Helix Diary: Week 1
Day 1: I got my helix pierced! I had it done professionally with a needle and a 16g 5/16 in barbell. It was internally threaded, and I had the front ball swapped out for a 2 mm fake diamond stud. The actual piercing wasn’t as bad as I expected--if my earlobes were a 2/10, then helix was maybe a 3/10. It felt like a sharp pinch, and then my ear felt very warm. Putting the jewelry in hurt more than the actual piercing, but it didn’t take long. It didn’t bleed at all, but my ear was red for a little bit. After the jewelry was secured, it didn’t hurt anymore. My long hair added a weight that felt weird and uncomfortable around the piercing, and though it didn’t hurt, I kept it tied back the rest of the day. I was super careful and only bumped it once, but that hurt. Cleaning it that night hurt almost as bad as the initial piercing (so still not that bad). It was an interesting mix between a sharp pain and a dull ache, but it hurt. While it was wet, I tried to push the jewelry forward a tiny bit so that it wasn’t flush against my ear. I didn’t like how it looked flat against my ear, and I wanted to give it a little room on both sides for swelling. This was barely doable, as it was extremely painful (wayyy more than the initial piercing) and didn’t really move easily. Only pushing the piercing directly through the hole hurts; touching or accidentally bumping it side to side doesn’t hurt. There was hardly any swelling, redness, aching, bleeding, or crusting. I took ibuprofen throughout the day to avoid pain and swelling. I cleaned it with saline and antibacterial soap that night.
From here on out, I cleaned it 3 times a day with saline solution and once a day with antibacterial soap in the shower at night.
Day 2: The first full day! It still doesn’t ache or hurt if it’s left alone. It isn’t itching yet. It hurts to bump, but already less than yesterday. I still haven’t gotten my hair tangled up in it yet and I had no discomfort in leaving my hair down. There is miniscule swelling and redness. I took ibuprofen to help with both. No blood, pus, or crusting. Cleaning still hurts, but not quite as bad as yesterday.
Day 3: Overall, my ear still really doesn’t hurt unless provoked. Occasionally, it will ache for a second or two, but the pain is so faint and fleeting that I question whether it is real or phantom. It did began to itch as the day ended, though, and I’m not looking forward to more itchiness. My upper ear is still a little swollen, but it isn’t red unless I’m handling and cleaning it. I took ibuprofen to help pain and swelling. There still hasn’t been any blood, pus, or crusting. Cleaning hurts, but still less. It only hurts when the bar gets pushed through. Touching and cleaning around the sides or around the base doesn’t hurt.
Day 4: It gets less painful with every day, although the itching is starting up. Bumping my ear doesn’t always hurt it now, and if it does hurt, it isn’t bad. I’ve been doing really well about not bumping it, so the biggest hazard has been other people. It hasn’t ached at all today, and any itchiness only lasted for a few seconds at a time. I’m definitely not ready to lie on that ear yet, but I now feel comfortable enough with the piercing to maybe try sleeping with my head on a travel neck pillow. Most of the swelling is gone. I took smaller doses of ibuprofen today. It still hasn’t produced any blood or pus yet, though there was a tiny bit of crusting when I went to clean it. After today, I won’t mention blood or pus unless they actually occur.
Day 5: My ear hurt slightly more today, since I only took 1 ibuprofen. It also itched more throughout the day. I missed my afternoon cleaning today, and I suspect that caused it to itch more, since the itchiness went away when I cleaned it tonight. My whole ear itched periodically except around the piercing itself. Bumping the wrong spot will hurt a little bit, but it is already much better than it was in the beginning and some spots aren’t sensitive. Cleaning still hurts, but in a different way. Pushing the bar through the hole doesn’t hurt, but bumping it along the side or cleaning around the hole hurts now. There was a tiny bit of crusting when I cleaned it.
Day 6: No ibuprofen today! It meant my ear ached a little bit more, but it was still so minor that I didn’t notice it too much. Bumping it also hurts a little more. I’m to the point now where I bump it “pretty good” on average about once a day, but other people (especially the bf) are bad about bumping it. There was still some itching, but it was manageable. Towards the end of the night I put some hydrocortisone on my earlobe, in my conch area, and behind my ear (all well clear of the piercing site!) and that helped the itching tremendously. There was still the same tiny bit of crusting before cleaning.
Day 7: ROLLER COASTERS!!! We went to an amusement park today, which was super fun. I took an ibuprofen before we left just in case it got jostled and started aching. Luckily, I didn’t bump my ear and it didn’t hurt at all. I also put on some hydrocortisone before we left, and that kept any itching at bay. Bumping still hurts it, but it isn’t bad. It’s just a dull ache when it gets bumped and usually only lasts for a couple of seconds. As usual, there was a tiny bit of crusting before cleaning.
For everyone who may fuss at me about riding roller coasters with an uncovered new piercing: I know these rides. I’ve been going to this park since I was a baby, and I know how to ride these coasters so that I don’t bump my ears. I had no trouble in keeping my ear safe and clean.
