Ultimate Guide to Helix Piercing: What to Know Before You Buy
Helix piercings have really taken off in popularity, and it's easy to see why. They're placed along the rim or edge of the upper ear, following the natural curve of the ear's cartilage. This makes them perfect for hoops, which can hug the ear beautifully. There's also the option for mid-helix piercings, which sit a bit closer to the lobe, near the conch. These are a bit more understated, but just as stylish.
What's especially fun about helix piercings is how you can personalize them once they've healed. Many people go for double hoops or even coordinate multiple pieces that fit a particular theme, turning their ears into a showcase of their style. This flexibility to mix and match jewelry lets everyone express their unique personality through their piercings, keeping the helix trend fresh and exciting.
Pre-Piercing Considerations
Lifestyle is a big factor to consider when choosing a style for a helix piercing! You want to be sure you can commit to not sleeping on this piercing during the healing period. You also want to avoid any helmets or headgear that would put pressure on the piercing and be able to keep the piercing in consistently for one year.
It’s best to consult with your piercing professional to find the best design for you, and you always want to be pierced with implant-grade jewelry to avoid complications!
The Piercing Process
A client should expect to be informed of the risks as well as the pros and cons of their chosen placement during the helix piercing procedure. The piercer should walk you through cleaning and marking, as well as discuss your goals for the piercing, to ensure you achieve your desired aesthetic. They should let you see the mark for the piercing before beginning the procedure and approve it with you before performing the piercing. They should inform you of what you should expect to feel and what part of the process they are in during the piercing, and they should also let you know when they are completely done and when it is safe to look at the completed piercing.
The level of discomfort you should expect to experience varies depending on your pain tolerance, of course. However, we usually get feedback that it ranges from a 1-4 for most people! We do our best to make it as quick and easy as possible.
Healing and Aftercare
We break down healing stages in this way:
Inflammation Stage: Lasts for the first 6-8 weeks, sometimes a bit longer.
Downsizing and Initial Healing: Usually occurs at 8 weeks to 6 months for most piercings. Around 6 months is when we say you can change the jewelry for fashion jewelry for most piercings if healing is going well, and we suggest professional help at this stage so we can do a checkup as well. During this time, the piercing channel is beginning to form and stabilize, but it is still soft and susceptible to damage.
Full Healing: Typically takes about one year. From 6 months to one year, the piercing channel is usually formed, but stabilizing and solidifying to form a fully established piercing channel.
Our biggest tip is to pretend there’s a little forcefield around your piercing! You want to do your best to keep your hair, styling products, perfumes, and other stuff off of the healing piercing. Do your best not to sleep on it, and avoid touching it as much as you can. Downsizing on time is very important! This best facilitates healing because if there is extra length on the jewelry that you no longer need, the jewelry can move, delaying the healing of the piercing! Remember, a piercing is a wound that we have to support and care for.
Troubleshooting and Solutions
Excessive inflammation is common in the first few months of piercing due to the piercing losing sensitivity. Often, we feel like we are healed when the piercing is no longer sensitive to the touch, and this is unfortunately not the case. We usually see this after the piercing is slept on or is bumped on accident by a friend, and sometimes during hair appointments. This is easily fixed by changing the bar to a longer one to accommodate the temporary swelling. Usually, once this is done, the inflammation goes away quickly.
Bumps and shifting of the angle of the piercing are also common and can both usually be avoided by downsizing the piercing on time. If they happen despite this, come in so we can take a look and see what's going on! Accidents and sleeping on the piercing are both common causes of these issues.
Rejection is not common with helixes unless the placement is incredibly shallow, but migration is! This usually happens from consistent pressure or a traumatic injury. If you suspect this, see a professional as soon as possible! Oftentimes, this is not something that can be stopped and should get immediate attention so it can be addressed. Migration and rejection have a high potential for scarring, so we recommend professional help for the best aftercare advice and results.
Making Your Decision
Considering getting a helix piercing? We say go for it! They’re super cute and fun, and there are so many options to choose from for jewelry and placement!
If you’re looking for a professional piercer to get a helix piercing done, you should look for piercers who use implant-grade jewelry and have current licensing. We recommend looking for piercers with photos of healed helix piercings on their social media. When it comes to aesthetics, there are tons of options, so look for an artist that suits your style or has done piercings similar to what you want to help ensure you get what you’d like! It’s always helpful to bring inspiration photos, too.