120 Helix Piercing Styles And Important Facts!

Are you thinking of getting a trendy ear piercing? We must say, there’s nothing else that can dress your ears better than Helix piercings. Unlike in the 80’s, multiple earrings in one ear no longer carries a stigma it has before. Both men and women are now cultivating a collection of ear piercings as a fashion statement.

What Is A Helix Piercing?

It’s not the name of the earring but the name of our ear’s upper cartilage, or the so-called ‘top ear.’ Helix piercing is just one of the many variations of cartilage piercing. You can have a single helix piercing or make it double for an edgier look. Other would even go the triple! Maybe a standard Helix piercing and a forward helix piercing.

An upper ear punctured with more than one earring somewhat gives that edgier look than the lower ear piercings. If you think that pieces of jewelry adorning unexpected places other than our earlobes are dissimilar, think again. The bar studs, little hoops, and Helix earrings have been hot before, and they are still a hot trend up to this day.

Where The Piercing Should Be; Skin Or Cartilage?

When deciding where to set the piercing, it’s very important that you choose a place on the cartilage alone or solidly on the skin. Dropping a piercing at the skin, right at the border of the cartilage can be very uncomfortable, depending on the shape of the ears too. The healing process will also take a bit longer than normal since the piercing will end up rubbing against the cartilage.

What Differs The Helix Piercing From The Forward Helix Piercing?

The Helix is precisely the ‘top ear’ while the Forward Helix is the leg or trunk of the top ear, where it attaches to the face. Both are trendy, fits any personal style, and equally, don’t fail to impress once adorned. In terms of pain level, the part that is difficult to get to and fiddly is more painful than the other. In this case, it’s the Forward Helix that you can expect to be with a higher pain level.

Piercing Guns Or The Good Old Needle?

Skipping the basic earlobe, you might be thinking what a fun experience it would be adding jewelry elsewhere, right? Punching a hole in your ear’s rim like a nail gun surely has a different feel. Since the Helix part of our ears is not packed with nerve endings, it’s less painful. The pain, obviously, really depends on your tolerance. You might assume that piercing guns are less painful because of how quick it can puncture. However, there’s a big reason why it is a big ‘no, no’ for the cartilage.

Before you even think about adding some bling up your ear, here’s an important fact; Piercing guns are illegal to use for cartilage piercing! Despite the successful middle ear cartilage piercings done with a gun, still, it has so much pressure that it can damage the cartilage. Meaning, a professional piercer should only use needles for the cartilage and all body piercings. Therefore, it’s far safer to use needles. Moreover, needles are properly sterilized and are easier to control.

Before Getting A Helix Piercing

First, set yourself in advance.

While it’s easy to book a piercing appointment on a whim, you have to do some research or ask friends with cartilage piercings. Be aware that it will require lots of patience, even compromises. Once you’re a 100% sure, save time and trouble by having all the necessary aftercare supplies ready before you get pierced. After the procedure, you would preferably want to relax at home to prevent possible infections until the wound heals.

Get The Basics

The basics are a non-iodized sea salt mixture you can make at home. You may purchase an antiseptic spray or sterile saline solution made for wound care. You may also need to prepare a fragrance-free, mild, germicidal soap, zip-lock baggies, and gauze pads. There’s a variety of piercing aftercare products to help your piercing wounds heal properly. Some would even use gel type conditioners for fresh piercing wounds to ensure it stays clean, disinfected, and healthy.

Try Tea Tree Oil

Tea Tree Oil is most frequently applied treatment to boost antiseptic power and dehydrate piercing bumps. In case, you have never used tea tree oil before, try first adding just a few drops to your sea salt soak solution. Or do a skin test first before using it around your piercing wound.

Know Your Jewelry: Safest Metal for Piercings

It’s never advisable to use fake jewelry for your piercing. Fake jewelry contains the wrong metals such as lead, which calls for allergic reactions. Even poisoning, especially in a wound. Below are the safe metals to use for body piercing.

Titanium G23 or  Implant grade titanium G23

The Titanium G23 is the number one medical metal choice because of its biocompatibility with the human body. Nickel-free, lighter but stronger than stainless steel, and resistant to body fluids, which is it commonly used for internal fixation and prosthetics. Titanium made piercings might be a bit pricey, but dhead turningefinitely worth the price. Fashion-wise, it will not go out of style.

Surgical Stainless Steel

Similar to Titanium G23, stainless steel is a body-friendly metal and even more popular for body piercing. Just like gold, stainless steel is safe for wearing in healed piercings as it still contains nickel. To those who are nickel sensitive, it is best to opt out of wearing stainless steel until after your piercing has healed.

Gold

Unfortunately, despite being a biocompatible metal, GOLD is not a safe choice for unhealed piercings. Whether it is an 18 or 24 Karat gold jewelry, the fact that gold is a soft metal containing other elements, it can still cause irritation in an open wound. You can sport any gold jewelry on your top ear, albeit right after the wound is completely healed.

What Metals To Avoid For Piercing?

Sterling Silver

Sadly, sterling silver is a poor choice for body piercing because it’s not a biocompatible metal. Silver reacts with the oxygen in the air and tarnishes easily. Just imagine a metal oxidizing inside your body by simply being exposed to air? Make sure the part of the jewelry that goes inside your skin is NOT silver. Any silver embellishment attached to titanium jewelry, —away from the skin is perfectly fine. Unfortunately, this metal contains copper and doesn’t go well with body fluids. Therefore, it is not safe when in contact with the skin.

Also See:

Tragus Piercing 101: Things To Know Before Getting One

Getting A Belly Button Piercing – Things You Should Know

All You Need to Know Before Getting An Eyebrow Piercing

Tongue Piercing 101: Guide To Healing, Jewelries, & Infection

PlaMystery Metal

The mixtures of metals used in plated or mystery metal can provoke allergic reactions, even infection. Some may consider gold plated jewelry with mystery metal underneath since gold is biocompatible. However, thick or thin coat of gold, it’s still just a coat. There’s a big chance for the gold coating to start flaking off inside the body providing a home for bacteria.

After Care Tips

Be Aware Of The Healing Period

You can get giddy, happy about getting your ear adorned with the prettiest hoop or bar you bought. BUT, it’s essential to know that you can’t party right away after a piercer fixed you. The earlobe and the cartilage heal from the outside, —the healing period, however, differs depending on where you get pierced. If it only takes four to six weeks for the earlobe to heal inside and out, the cartilage takes longer. Meaning, it takes three to six months to recover, —even takes up to a year to be completely healed.

Professional piercers set the jewelry movable or lose to avoid too much strain on the pierced area, so don’t touch it! The cartilage has no blood supply making it more delicate than the earlobe. As a result, it heals slower, which is why it’s very important never to mess with jewelry in a fresh wound. Give it a break from going swimming or pool parties for a while. For the meantime, just enjoy taking selfies with your freshly done piercing.

Leave It Alone Unless It’s Cleaning Time

This warning is quite straight to the point. Touching a freshly pierced ear, especially with unwashed hands is simply giving contamination a welcome greeting.

Swelling, Redness And Crusting After Piercing

It’s natural with any piercing to swell and feel like ‘throbbing’ from the inside as soon as the jewelry is fixed. The redness is also normal and should be gone the following day. The potential risks of infection and swelling can happen with both improper piercings and improper aftercare. Using a cotton pad or a gauze pad soaked in saline solution, press and hold both sides of the piercing for three minutes.

Cleaning the freshly pierced ear twice a day for the next few weeks is a must. The puff should go away after a week or two. No matter how tempting it is to peel off the crusties, leave it alone. Just let it come off when cleaning. If all else fails and the swelling doesn’t go away after two weeks, give your piercer a call.

Gauze Pads Instead of Cotton Pads And Q-tips

Cotton pads, Q-tips, and cotton balls are the standard materials used for freshly pierced ears, but as good as the gauze pads with ear piercings. Gauze pads don’t wisp, unlike cotton balls and Q-tips. Simply dunk the gauze pad in a saline solution, squeeze out the excess liquid and hold it against your ear. The warm saline solution softens the crusties making it easier to come off

Keep Your Hair Away

Other than the importance of keeping your hands away from the ears, the ears are exposed to bacteria from our hair and can get your fresh piercing irritated. Be careful when you brush your hair, even better, keep it away from your healing ear. Make sure you cover your ears when spraying hair products.

Bleeding After Piercing

If you experience a bit of bleeding, don’t worry, it’s normal. Do not remove the jewelry when cleaning the wound. If you are often outdoors or gym, pre-prep cleaning packets with you (cotton balls or gauze pads soaked in saline solution.) You can make as many as you need, and then place it in a zip-lock bag.

Use The Travel Pillow Trick

For a freshly pierced ear sleeping is a pain. The adjustment after the piercing procedure can be challenging since you’d be extra careful not to rub your ear against the pillow. Sleeping on one side can give you neck pains in the long run. It’s a convenient trick to use a travel pillow when you sleep to protect your ear from any excess pressure. The ‘U’ shape of the travel pillow can give room for your ear, as well as allowing plenty of neck support to sleep.

Helix Piercing Dazzling Ideas!

Double or Triple Helix Piercing:

Double or Triple helix piercing is simply creating a line of two or three studs set in the edge of your top ear. That’s two or three separate holes for each stud. FYI; not everyone can get triple helix piercing because there are ears that are too thin for it. A professional piercer will tell you if your Helix is suitable for this type of piercing.

Floating Industrial Piercing:

Trending right before the popular Industrial barbell piercing is the strikingly elegant Gemmed Floating industrial Piercing. It’s just like any industrial piercings, albeit that it’s one end is in the Helix while the other end is in the Tragus. It’s also not the bar, but a chain threaded with a single gemstone or more. You can choose whatever stone you fancy to dazzle up your upper ear!

Chain Cartilage Piercing:

It’s one of the prettiest Helix-to-lobe piercing that comes in a variety of styles. It gives that classy appeal that would look great even with dresses. It can be a double stud chain earrings, cuff-to-stud, or cuff-to-double stud earrings.

Extended Helix Piercing:

Do not mistake this from extended earrings. It might look like a triple piercing, but it’s actually just one jewelry extended on both sides. You can customize it with the initials of your name or the initials ‘I ♥ U.’ What makes this design a great choice is it gives a stunning look without the need to puncture your Helix thrice, —not even twice!

Double Industrial Trident Piercing:

For a head-turning experience, try this incredibly fierce piercing! It’s one jewelry requiring four holes in one ear, placed vertically. The Trident is an intimidating Helix-to-inner conch piercing that will test your pain tolerance. Nevertheless, it’s a great choice because it allows the use of various bars. If you are looking for a less common piercing style, then this is for you.

Twister Barbells Helix Piercing:

Twisted barbell piercings look really sassy. However, the placement of this type of piercing requires precision from the piercer. The space between the holes has to be correct to match the space between each twist. Otherwise, the jewelry will be uncomfortable or even painful to wear.

Golden Or Beaded Twig:

There may be many Cartilage piercing designs, but only a few can apply to men. Among the many piercing jewelry designs, the golden or beaded twig is one of the most flattering. It’s a female favorite, but it can also look stunning on men. Think of it as the modern twist of the ancient Greek laurel wreath.

V-shaped scaffold Piercing:

If straight industrial barbells bore you, then you might like this another bizarre Helix piercing. This type of piercing can be two or three holes in the upper ear, that means three short bars hanged up your ear! More and more women are sporting something exceptional like this eye-catching V-shaped scaffold piercing!

Helix Heart Earring:

You can decorate your outer ear with love. This heart-shaped hoop earring is among the most desired Helix piercings. It’s a cool choice for those who will have a Helix piercing for first-time. You can choose a single heart or a double. Its simple, and the symbol means a lot!

Helix Anchor & Chain:

It should never be a surprise if you see this often worn by nomads and travelers in general. They will love this design as it tells so much about their passion for traveling. This jewelry is two piercings connected by an anchor and heavy chains. Many teens are dying to sport this style!

Helix Industrial Key & Lock:

Whether your aim is to break in or just to look fabulous, this industrial barbell design is another meaningful, relatively romantic jewelry. The key looks fashionable by itself. But would it give more sense to the idea of ‘when there’s a key, there’s a lock?’ So, why not get a lock earring for your earlobe to complete the match?

Leaf, Feather Or Floral Hoop Design:

Wherever in the body Hoop earrings will be pierced, it never goes out of style! Popular among women and all walks of life, this Hoop Earring with Leaf Or Floral Design is just an example of them. Just be careful not to get it caught up by your hair.