While most people are probably familiar with piercings on each earlobe, there are actually other types of piercing that could be done in other parts of the ear. One of these types of ear piercings is helix piercing, which is becoming more popular nowadays because of how it enhances the overall appearance of the ear when paired with other piercings. If you are planning to get more piercings on your ear, then you might be interested in getting a helix piercing. To learn more about it, here is a guide to helix piercing, specifically on its appearance and how long it takes to heal.
Helix Piercing
Helix piercing is a type of ear piercing that is done on the helix, the upper cartilage of the ear. The purpose of getting helix piercing is mainly for cosmetics, so there are no other reasons for getting helix piercing besides making your ear look more fashionable by having more pieces of jewelry like Gold Helix Piercing and many more popular jewelry types. There are many types of helix piercing that you can have for your ear, and these types have different looks or appearances. You would need to choose wisely on which type of helix piercing you should get, as it will have a long healing time, and you won’t be able to change it for months. Below are the popular types of helix piercings.
Standard Helix Piercing
The most popular and most common type is the standard helix piercing, which is done by piercing the outer upper cartilage, particularly at the part of the ear near the back of your head. Most people apply a ring on this piercing, as it would stand out more than ear studs due to the positioning.
Forward Helix Piercing
Forward helix piercing is the opposite of the standard version, mainly because the piercing is done on the part of the upper cartilage that is closer to your face rather than the back of your head. Because of the position of the piercing, rings aren’t really suitable for it since a large piece of jewelry may hit the side of your head, so studs are much more favorable.
Double or Triple Helix Piercing
This type of helix piercing can either be on the standard or forward positions and is done by piercing two or three holes on the upper cartilage. The holes are usually pierced in a consecutive sequence, so the piercing is just near to each other. Some people put two to three rings on these piercings if it is in the standard position, while others would place ear studs on each hole if it is in the forward position. This type is mainly suitable for those that want to make their helix piercings more noticeable.
Where Should You Get Helix Piercing?
The best place to get a helix piercing is in a clinic, as the professional there would apply a safer way to pierce your ears compared to doing it at home. In addition, if the piercing does get infected or experience inflammation, the clinic will be able to provide medical attention to your ears immediately. If you don’t have the option of going to a clinic, then getting it in a trusted tattoo parlor would be the next best method instead of doing it yourself. Much like the clinic, professional tattoo artists keep their equipment clean and sterile, so you wouldn’t have to worry about getting infections on your piercing if the tattoo artist is trusted and good at his or her job.
Since it is the cartilage of the ears that are going to be pierced, it would hurt a lot more than piercing your earlobes. Swelling and bleeding may occur, so it would be best to get it pierced in a clinic so that they will hastily give you medicine for those complications. As for the piercing’s healing process, it would take about 3 to 8 months before the piercing can truly heal. However, the healing time would depend on how careful you are with your ear, so be careful not to touch your ears too much or accidentally bump them. Furthermore, you should clean the piercing with a salt bath at least two times a day to prevent infections.
If you are not prepared to place effort into cleaning the piercing, then it may not be a good idea to get helix piercings, as it would take a lot of time before it can fully heal, unlike earlobe piercings that heal a lot faster. But, if you are absolutely willing to work diligently in maintaining the piercing, you will find helix piercing truly worth it to have, as it enhances the overall appearance of your ears. Obviously, the attractiveness of your ears and piercings would depend on the pieces of jewelry you will wear on it, so do a little bit of research on the best and most suitable jewelry for helix piercings.