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Helix piercings are trendy and one of the most popular types of ear piercings available. Whether you opt for a single helix piercing or multiple piercings, there’s no denying the instant cool factor that comes with it. A celeb favorite, you’ll see the helix piercing on the likes of Scarlet Johansson, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Lawrence, and Beyonce.
Depending on how you dress it up, the helix piercing can be classy and sophisticated or just downright hippie and cool.
While most people opt for a hoop to decorate their helix piercing, let’s take a look at all the different ways you can make your piercing sparkle in this guide to the best helix piercing jewelry.
What’s the Helix Piercing?
First things first, just in case you’re a newbie or not quite sure where the helix piercing is located, let’s quickly go over the basics of this piercing.
Helix piercing location
The helix is located on the soft upper edge of the ear in the area that runs from the outer upper curve of the ear all the way toward the head. It’s a large area of the ear, making it ideal for multiple helix piercings. Most people opt for two or three piercings, which are called double helix and triple helix. These would typically sit above each other along the curve of the ear.
The helix happens to be the most popular of the cartilage piercings as it offers a lot of versatility in terms of jewelry choices.
Helix Piercing Jewelry Ideas
Because of how versatile this location is, there are many jewelry options available for helix piercings. However, something to bear in mind is that you can’t swap out your helix piercing straight away after getting pierced. You’ll have to keep that in until your piercing completely heals and recovers. So, when you get pierced, make sure that the jewelry style you choose is one that you really love.
Here are the best choices:
1. Helix Piercing Barbell
Barbells are an excellent choice for helix piercings and are easy to clean and maintain. There are three main types of barbells – straight, curved, and circular. For the helix piercing, you might find that the curved and circular styles are more comfortable, especially when you start sleeping on that side again, as the straight barbell can tend to snag on things, like sheets, hair, or clothes.
A curved barbell is very similar to a hoop, except that it has an opening. Because barbells have very rounded tips, they’re usually snag-free and comfortable to wear. However, barbells can move around in your piercing and can take some getting used to.
Most piercers will choose a barbell to pierce the client with.
2. Helix Piercing Stud
Although studs and barbells are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two. Stud differs from the barbell in how the backing is designed. Studs normally have butterfly, push-back, and screw or friction backings, while barbells have screw-on balls. Studs are also always straight.
Having said that, studs and barbells are two of the most popular jewelry options for helix piercings and most people’s first choice. However, this can hurt more to be pierced with but can heal faster than a hoop. You may find that studs can snag on objects more and can be harder to clean due to the typical nooks and spaces they have.
3. Helix Piercing Hoops
The hoop is one of the best options for helix piercings because they’re comfortable to wear and very eye-catching. Hoops also allow a lot of creativity and can be worn in many ways. You can ask your piercer if you can get pierced with a hoop, but this can take longer to heal as hoops tend to move around a little more and because this is in an exposed area, the hoop can get caught on objects. The last thing you want is something like a comb getting caught in your helix hoop!
When choosing your hoop, you have to choose from various sizes and gauges, so pick one that feels comfortable to wear. The most common hoop style is the classic, unembellished, thin circle of metal that looks especially good in double or triple-helix styles. You can also opt for a captive bead ring like this one. As your piercing heals, you can opt for more stylish and unique hoop options.
Nature-inspired hoop charms are very popular and come attached to the hoop. These include leaves, feathers, flowers, vines, and so on. These can get heavy, which is why it’s best to wait for the piercing to heal first.
4. Fake Helix Cuffs
Let’s say you absolutely adore the helix piercing but aren’t quite prepared to go under the needle yet. Don’t worry because that’s where helix cuffs come in. If it’s good enough for Emma Watson, it’s good enough for us.
A helix cuff just holds onto to the edge of your ear, looking very much like a piercing but requires no holes to hold steady. This is an excellent option for someone who only wants the look every now and then without committing to the piercing and the pain.
When choosing fake helix cuffs, make sure that they’re of good quality and will hold onto your ear securely.
Helix Jewelry Metals
Not everyone focuses on metal for piercings, but this is very important. If you choose a metal that isn’t bio-compatible and causes allergic reactions, your helix piercing experience is going to be difficult and painful. The wrong metal can cause infections, discoloration, and allergic reactions.
If you’re sensitive to metal allergies, choose hypoallergenic metals like titanium, gold, surgical stainless steel, or niobium. Avoid metals like sterling silver and plated metals as these alloys can contain common allergens like nickel and zinc.
Read this article for more information on safe metal for fresh piercings.
Helix Piercing Pain and Aftercare
In terms of pain, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how the helix piercing will affect you. Everyone’s pain tolerance is different making this a subjective topic. Some people won’t feel anything during this procedure apart from a slight pinch, while others might find it a lot more painful. Having said that, most people generally feel discomfort and pain during and after the piercing, as this is a cartilage piercing which is more complicated than a simple earlobe piercing.
The healing time for the helix piercing can also take a long time, typically ranging from 3 to 6 months to completely recover. During this time, you may have bleeding, pain and some discomfort as the ear attempts to recover. However, if kept clean and free from infection, you shouldn’t have too much trouble during the healing time.
Where to Buy Helix Jewelry
There are many specialist shops online that only offer piercings, but we recommend starting your search on either Etsy or Amazon as these two platforms offer countless retailers in one place. The benefit of this is that it allows you to easily compare prices, quality, and styles across retailers and choose the ideal pieces for you.
Etsy
For unique, handmade, and artisan styles, Etsy has a lot to offer. You can find multiple independent boutiques here offering a wide range of helix-piercing jewelry. These come in a variety of prices, styles, and quality. Each Etsy shop has its own policies so it might take some time to review all their details ahead of making a purchase, but that’s usually time well spent.
Amazon
Amazon brings together different jewelry vendors who offer their products here. Again, there’s a wide range so there’s bound to be something for everyone.  and you can use the site’s extensive rating and review sections to gauge the quality of each product.Â
