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Original poster

Helix piercing experiences - a poll

77 replies

GameOfLifer · 18/10/2022 20:18

I had my helix pierced at uni with a gun, I wasn’t great if taking care of it and the butterfly back earring was uncomfortable. I persevered for a few months but ultimately took it out.
Now “a few” years later I’m enjoying getting new piercings again and I’m keen on getting a helix or maybe even a double helix. However from the old mn threads I’ve read quite a few people give up on the healing process and remove them.
So, my question is: if you have had your helix pierced (with a needle) did you manage to see out the healing process?

OP posts:
broccolibush · 18/10/2022 20:26

I have a triple helix on one side and a single one on the other. The triple one was done in late 2019/early 2020 and the single one last September. All are happily healed now. The triple was a bit of a bugger, mostly because lockdown meant I couldn’t downsize the bars on them for months and months but they’re happy as can be now. The single one was a dream - bar was downsized twice over 8 weeks or so and it’s been seemingly properly healed - to the extent I can take the jewellery out and leave it out for 24-48 hours without the hole shrinking too much - since the summer.

OneFrenchEgg · 18/10/2022 20:29

Forward helix; daith; tragus; helix; conch; lobes

Only one I've never managed to keep is helix - once got ripped out, once got infected. Daith eventually got too thin so I removed it.

Martinisarebetterdirty · 18/10/2022 20:36

I had a helix done with a needle at Tash in May, still not able to downsize, I don’t have any problems with it, it isn’t sore but each time I go they say not quite ready. It’s beginning to annoy me because it’s catching on my hair and feels like it should be ready to downsize. So thinking I may give up as it’s not meant to be.
lobes done twice with guns in the 90s, healed like a dream.

Mol1628 · 18/10/2022 20:44

Three needle pierced helixes.

All a pain in the ass. Constantly get irritated and flare up for no reason. One has left a permanent little bump that won’t go now.

Had them about 5/6 years and they just never settled down.

Ive also got lobes, a rook and my nose and none of those have given me the same issues as my helixes had!

Original poster
GameOfLifer · 18/10/2022 20:54

Hmm, mixed feedback so far. I have three lobes and a forward helix on one side and two lobes and a very recent Daith on the other. I’d like to finish with an odd number and add some “height” on the side with the Daith.
@OneFrenchEgg I didn’t know that Daiths can become thin, that didn’t come up in my research!
@Martinisarebetterdirty and @broccolibush how is it sleeping on them when they are largely healed but the bars are still long?

OP posts:
Bananamaman · 18/10/2022 20:58

I had mine pierced with a needle about 6 months ago and a tiny hoop put in. It’s been great, no issues at all.

Hopelessacademic · 18/10/2022 21:04

I had a helix done with a needle about 5 years ago, and it's been nothing but trouble!
They put a titanium piercing in originally, and it hurt and annoyed me constantly for about a year until I replaced it with a gold one (the ones I got my lobes done with.
It kind of tries to turn backwards, so ended up digging in, I had to wear thin plastic "washers" with it for a few weeks to resolve that.
Tbh I like how it looks, but if I'd known how much trouble it would be I wouldn't have done it.

OneFrenchEgg · 18/10/2022 21:12

Yes - I swapped it for lighter jewellery but it just migrated to the edge. So I gave up (daith).
I don't think I will try again - it's was the easiest one to catch (helix) and I don't like the look anymore. Maybe go took op?

OneFrenchEgg · 18/10/2022 21:12

*rook

QueenWenceslas · 18/10/2022 21:18

I have a helix piercing. It took about 12 months to heal fully, but touch wood, it’s been fine ever since. I wear a tiny silver hoop in mine and leave it alone.

Si1ver · 18/10/2022 21:19

Had my helix done about a year ago. No issues at all. What helped me was to ensure it was fully dry (with a hairdryer) post shower and not fiddling with the damn thing. Healed up in about two months.

My tragus took longest to heal.

Rockbird · 18/10/2022 21:20

Three lobes each ear, double helix and tragus in left ear and forward helix and flat in right ear.

Just given up on the flat because it healed at an angle and was a pain in the arse. Forward helix is fine. The double helix has been mixed, top one a pain, used to swell a lot but the lower one has been fine. They're both ok now and I still have them.

Martinisarebetterdirty · 18/10/2022 21:23

Sleeping is a bit irritating, I have to punch a bit of a dent in the pillow to avoid it being annoying but once I’m asleep it doesn’t bother me, it’s more getting comfortable to start with if that makes sense.

ElizabethBest · 18/10/2022 21:24

similar to you - I had it done when I was in my
teens with a crappy gun and it was nothing but problems and I took it out. I had it redone properly with a needle and it was a total fucker then too. Constantly getting infected, painful, just a complete pain. After 6 months it still wasn’t healing so I gave up and took it out.

I have a daith, multiple lobe piercings, a conch and my nose and it’s been the only one that’s given issues. The daith took a million years to settle but it did at least do it eventually!

Hexenjagd · 18/10/2022 21:27

Daith , rook, nose and lobes all healed ok.

4 failed attempts at a helix. Never again

Watapalava · 18/10/2022 21:36

Have a helix with a gun

took a year or so to be able to lie and fiddle pain free but no issues since

Watapalava · 18/10/2022 21:36

Claire’s accessories did mine

AnotherFuckingUsername · 18/10/2022 21:43

Only piercings I've had problems with re those which had a long stem (such as a hoop) - think too much potential to move about and introduce germs. My helix was okay and healed within around 6 months. My forward helix (hoop) took best part of 18 months and only after antibiotics for a(n entirely unrelated!) UTI.

broccolibush · 18/10/2022 22:00

Mine were only comfortable to sleep on when they were fully downsized but I tend to sleep on my back anyway so I’m not one to irritate them too much. That said I have a tragus on one side and if I sleep on that it acts up horribly.

Spaceprincess · 18/10/2022 22:13

I have 10 ear piercings all together, a mix of needle, gun and various self piercings.
I have 2 mid helix on the left, healed fine (professional needle piercings).
Only one I ever took out was an upper helix (gun) on the same side.
I had this done C1995 and still have a lump on thie inside of my ear.

The onl

FunnyCradock · 18/10/2022 23:43

Buy a mono pillow for while it heals. It kinda looks like something you’d sit on if you had haemorrhoids but it’s worked a charm while mine have been healing. I had a faux rook, a flat & a conch in one ear (at the same time) then a month later a tragus, anti tragus & helix in the other ear.

TheOGCCL · 18/10/2022 23:52

I had a cartilage piercing done with a gun about twenty years ago. It took a year before it didn’t really hurt when touching it. I still like it and wear a hoop in it. I didn’t realise at the time a gun was a bad idea but it never got infected. I’m glad I picked the opposite side to the one I sleep on though.

HelloChompy · 19/10/2022 08:46

I've got numerous lobe and cartilage piercings. First lobes and helix done - as was often the way back then - with a gun 😬 The helix was done using a butterfly stud, numerous problems with that jabbing into my head - which is now obvious the more I know about piercings! Once swapped to a titanium hoop it has been fine and I've had it for over 20 years now.

In terms of helix done with a needle and flat back labret, I've had triple forward helix, two flat helix and an orbital done in the helix. All have healed. I've had some issues with one of the flats moving out of position as I have slept on it but it was done between lockdowns with no chance to downsize unfortunately.

mrsrobin · 19/10/2022 08:55

Pierced mine with a needle myself as a teen! Can't believe I did that - but it healed fine and I still have it now

spiderlight · 19/10/2022 10:07

Yes - had it done about 30 years ago. Can't remember if it was with a needle or a gun, but I'm pretty sure I had a silver sleeper ring in it from the start. It got infected at first and was periodically painful to touch for a good few years, although I was determined to see it through. I eventually changed the ring to a much thinner one and it's been absolutely fine ever since.