Helix piercing: where it sits, how it feels and which piece fits

Where is the helix?

Follow the rim of your ear from the top down: that curved edge of cartilage is the helix. You can have a piercing placed almost anywhere along it, from the very top to halfway down your ear. A few variations have their own name:

You'll find every part of your ear on the ear map below. For more on the tragus, conch and flat, read helix, tragus, conch or flat.

The ear map

Tap a spot

Every spot has its own piercing. Tap to see where it sits and what fits.

Helix

The upper rim of your ear: made for stacking small studs.

Gold Helix Piercings →

Does a helix piercing hurt?

Everyone feels it differently. Most people describe a short, firm pinch, followed by a warm, throbbing feeling. Cartilage is firmer than your lobe, so it feels sharper than your first ear piercings. That said, the rim of your ear is thinner than the cartilage deeper inside, as with a conch piercing.

For the first few days, your ear will feel warm and tender. That's normal.

How long does it take to heal?

Cartilage heals slowly. Allow six to twelve months, sometimes longer. Your piercer keeps an eye on it and tells you when you can change your jewellery.

• Your piercer chooses your first piece, because it has to suit a fresh piercing.
• Don't sleep on that side for the first few weeks. A travel pillow with a hole in the middle helps.
• Don't twist your jewellery and touch it as little as possible.
• Watch out for hairbrushes, jumpers and headphones: anything that catches will irritate it.
• Still red, warm or painful? See your piercer or GP.

Stud or hoop: what fits your helix?

Once your helix has healed, you choose between two types.

A stud

A helix piercing with a stud is the easiest choice. Our piercings have a flat back: a small flat disc that rests against your head, with a top you screw onto the post. You won't notice it when you sleep or take a call. A sphere, a star or a single stone: anything works in a helix. Want sparkle? Choose a diamond piercing: natural, F-G colour and SI clarity.

A hoop

A hoop adds movement and curves beautifully around the rim of your ear. Our 9 mm cartilage hoops click shut. Do check with your piercer that your helix is ready: a hoop moves more than a stud, so wait until it has fully healed.

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Essential Cartilage Hoop Piercing (9mm) €149,00 Twisted Cartilage Hoop Piercing (9mm) €149,00 Beaded Cartilage Hoop Piercing (9mm) €159,00

Which post length for a helix?

The length of the post decides how your stud sits. Too short pinches, too long sticks out from your ear. Almost all our piercings come in three lengths: 51 of our 62 are available in 5, 6.5 and 8 mm. The post is 1 mm thick.

Not sure? Measure a piercing you already wear comfortably, or ask your piercer how long your post is. If you currently wear a thicker post, check that 1 mm works for you.

Pairing with the rest of your ear

A helix is the top of your ear stack. Keep it smaller than what you wear in your lobe: bigger at the bottom, smaller towards the top. A row of two or three tiny spheres in your helix with a huggie in your lobe always works. For more combinations, see how to build an ear stack.

Not ready for a needle yet? An ear cuff at the top of your ear gives you the same line of gold, no piercing needed.

All our piercings are real gold, 14 or 18 karat, nickel-free and suitable for sensitive skin. They're sold individually, so you choose exactly what you want for each spot.

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Sphere Piercing €109,00 Star Piercing €89,00 Three Prong Diamond Piercing (0.05 ct) €199,00

Gold Piercings Real gold, nickel-free, mostly in three post lengths. Shop Gold Piercings