A helix piercing can mean many things, but the general idea is the same: It’s a piercing that goes through the top curve of your ear. Placement can vary, along with how many you get, but a helix piercing refers to any and all piercings in this area. These are cartilage piercings, and will hurt/heal like most other piercings of this type. They are also one of the most popular piercing locations besides the ear lobe. Along with being simple and charming, they work well with virtually any look and aren’t considered “extreme” by any standards. In other words, you probably won’t have to remove them before a job interview.

What Are the Various Types of Helix Piercings?

Because of the large placement potential, there are multiple types of helix piercings. Here are some short descriptions of each:

Standard helix piercing:

Usually located at the middle part of the ear, where the ear curves downward towards the lobe.

Forward helix piercing:

Located at the front of the ear, down towards the ‘root’ of the helix, or the beginning of your ear. Some people choose to get a single helix piercing, but it’s becoming increasingly popular to get double or triple helix piercings in one go. This all depends on what you want, and how much you can handle at once.

How Long Until A Helix Piercing Heals?

Helix piercings can take anywhere from 3-6 months to fully heal. Like most other body modifications, it’s hard to get an exact picture of how long the healing process takes, and how much it will hurt. This differs from person to person, and depends on a number of factors. For example, someone with great sleeping habits, a strong immune system, and high pain tolerance might not have much trouble with their piercing, whereas someone with high amounts of stress and a low pain threshold might find the process bothersome. A helix piercing will also heal slower if you mess with it or change earrings too soon. Talk to your piercer about when you can start changing body jewelry, and don’t rush things. If you do, you might end up with an infection, scarring, or a longer healing time. Be patient, and stay on top of your aftercare routine. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll end up with an infection if you’re vigilant and thorough. Follow the directions given to you, and don’t slack off. Even if your previous piercings went off without a hitch, you shouldn’t take any chances.

Helix Piercing Aftercare?

Piercing aftercare can involve a number of steps, but the basic idea is simple: keep the piercing site clean. You should buy sea-salt or saline solution before getting your ears pierced, and make sure to stock up in q-tips and cotton balls. You should try and clean your piercing(s) twice a day: once when you wake up, and again before bed. Gently clean the area with the saline solution, and then hold a soaked cotton ball to the area for a few minutes. Always wash your hands before touching your piercings; your fingers can carry bacteria that will infect the prone areas. You should avoid fiddling with your piercings -- the less you touch them, the faster they will heal. Keep an eye out for signs of infection, and take care of those as soon as you become aware of them.

Where Do I Get A Helix Piercing?

Like all cartilage piercings, these should only be done by a professional piercer such as those at Chronic Ink Tattoo. You should also avoid piercers that use piercing guns and unclean equipment. At Chronic Ink our piercers would be happy to guide you through the process, and won’t pressure you into getting a piercing you don’t fully want.