My Helix Piercing Experience!

                I can't even tell you how long I had been waiting to get my helix, or cartilage, pierced. Maybe two-three years! I would have gotten it earlier, had I been able to, but my parents had always said no or wanted me to wait and think about it a little longer until I knew I was sure. Once they finally gave me the okay, I went in to a local tattoo/piercing shop the next day.

              On the way up to the shop, I began to feel nervous. I mean, everyone said it hurts! So I was excited but definitely feeling some anxiety. My mom and I arrived to the shop and spoke to the lady at the counter and she took us to a back room right away. There were posters of tattoos and piercings all around me and I really like my piercing and the idea of them, but let's just say I wasn't feeling at home then. I just felt out-of-place, not scared just a bit uncomfortable.

              I sat down in the chair and the lady (if I knew her name, I would mention her, because she was wonderful. she was a tattoo artist as well) disinfected and then marked my ear, asking if it was an okay spot. She actually marked where I wanted my piercing the first time around, so I never had to go through the multiple marking process. Once it was marked I just started talking to my mom because I finally felt comfortable and while I was talking, the needle and earring were prepped, then just a short minute later the tattoo artist said the magic words, "All done". I didn't feel a thing!

              I really was astonished. All these people and posts said how painful it was but in reality it really isn't. We paid and left, and when we reached the van we realized the entire appointment only took 10 minutes! We were in and out just like that. It was such a short and painless process, that I actually might get another piercing (shhh... it's a secret).

             After my ear was pierced it did feel sore, which is normal, so I applied an anti-bacterial gel they gave me and then later that night I applied hydrogen peroxide around the hoop and also to the tip of my ear. The piercing I got was a hoop and it can be switched to a stud or to another hoop within 2-3 months after the original piercing date. I did cheat a little bit and I wouldn't recommend that. I changed my piercing after only a month and that was painful! So, listen to the pros, they know what they're talking about. It is their job after all!

            Anyway, that was my helix piercing experience, I hope it wasn't too boring. For any of you who would like to get it pierced or have recently gotten it pierced, it will be sore for the first month, so just be aware of that. I slept on the opposite side of my head and tied my hair back for a few days so it wouldn't get caught in it. Also, for loop/hoop earrings, they are much easier to clean. All you have to do it turn and wiggle it just a bit and apply the gel and disinfectant. For those who get pierced with a stud earring, you will have to take it out after a week or two to disinfect it, but in those first two weeks just apply gel and some sort of disinfectant to make sure it doesn't get infected. And finally for those who haven't gotten pierced yet, I recommend finding a shop that will pierce with a needle, because a gun could actually tear your ear.

            I hope you enjoyed this blog and here are some pics of my piercing!

So this shot shows the anti-bacterial
gel that I applied to the piercing!

This pic is from when I got home
and got all fancy with the
black & white filters...