Piercings have become both a fashion statement and a tradition. Millions of people are exploring different piercing types. While earlobe piercings continue to remain popular, other piercing options are also quickly rising in popularity. An estimated 61% of American adults have one or more piercings. This includes helix piercings, which sit just a bit higher on the ear.
A helix piercing involves making a hole through cartilage in your ear makes the entire process seem scary. In this post, we consider the level of helix piercing pain you should expect. We look at the helix piercing pain scale 1-10. We also believe how the piercing differs from others and look at different types of helix piercings.
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What Is a Helix Piercing?
Before we consider factors like the soreness level or how to stop helix piercing pain, we should first look at this type of piercing. This is a type of cartilage piercing. You get a helix piercing on your ear, but not at the earlobe as with traditional options. Instead, the piercing sits higher on your ear.
Not all helix piercings are the same. There are a few varieties, depending on where exactly you want the studio to make the puncture. This is why you may see different questions when it comes to pain with a helix piercing. Some people ask about low helix piercing pain. Others instead ask about mid helix piercing pain.
In addition to the standard helix piercing, some people also opt for double or triple options. In this case, you should instead ask about double helix piercing pain. The studio will make more than one puncture in your cartilage when you need a double or triple piercing. This can result in significantly more pain and also delay the healing process.
With these factors in mind, let’s consider the different types of helix piercings that you can opt for:
- Forward helix piercing
- Double helix piercing
- Triple helix piercing
- Standard helix piercing
Does Getting a Helix Piercing Hurt?
When asking about helix piercing pain level, it is crucial to consider that the studio needs to make a hole in your cartilage. Thus, yes, it will hurt. How much pain you will experience depends on yourself, the type of helix piercing you opt for, and the tools used by the studio.
You may find some people complain about slight discomfort during the procedure. Others report severe pain. It all depends on how receptive you are to pain. People with a higher pain tolerance can handle the puncturing process much more confidently. This also makes the entire process faster, as the studio does not have to work slowly to comply with your fear of pain.
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Some methods can help to reduce the amount of pain you experience. Some studios will use a numbing agent on your ear. This lowers pain sensations, which reduces soreness while they make the puncture. If you are someone who fears needles and pain, then this is an excellent option to consider. The numbing agent does wear off after an hour or two, so this is when you start to experience helix piercing pain after the procedure.
Helix Piercing Pain and Side Effects
There are certain risks that you need to consider before getting a helix piercing. The biggest risk to take note of is infection. If bacteria enter the wound while it is healing, it can result in an infection at the site.
In this case, you may experience complications. Such complications can include pain, inflammation, and warmth. Without proper care and treatment, infections can leak into the bloodstream, thus affecting other parts of your body. Additionally, an infection can cause tissue death in severe cases.
Another risk comes into play during the actual piercing procedure. If the individual performing the piercing is not appropriately experienced and skilled, they could cause serious damage to your cartilage. For example, when they put too much pressure on your cartilage, it could result in a crack. If your cartilage cracks, it can lead to severe pain and other complications.
If the piercer is not careful, they could also make a bigger hole than what you desire. This can result in more bleeding than you would expect. In most cases, you won’t experience severe bleeding – but this is still something to consider.
How Long Does a Helix Piercing Take To Heal?
A helix piercing is not like a piercing made in the earlobe. Since your cartilage is involved in this piercing, make sure you understand that the healing process takes longer. When you get a piercing on your earlobe, the healing process usually takes just a couple of weeks. Many people find that they stop feeling pain the next day.
It is pretty normal to ask about helix piercing pain after a week when a studio makes a hole in your cartilage. Some people continue to experience soreness for multiple months. Even when the pain is gone, it does not necessarily mean the piercing has healed completely.
It is usually a good idea to give your cartilage and skin at least six months to recover effectively. During this time, you may experience tenderness at the site where the piercing was made. You may complain about helix piercing pain after changing the earring – as, at this time, the wound is still sensitive.
How Do You Take Care of a Helix Piercing?
Apart from considering helix ear piercing pain, it is also essential to understand how to look after the wound. Always ensure you keep the ear clean, especially throughout the healing process. This helps to reduce your risk of developing an infection.
Avoid an alcohol solution since this can cause the chemicals to enter your bloodstream. Instead, use a saline solution when cleaning the area. In addition to the saline solution, make sure you get a soft cotton bud.
Dip the cotton bud in the saline solution. Gently rub the cotton bud on the area where you had the piercing.
Never take the piercing out during the first few weeks. It is also essential to ensure you do not adjust, twist, or move the piercing. This can interfere with your body’s natural healing process. In turn, your risk of adverse effects would increase.
What Is Forward Helix Piercing?
A forward helix piercing is a bit different from the standard options. A common helix piercing is made at the rear region of the ear. With a forward helix piercing, on the other hand, the earring is added to the front area of the helix.
Touch the tip of your ear at the top, then run your finger toward your face. The area where you start to feel your face is where most people get a forward helix piercing. In this case, you need to ask about the forwarding helix piercing pain level.
What Is a Double Helix Piercing, or Triple?
Double and triple helix piercings are becoming quite popular. These involve two or three holes made in the helix region of the ear. When asking about helix ear piercing pain, it is important to consider that you will experience more soreness with a double or triple option. In most cases, the studio will make these piercings close to each other – which is why they need to be extra careful.
Why Shouldn’t I Get a Helix Piercing?
Some people should try and avoid a helix piercing. If you have very low pain tolerance, do not start with a helix piercing. Instead, start by opting for a less painful option. This may include a piercing in your ear lobe.
By opting for such a piercing first, you allow yourself to get used to the process. This helps you feel more comfortable should you decide to go for a helix piercing at a later stage. It also ensures you can better understand your pain tolerance.
People with weak immune systems should also be careful. If you get a piercing and the wound comes into contact with bacteria, you can develop a bacterial infection. Some people have a higher risk of experiencing severe complications when an infection develops.
FAQs
What Is the Most Painful Piercing?
There are a few piercings that can hurt a lot during the procedure. Some piercings also tend to cause pain for a while after the procedure. Many people rate a Daith piercing at the top of the list when it comes to the most painful ones.
Helix piercings actually rank close to the daith options on a pain scale. Common comparisons you may see can also include helix vs tragus piercing pain. You may also find helix vs rook piercing pain commonly when looking at the most painful types of piercings currently available.
With a Daith piercing, the cartilage found on the inside of your ear is punctured. After puncturing, you usually place a ring into the hole. The rook piercing also focuses on the same area of the cartilage in the ear.
Is Helix Piercing Worth It?
Many people ask whether or not a helix piercing is worth it before undergoing the procedure. Unfortunately, there is no fixed answer to this question. This is because it comes down to the individual. For some people, a helix piercing is worth it. Others, however, may experience complications. In this case, you will likely not consider the piercing worth it.
Make sure you consider your pain tolerance. People with a low pain tolerance generally experience a more significant level of soreness during the procedure. You may also find that you experience more soreness following the piercing. Also, consider the pricing for the helix piercing. Some studios may charge higher fees than others. If the price is very high, but you won’t wear an earring all the time, then you may also feel it is not worth it.
How Painful Is a Cartilage Piercing?
You will experience more pain when a puncture is made in your cartilage than in a softer part of your skin. It is, however, still difficult to provide an overview of just how painful it is.
This is because people generally have different levels of pain tolerance. One person may find that a cartilage piercing does not hurt too much. Another person, however, can experience excruciating pain when they go for this type of piercing.
How Long Do Helix Piercings Last?
Since the studio makes a hole through your cartilage, you should expect a Helix piercing to last for a very long time. Even if you decide to stop wearing the earring for a while, you will likely find the hole still exists after some time. With this in mind, do consider the fact that cartilage and skin can heal. Thus, if you go without your helix piercing earring for a while, you may find that the hole starts to close.
This particular factor especially accounts for scenarios where you remove the earring after just a day or two of recovery. In this case, you have a higher risk of finding that the hole closes as your body heals.
How Long Until Helix Piercing Stops Hurting?
Pain tolerance plays a big role when asking how long pain persists after the piercing. It is also important to consider that the healing process tends to differ from one person to the next. Some people experience pain for just about two weeks.
Others continue to complain about helix piercing pain after 6 months. In cases where the piercing is not done professionally, you may even experience helix piercing pain after years. This is why you should always ensure you look for a professional studio when going for a helix piercing.
When a trained professional perform the procedure, the risk of complications is lower. Taking proper care of the piercing after the system can also help to speed up the recovery process. In turn, you may experience pain for a shorter duration.
