

“This piercing can take longer to heal than most piercings so there may be a slightly higher rate of inflammation or infection,” Henry explains.

How Long Does a Helix Piercing Take to Heal? “The stiffness and lack of pliability of the cartilage can make the entire treatment more uncomfortable.”Įditor’s tip: You may want to have a cocktail to take the edge off if you’re nervous about the pain that comes with piercing - skip it! Alcohol can actually increase the risk of pain or swelling. “This area can be more painful than the lower lobe because of the density of cartilage which requires higher pressure to penetrate the area,” she says. That could make a helix piercing more painful than a standard lobe piercing - and Henry agrees. If you take your pointer finger and thumb and gently squeeze the upper cartilage of your ear right now you’ll notice that it feels a lot thicker and tougher than your earlobe. Pain is pretty relative, but we won’t kid you - helix piercings can hurt. Do your due diligence and research the prices in your area, read several reviews and ask for recommendations from people you trust. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for so if someone is promising to give you a helix piercing for a price so far below market that it seems too good to be true, it may be. The market on helix piercings can vary based on the shop you go to, the region in which you get it, and the piercing jewelry you opt for. Like with any other beauty or body treatment the answer to this question is the same - it depends. Make sure the earring back is also made of the proper material to help you avoid reaction. If you have a nickel sensitivity you may want to consider this, and choose lightweight niobium or titanium options, which AFP cites as metals that rarely produce an allergic response.

TRIPLE HELIX PIERCING SKIN
The American Family Physician Journal (AFP) states that surgical stainless steel jewelry rarely causes allergic skin reaction, however, it’s not all nickel-free. Many piercers will recommend 14 karat gold, and advise that opting for a barbell is better than a hoop in order to reduce risk of infection. Several different types of jewelry are used to do helix piercings, but you want to ensure that you use a high quality metal that’s least likely to cause an allergic reaction and can be easily disinfected. On its own it’s a statement look but you can up the ante even more with a double or triple piercing in this area too. You know that long piece of your upper ear that’s closest to your temple (the frontal part of the ear that follows the helix)? That’s the zone for the forward helix piercing. Consider your pain threshold (more on that later), if you decide that this is the helix piercing for you. For a uniquely stunning look you can opt for this helix piercing that features three studs in a row. While we’re on the subject of multiples, get acquainted with the triple helix piercing. Yup, this one sounds exactly like what it is - instead of a single piercing in the upper cartilage of your ear, a double helix piercing involves two! It’s one of the ways to sport your helix piercing studs or helix hoops. Here are some of the common helix piercings you can choose. With more social media exposure, the helix piercing has been normalized.”ĭepending on where you get your piercing and how many holes you opt for will determine the type of helix piercing you have. “I think in the post Y2K era, which is also the era of social media and the internet, such piercings have been popularized because people have been able to see them and become more exposed to them. Michelle Henry, board-certified dermatologist and L’Oréal Paris consultant. “There has always been interest in piercing this part of the ear not only nationally but also internationally where there may be some cultural significance,” says Dr. While it may seem to many that this piercing just became popular in the early aughts, people have been getting helix piercings long before that decade. There are different types of helix piercings and they vary based on the number of holes created as well as placement on the cartilage. Keep reading as we break down all the need-to-know info (and trust us - you’ll need to know) on helix piercings before you jump into the holey tradition.Ī helix piercing, also referred to as a cartilage piercing, is an ear piercing that’s done on the upper outer cartilage of the ear. And if the latter is exactly what you have in mind for a change then you’re in the right place. At the very start of the year we saw some of our favorite A-listers sporting new ink, septum jewelry and helix piercings. If the new year has you desiring permanent changes by way of forearm tattoos and new piercings, you’re not alone.
