What is a helix piercing?
A helix piercing is a piercing that is placed in the edge of your ear. The word 'helix' means helix 'curled up' or spiral'. And that of course corresponds perfectly with the upper edge of your ear: also such a beautiful curl that is therefore called the helix of your ear. Piercings that are placed around this ear rim are therefore called helix piercings.
How is the piercing placed?
First, the placement is looked at together. Do you want the piercing more at the front, towards your face? In some cases that is possible, your helix piercing is then often called a forward helix. You can of course also opt for a helix piercing that is placed at the top of your ear, or choose a placement that is more in the middle of the ear. After carefully marking out, your helix piercing is placed with a sharp piercing needle.
With a helix piercing (and other cartilage piercings) it is important that you go to a good piercer, and do not opt for the quick and cheap solution by having your helix piercing 'shot' or pushed through your ear with a gun (which is also not allowed by law). Cartilage piercings often have a long aftercare period and your piercing heals best if you have the piercing done with a super sharp piercing needle. So hop, to your piercer!
Cleaning a helix piercing
How do you clean a helix piercing? You can do this with, for example, a (warm) saline solution, saline spray or use a mild piercing soap. In general, your helix piercing will heal well with a cleaning routine of 1x per day. If you use soap, you can choose to do this in the shower, then you do not have to stunt with a crooked head under the tap.
Inflamed helix piercing and bump on your helix piercing
It can happen that your helix piercing becomes inflamed. Sometimes your helix piercing will become red and your ear will feel a bit more sensitive. But it can also happen that after a while you suddenly see a bump appear around your piercing. Not nice of course, but in general this is very common. There can be several causes for these bumps or small inflammations, but in general these bumps are caused by a small bacterial infection or by excessive scar tissue. In both cases it is often just a matter of bad luck, because due to the longer healing time a helix piercing is exposed to all kinds of external influences that can cause a bump. Usually such a bump does not look very nice, but you do not suffer much from it. Sometimes they can be a bit sensitive or itchy, as soon as you notice that you are getting more bothered by it, it is important that you check it with your piercer or GP of course.
You can try to get rid of the helix piercing bump yourself by using a warm salt solution and compresses, which you gently press on the bump. Silicone Healing Discs can also help the bump to disappear faster. In any case, always make sure that you wear good piercing jewelry that offers space for any swelling during healing, but is certainly not too big. In any case, a cartilage bump with a helix piercing is common and requires a lot of patience, but once your piercing has healed, everything will be fine.
How long does a helix piercing need to heal?
Take into account a healing time of at least 6 to 9 months. Helix piercings are cartilage piercings and have a longer healing time. Cartilage heals more slowly than piercings that are placed in softer tissue (with better blood flow). You therefore often have to take into account a healing period of 6-9 months, usually it even takes a bit longer. How long your helix piercing needs to heal exactly depends on many different factors.
A piercing heals from the outside in. After placing your helix piercing, your piercing will feel warm and swollen. The area around your helix piercing, just like your helix piercing itself, can be sensitive or painful. After that, the edges of your piercing wound will close first. The inside of your helix piercing will also heal during this time. During this time, scabs can also form around the edges of your helix piercing. This phase of healing also takes the longest, so be patient, it will all work out! And as with all piercings: while your helix piercing is healing, it is important that you keep your piercing out of the sun as much as possible and do not go bathing/swimming or to the sauna with it to prevent infections. In the final phase of healing your helix piercing, the skin of the piercing wound will start to strengthen. Fewer scabs will form and ultimately you will have a strong, well-healed piercing.
A helix piercing is a piercing that is placed in the edge of your ear. The word 'helix' means helix 'curled up' or spiral'. And that of course corresponds perfectly with the upper edge of your ear: also such a beautiful curl that is therefore called the helix of your ear. Piercings that are placed around this ear rim are therefore called helix piercings.
How is the piercing placed?
First, the placement is looked at together. Do you want the piercing more at the front, towards your face? In some cases that is possible, your helix piercing is then often called a forward helix. You can of course also opt for a helix piercing that is placed at the top of your ear, or choose a placement that is more in the middle of the ear. After carefully marking out, your helix piercing is placed with a sharp piercing needle.
With a helix piercing (and other cartilage piercings) it is important that you go to a good piercer, and do not opt for the quick and cheap solution by having your helix piercing 'shot' or pushed through your ear with a gun (which is also not allowed by law). Cartilage piercings often have a long aftercare period and your piercing heals best if you have the piercing done with a super sharp piercing needle. So hop, to your piercer!
Cleaning a helix piercing
How do you clean a helix piercing? You can do this with, for example, a (warm) saline solution, saline spray or use a mild piercing soap. In general, your helix piercing will heal well with a cleaning routine of 1x per day. If you use soap, you can choose to do this in the shower, then you do not have to stunt with a crooked head under the tap.
Inflamed helix piercing and bump on your helix piercing
It can happen that your helix piercing becomes inflamed. Sometimes your helix piercing will become red and your ear will feel a bit more sensitive. But it can also happen that after a while you suddenly see a bump appear around your piercing. Not nice of course, but in general this is very common. There can be several causes for these bumps or small inflammations, but in general these bumps are caused by a small bacterial infection or by excessive scar tissue. In both cases it is often just a matter of bad luck, because due to the longer healing time a helix piercing is exposed to all kinds of external influences that can cause a bump. Usually such a bump does not look very nice, but you do not suffer much from it. Sometimes they can be a bit sensitive or itchy, as soon as you notice that you are getting more bothered by it, it is important that you check it with your piercer or GP of course.
You can try to get rid of the helix piercing bump yourself by using a warm salt solution and compresses, which you gently press on the bump. Silicone Healing Discs can also help the bump to disappear faster. In any case, always make sure that you wear good piercing jewelry that offers space for any swelling during healing, but is certainly not too big. In any case, a cartilage bump with a helix piercing is common and requires a lot of patience, but once your piercing has healed, everything will be fine.
How long does a helix piercing need to heal?
Take into account a healing time of at least 6 to 9 months. Helix piercings are cartilage piercings and have a longer healing time. Cartilage heals more slowly than piercings that are placed in softer tissue (with better blood flow). You therefore often have to take into account a healing period of 6-9 months, usually it even takes a bit longer. How long your helix piercing needs to heal exactly depends on many different factors.
A piercing heals from the outside in. After placing your helix piercing, your piercing will feel warm and swollen. The area around your helix piercing, just like your helix piercing itself, can be sensitive or painful. After that, the edges of your piercing wound will close first. The inside of your helix piercing will also heal during this time. During this time, scabs can also form around the edges of your helix piercing. This phase of healing also takes the longest, so be patient, it will all work out! And as with all piercings: while your helix piercing is healing, it is important that you keep your piercing out of the sun as much as possible and do not go bathing/swimming or to the sauna with it to prevent infections. In the final phase of healing your helix piercing, the skin of the piercing wound will start to strengthen. Fewer scabs will form and ultimately you will have a strong, well-healed piercing.
