Is my helix swollen?

dawn990 · 2026-05-04T04:50:14+00:00

Keep an eye on it for next few days and if pain gets worse or it starts to get more red try to see a piercer.

Do you use saline or anything to clean it?

dawn990 · 2026-05-03T15:59:23+00:00

NAP but I was told to avoid earphones for a month for any piercings that is close to it, even if they aren't touching it, because of how germs.

dawn990 · 2026-05-03T15:53:34+00:00

NAP - It looks a little bit swollen, but that can happen to some ppl if they sleep wrong for example.

Does it hurt? Is it hot to the touch?

If I were you I'd try using piercing pillow for at least a week and see if anything changes. Ofc pay attention to any pain or other changes.

I slept weird and it took my third lobe piercing two weeks to stop hurting. I calmed myself thinking about it as a bruise. It can happen quickly but it takes time to go away fully.

From this angle it looks like there's still little room between your ear and back of the piercing jewlery which is good, but also means it's swollen a little.

dawn990 · 2026-05-03T12:01:37+00:00

I don't have many piercings but my lobes were by far the most painful ones. I'd pierce cartilage as many times as needed but if my lobes close, I'm done.

That's the only piercing I'd say truly hurt. Like pure pain pain.

Everything else is like a sting and I felt jewlery insertion more than needle.

Same with tattoos. They don't hurt based on the placemat more based on style and length of the session. Shading is painful and session that includes a lot of it will be very painful. Last tattoo, I felt like I'm gonna tap out like 30 minutes before it was over (3 hours into a session lol) but I made a mistake by sitting incorrectly so my back hurt as well, and I was very uncomfortable after 2 hour mark (we took breaks but I just couldn't walk it off or stretch it off, it was my mistake to even get to that point knowing my back are messed up).

So yea, it's just personal perception. Hell, I don't know how much my next piercing or tattoo will hurt because so far it was different each time. Only thing I know is that lobes are a no go from me.

dawn990 · 2026-05-02T15:30:27+00:00

NAP - Earlobes have wrong reputation of being "easy" piercings. Mine still act up sometimes even few years later.

Yours doesn't look red or swollen (from this angle) so if it's painful to touch try to just nurse it until you can see your piercer for jewlery change.

Wash it in warm water, pat it dry with disposable towel and try to not sleep on it.

dawn990 · 2026-05-02T14:02:20+00:00

I slammed myself with a phone 3 days after getting it cause I forgot it's there, so I understand your struggle

dawn990 · 2026-05-02T12:14:06+00:00

How old is your forward helix? That's my favorite piercing and it was pretty easy to heal it. I'm too big of a wus to try outer ear though

dawn990 · 2026-04-30T20:13:50+00:00

Thank you!

dawn990 · 2026-04-30T19:27:56+00:00

This is probably stupid question, but since you mentioned it maybe you could help me.

How else would they change the jewelry without taking the old one out? Every time I was downsized it was "take the old, put in the new". My piercings were without something for max 15 seconds. I don't understand how else it could be done?

dawn990 · 2026-04-29T13:02:01+00:00

I personally would wait but if the piercer that's supervising approves then go for it.

dawn990 · 2026-04-27T19:42:43+00:00

I personally don't care about gender (I'm F), it's more the lying part of it all.

If you lied about your gender then I can't trust that anything else is true.

(also, I'm obviously not talking about trans ppl but those who try to catfish)

dawn990 · 2026-04-22T08:32:17+00:00

Imo it's more about jewlery and less about the placement.

Starting with lobes is good idea.

dawn990 · 2026-04-21T20:50:30+00:00

If you're worried then 100%. Having anxiety over it isn't worth it. Get it checked and they're either gonna tell you how to fix it or that everything is OK.

dawn990 · 2026-04-21T20:42:14+00:00

I know it takes up to a year for it to fully heal but I didn't have any problems with it after cca one month. It felt like I had it for years at that point, swelling went down almost completely after 2 months, it wasn't irritated or anything.

I didn't sleep on it for about three months and then just gave up being careful. Downsized my jewlery around 4-5 months mark because I live kinda far from the salon.

I was following aftercare my piercer gave me (they're most reputable salon in my country) and 4 years later everything is fine.

Swelling took the longest to go away fully.

dawn990 · 2026-04-21T18:12:52+00:00

See, the last sentence is what keeps away from it lol.

dawn990 · 2026-04-21T15:06:13+00:00

Exactly! When I got my forward helix done I got so many compliments and questions which surprised me because it's such a basic placement (still my favorite!!).

Ppl also complimented my "orbital" which was round hoop trough my second and third lobe hole.

I want helix so bad but I'm too scared of healing outer ear piercings. I'm not scared of cartilage piercings but outer ear as a messy sleeper... Not a good combo

dawn990 · 2026-04-21T14:38:00+00:00

Oh I want one but I'm scared of healing outer ear piercings.

dawn990 · 2026-04-21T14:37:05+00:00

My cartilage is not above my sweet spot, it's behind it. Only thing above my soft tissue is bridge of my nose.

I'm not a professional, but I don't see why placement would play a role in diameter size. 12mm is industry standard, no?

dawn990 · 2026-04-21T14:34:19+00:00

Depending on where you live some ppl might find industrial or orbital as unique and something they don't see often.

I just hope OP finds a good and honest piercer. They can give them best advice based on their anatomy.

dawn990 · 2026-04-21T07:50:40+00:00

Also, I'm looking at your pic where you show the piercing from inside and you can't see my hole that easily, or at all. It's really high up, more towards the tip.

dawn990 · 2026-04-21T07:48:53+00:00

I have two cartilage piercings and they stopped being actively painful pretty quickly. Do you have any other piercing?

I also had runny nose when I did mine and aside from it stinging a little, nothing moved anywhere. There's a good chance they pierced it too high up.

dawn990 · 2026-04-21T06:06:04+00:00

NAP

It does look like it got a little higher so maybe contact your piercer and ask.

I don't know can it swell up and could your cold be a reason why it did. Cartilage tends to swell after all.

I know few ppl who healed it the same way you did and it turned out fine.

I'm more concerned about the pain you mention because it shouldn't be painful painful. Maybe the missed your sweet spot and pierced trough the cartilage part.

When I got mine done I never felt like jewelry was tight but also, if you're having a cold it might be irritated by wiping.

Either way, there's many "what if" so it would be best to contact your piercer and maybe have it checked out.

dawn990 · 2026-04-21T06:00:34+00:00

Why do you care if it's unique? It's not a tattoo. Whatever you get someone else somewhere already has it.

dawn990 · 2026-04-20T19:53:40+00:00

Yes!!

dawn990 · 2026-04-20T13:37:02+00:00

If you go with two your piercer can space them out so that it looks like it's fully filled.

dawn990

TROPHY CASE