Are you familiar with that irresistible urge to refresh your look? If so, you’ll realise the appeal of constantly seeking inspiration of unique looks from social media, sharing mood boards with friends, and considering new ways to express yourself. This is so common among people who want to go for new trends. Helix piercings are no doubt one of those trends that are still popular. However there are various types of cartilage piercings but helix piercing can be a stylish addition to your ear piercing.
Helix piercing is a piercing that is located at the upper part of the ear and placed on the outer rim of the cartilage. People rarely opt for helix piercing as their first piercing because it hurts more that the lobe piercing and take more time to heal. In addition to it when someone get their helix piercing done they want to change it to their favourite jewellery and don’t wait for it to completely healed. Following are the factors that you should keep in your mind before changing your helix jewellery.
Healing Progress:
For every piercing there is a proper time in which the piercing completely healed. Piercings heal from the outside, so that can appear to be fully healed but it can still be sensitive inside and changing the jewellery too quickly can set the healing back substantially and cause lots of irritation and possibly infection. Thus, it is essential to wait until your piercing completely healed.
Material Compatibility
When it comes to selecting jewellery for new piercings, opting for implant-grade titanium is paramount. Known for its exceptional biocompatibility and resistance to corrosion, titanium is widely regarded as the optimal choice for piercing jewellery. Additionally, you can get your hands on various colour of titanium. You can also go for niobium, 14K gold or platinum for your initial jewellery.
In contrast, silver jewellery is generally not recommended for fresh piercings and long-term wear as it has a tendency to tarnish over time, which can lead to unpleasant discolouration and even permanent staining of the piercing area. Furthermore, silver is relatively soft, making it susceptible to small scratches that can harbour bacteria and impede the healing process of the piercing.
Jewellery type:
The type of jewellery you choose for your helix piercing can affect the healing process. Initially, stick with straight barbells labret studs to minimize movement and reduce the risk of irritation. It is important to note that jewellery with butterfly backing are not recommended for various reasons:
- Butterfly backs are so tight that there is no room for swellin, so it is much easier for one to get embedded.
- Butterfly backs trap a lot more gunk and are harder to clean, which can increase your chance of getting an infection.
Butterfly backs are basically always 20G, this is too thin for a cartilage piercing. It will make it harder to heal and more likely to migrate/reject
It is always advisable to seek help from a reputable piercer. They will check and give you the best advice on when to change your jewellery
These things will allow you to understand if your healing journey is going smooth or not. So make sure you have choosen the right metal and the right jewellery that will make healing fast. So, when you see no signs of infection, no pain or any kind of discomfort and you are sure that your piercing is healed properly than you can now go for new jewellery. So, when you are about to change the jewellery follow these steps:
- Buy your jewellery from a reputed store and avoid using artificial jewellery in starting months
- Cleanse your hands and jewellery thoroughly with a saline solution before inserting it. this is important because your piercing has freshly healed and you should be careful about it.
- Remove the existing jewellery gently and carefully insert a new piece into it. Avoid forcing it too much.
- Observe the piercing for any signs of discomfort as you change the jewellery. If you still faces any problem you can consult your piercer or revert to previous jewellery.
Changing helix piercing jewellery can be an exciting way to personalise your look, but it’s essential to prioritise safety and proper healing. By waiting until the piercing is fully healed and following professional advice, you can enjoy a smooth transition to new helix jewellery without compromising your piercing’s health.