I've always loved piercings and tattoos. I have gotten pierced multiple times in my life. I've had some great experiences, and I've had some awful experiences. I have wanted a Helix (upper cartilage) piercing for a handful of years. Today was the day I decided it was long overdue to get pierced.
When I got both sets of earlobe piercings, I went to Claire's. Claire's uses a piercing gun which isn't ideal for getting a piercing. Firstly, they cannot be entirely sterilized like a needle can. This means there is a possibility of particles of blood and tissue from the previous person's piercing. Secondly, they are not professionals. They are not trained on ear piercing and understanding what looks best on your ear structure. I went to a professional who pierced my navel for a second time (both times it migrated. . .wahhh!) The thing about needles vs. gun piercings is that needles puncture a hole through where your piercing is going to be. This means there is no left over cartilage where you piercing is going to be, which causes less infections and less issues with keloids. Every customer gets a fresh, sterilized needle every time. This means that the needle won't be dull, and will also give you less discomfort during the piercing process. Since the needle is more sharp and not as invasive as a piercing gun, the surrounding cartilage tissue that isn't getting pierced will not be shattered and damaged. While I had no problems with my first set of earlobes being pierced, I had problems with my second pair of earlobe piercings getting keloids and infections. I had to take them out and get them redone. I didn't want to risk that with the Helix. Believe it or not, I spent less at a professional than at Claire's!
Keloids from piercings are unattractive and really annoying to get rid of!
Piercing infection symptoms can be redness at the piercing site, white or yellow pus, itching, feels warm to the touch, and/or a fever above 100.
You want to make sure your piercing professional uses sterile equipment and uses surgical grade steel for your piercing. You will have less of a chance to react to surgical grade steel. At a professional shop, you can choose to put a hoop into your Helix piercing or a stud. I chose a stud because it's more likely to heal smoothly. Hoops tend to get caught on things easier and I didn't want to risk irritating my piercing. I chose a plain diamond-like stud to match my bottom earlobe earrings at the time. I signed the paperwork, chose my earring, and sat on the chair to be pierced. The guy that pierced me marked my ears to show me a few different places where I can place the jewelry. I don't like the look of Helix piercings that are high up on the ear. I chose a place that would look good with a stud and a hoop. My ear was prepped by cleansing it and using an alcohol wipe. On the count of two, I was to expect a pinch and it'd be over. Sure enough, it was a slight bee string and the needle was through! He then put the stud in and had to hold off the bleeding. Since I was an idiot and had multiple cups of coffee within the hour leading up to my piercing, my blood pressure was high and I bled a bit. Do not fret if you bleed a lot, because the ears tends to bleed a lot regardless.
First day of my Helix piercing. The stud isn't as shiny as the bottom two healed lobe piercings due to the amount of dried blood. Also note the veins at the top of the ear are more visible as the body tries to repair itself.
Something I suggest when you get a piercing or tattoo, make sure you're plenty hydrated before you go in, also don't over eat. Have a small snack, but sometimes eating a lot and getting tattooed or pierced can make you light headed. Especially if you aren't a fan of blood. Don't take any sort of blood thinning medications, and don't drink a lot of coffee like I did! Just relax and enjoy. It's an exhilarating experience!
The Helix piercing was the easiest piercing I have ever gotten. I have heard a lot of people that told me horror stories of how awful their Helix piercing was. Out of my lobes, navel, bottom lip (I was young and stupid), and cartilage piercings, the Helix was by far the easiest and least painful afterwards. I hope the healing process is just as smooth.
Aftercare
The aftercare of a Helix is similar to that of the aftercare of a lobe piercing. The first day you get pierced, you're going to be sore. Don't clean or touch your piercing until the next day. Give your piercing some time to feel less irritated. If you're like me, you'll have some blood buildup around the piercing site. The best way to soothe, heal, and remove the "gunk" from around the piercing site is by using a warm salt water soak. Soak the piercing in a non-iodized sea salt soak (pure sea salt in a grinder is amazing). Use 1/4 tsp. of the sea salt with 8 oz. of warm water. Soak it for about 10-15 minutes. Flush the area with clean water and use a Q-Tip to dry the piercing. Make sure you rinse after a sea salt soak, otherwise the salt may build up and irritate the site. I soaked my piercings twice a day: once in the morning, and once at night. Then I used antimicrobial soap like Dial once a day. The foaming soap is great. I put it on a Q-Tip when I'm in the shower and move my jewelry around
only enough so the soap gets on the jewelry and in and around the piercing site. Rinse the soap off very well and pat it dry with a CLEAN tissue or Q-Tip. Make sure everything you use on or near your piercing is absolutely clean. It is suggested to use a tissue instead of a towel to pat dry because there are less germs on a single use tissue, and also no dyes or fragrances from the detergent can irritate the piercing if you use a Kleenex instead. I like to consume plenty of healthy foods and intake tons of water. Your piercing is a puncture wound and you need to treat it like such. The better you take care of your body, the quicker and easier your piercing will heal.
Don't touch your piercing unless you are cleaning it.
Always wash your hands first before cleaning your piercing.
Keep your piercing clean (no hair, no make-up, no lotion, nothing should be on it or near it)
Use an unscented antimicrobial soap on your piercing to avoid any irritation, which prolongs healing.
Piercology.com has more in depth instructions that are pretty accurate should you wish to read more.
Wish me luck that I don't roll over on my left ear while I'm sleeping tonight. I look forward to waking up and doing a sea salt soak to soothe my ear!
