Tragus or helix piercing

[Tinks15]

I’m thinking of getting either my tragus or helix pierced. Has anyone got theirs done? I’m looking for some advice as I want to know if it hurts & what heals quicker? 😆

I know at the end of the day it comes down personal preference but I really can’t make my mind up which I want.

Thanks

Well my helix is 5 months old, still not fully healed, and swells up and down. Periodically very painful and has oozed a bit, but seems to resolve itself. I still am careful about trying not to sleep on it.
Piercer says can be 9-12months for full healing.
on the positive side it looks great though!

I'd say tragus, just because helix piercings are more vulnerable to being bashed. My tragus was no problem at all really (along with a forward helix, which others seem to have trouble with). Helix not awful, but did find it hard to sleep on for a while. Everyone is different so there are no guarantees. Varying ear shapes, perhaps!

Had my helix 30+ years. I think it looks nice. I sometimes find it tender to sleep on even now, but I never bash it. Hairdresser has caught it a couple of times, but I just have a regular stud in so it just pops out and isn’t painful.

I have a helix and a forward helix - the forward helix was a re-pierce after a prior one rejected (but I was never happy with it as it was angled, so the top of it was leaning too far forward from the ear, and it eventually rejected from the cartilage so was on its way out anyway).
I also had the new forward helix done with a bar which is much more comfortable if you end up sleeping on that side.

I've got helix and tragus pierced - not painful imo just some initial discomfort and need to be careful when sleeping. Tragus took longer to heal - but I guess that's expected as it's a thicker part of the ear.

I have both done, helix probably around 25 years ago, forward helix around 5 years ago and tragus maybe 18 months ago. The tragus was a dream to heal in comparison as less likely to bump it. I have rings in my forward helix and helix and my hairdresser occasionally gives them an accidental tug with a comb which can irritate them!

Thank you everyone - I guess it just depends on the person re healing. If only we would knew ahead of time 😂

Does anyone know with the helix piercing does it get pierced with a stud or a hoop or can you choose?

A good piercer will typically use a flat back labret - like a stud but the back is flat so won't dig into your head if you sleep on it. There is more movement with a hoop, which will irritate a fresh piercing, so hoops are generally only used after the piercing is healed fully. (There are some exceptions, such as a daith piercing, which can be pierced and fitted with a hoop straight away.)

If you have a look on the UK association of piercers website, they will have a list of really good piercers. UKAPP piercers will also stock more fancy labrets, suitable for fresh piercings.

https://www.ukapp.org.uk/

Cartilage piercings are a pain in the arse to heal but worth it in the end. You won’t be able to sleep on it for months - don’t even try! - because it might heal crookedly.

Agree with the PP who said a good piercer will use a labret stud initially. You can wear a hoop in a helix but only when fully healed. It’s also important to go back to the piercer and get the jewellery downsized once the swelling has gone down, which can take weeks or sometimes months.

Have a look on social media/Instagram because lots of piercers will show their work and the types of jewellery they have available. That’s always a sign of a good piercer IMO.