go to material if you are on a budget. There are a few people who have allergic reactions to this steel due to its nickel content.
Side Effects of Helix Piercing
Right off the bat, scarring and blood infection are the two biggest risks associated with piercings.
Infection could be as a result of improper aftercare routine or exposure to germs and exhibits as redness, swelling, greenish yellow pus and tenderness. An infection calls for medical intervention right there and then.
Scarring on the other hand happens because your body is so irritated by the intrusion and creates unsightly tissues to repair the piercing site. Scarring should ideally cause proper healing but when the piercing is done poorly it can get out of hand and cause ugliness which defeats the purpose of the jewelry in the first place.
Some patients mistake irritability for an infection! Even though some discomfort is typical, there shouldn’t be much inflammation with the proper aftercare.
Any piercing can serve as your first piercing, but if you’ve never had your ears pierced, you might want to choose an option that is typically seen to be less painful. For instance, many people agree that ear lobes are among the least uncomfortable body parts to have jewelry placed there.
Sleeping on a fresh piercing shouldn’t be done until it has fully healed. Professional piercer Sheena Rose advised us, “Simply utilizing a travel cushion can help reduce any sleeping pain.”
Professional piercer Janeese Brooks suggests delaying plunging in until at least the end of your healing time. Depending on the individual, the healing time for a helix piercing can range from three months to a year.
Any substance in the water will get into your piercings, and chlorine, even in the cleanest pools, may damage them, according to Brooks. She advises rinsing the area right soon to remove any chemicals away if you are unable to avoid the pool.