How to Pierce Your Forward Helix

Last Updated: July 17, 2022 References

Your forward helix is a unique place to pierce. As you’ll be piercing through the cartilage of your ear, as opposed to your fleshy lobe, be aware that it will likely hurt a lot. If you decide that it is the piercing for you, take the necessary precautions so you only have to do it once. The safest and easiest method is probably to see a professional, who can pierce your ear safely and efficiently. If you decide to do it at home, though, sterilize the space and the tools that you'll use to reduce infection. Brace yourself and then go for it. Before you know it, you’ll be rocking a new look.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing for Piercing

1
Decide where to perform the piercing. Many people choose to pierce their ears at home to save time and money. While this is an option, it is far more sanitary to use a professional. Piercing your ears at home results in a higher chance of infection. Professional establishments have far more experience with both the practice of piercing and sanitation procedures. As your forward helix is a more painful piercing, you will want someone else to do it.^{[1]
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- If you do decide to go with a professional, make sure that they use proper sanitation procedures. Most establishments will have photo books of piercings they’ve done. Check them out to make sure this is the piercing for you. Now is not the time to go for the cheapest option or to rush. Pick a place you feel comfortable with.
2
Pick out your earrings. The last thing you want to do is pierce your ear, but forget to have earrings ready. If you don’t have an earring ready to put in your freshly pierced ears, the hole will close on itself. You’ll have to wait for it to heal and then pierce it again. The best thing for a pierced forward helix is a barbell stud. 18 gauge and about 10mm long (3/8") is a good size. This size leaves room for the swelling that will occur after piercing.

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3
Get a piercing needle. If you decide to do it yourself, be sure to get a proper piercing needle. Piercing needles have a hollow center so you can easily slip your earring through your ear once you make a hole with the needle. You can buy piercing needles online or from local stores that perform piercings.^{[2]
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- Do not share needles with other people as this could lead to infection.
- Make sure to use a needle that is at least one gauge bigger than the earring that you plan to wear. Many places use 16 gauge needles for forward helix piercings.
- There are piercing packages for sale, which normally comes with two piercing earrings that have been loaded into a spring puncher. You can purchase these online or at beauty supply stores. Follow the directions as closely as you can.
- Avoid piercing earrings. Some locations sell earrings with sharp needles affixed to them. These are used for piercing, but should not be used to pierce your forward helix. The cartilage in your helix is far too thick for these piercing earrings to work properly.
- Be careful. Some people have allergies to certain kinds of metals — mainly nickel and gold-plated materials. If you have the money, spring for a higher quality metal like silver or titanium.
4
Sterilize the needle. Sterilization is key. If you don’t sterilize your needle, this will lead to infections, which normally means removing your piercing, treating the infection, allowing your ear to heal up, before piercing the spot again. There are several ways that you can sterilize your needle. Your needle should come in a sterilized package. If so, then you can use it immediately. Just make sure that it doesn’t come into contact with anything after you remove it from its package.
- If you are using a non-factory sealed sterilized needle, sterilize it over an open flame. Hold it there until the tip becomes red hot.
- Wear sterile latex gloves while sterilizing your instruments, so you don’t get germs on the needle after sterilizing it.
- Wipe the needle clean with 10%+ rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. This will kill 99% of the germs on the needle.
- You could also sterilize the needle with boiling water. Boil water and place the needle in it for 5 to 10 minutes. The hot water will kill off most of the germs on the needle. Remove it with tongs and only hold it with sterile latex gloves. Be careful, the needle will be hot for a minute or two.
5
Clean your ear. Use pre-packaged 70% isopropyl alcohol swabs. Wipe repeatedly and dab dry with a cloth.^{[3]
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- You can also use hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol to sterilize your ear.
- Brush your hair out of the way as well. Your hair is covered in dust, grease, and germs. Take precautions to keep your hair away from the piercing site once it has been cleaned. If possible, tie your hair up and away from your ear. Use bobby pins to hold in place.
6
Mark on your ear where you want the piercing to go. Take a non-toxic pen and put a dot where you want the piercing to be. If you’re not sure, rub the dot off and try again. Get it exactly right. You don’t want your piercing to be too close to the edge of your forward helix or too far from it, which would make the piercing harder to see. Get it right in the center of your helix.
- Take into account other piercings as well. You’ll want them to be evenly spaced.
7
Find a clean space. During the piercing process, you’ll need to pick up and lay down several needles, sterilization equipment, and your earring. You want to pick a spot that is clean so you don’t add unwanted bacteria to the process. Clean your bathroom. Lay down a towel or paper towel and place your tools on it after you’ve cleaned them.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Piercing Your Forward Helix

1
Find something sturdy to put against the inside of your ear. You need to have something against your ear so that you can push the needle through your ear without puncturing other parts of your ear. A wad of toilet paper or a cork are both good choices.^{[4]
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- If possible, don’t pierce your forward helix yourself or by yourself. Have a friend help you with the piercing. The forward helix, in particular, is difficult to get to, especially if you are looking in the mirror. This whole process is much easier to do when you have someone there to help you.
2
Consider your pain tolerance. You might consider taking a single Advil or other pain reliever a half hour before piercing your forward helix. If you can tough out the pain, do not take the pain reliever as it will increase blood flow to the spot and possibly cause more bleeding during the actual piercing.
3
Get the needle in place. It should be perpendicular to your forward helix to ensure that it goes in straight.
4
Take a deep breath and pierce the helix quickly. Don't stop midway through your helix as it prolongs the process and the pain. You will hear a popping noise when the needle goes in. This is normal.
5
Put the earring in. After you've pierced your forward helix and the needle is still in place, take the shaft of the earring into the hollow tube of the needle and then push it all the way through the ear. It is important to get the earring in place as soon as possible, before your ear begins to swell.
- Most likely, your ear will start to bleed. Dab the blood away with a cotton ball covered in hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol. Alternatively, you can use an alcohol swabs. Do not wipe up the blood with anything that hasn’t been properly sterilized or might lead to infection.
6
Remove the piercing tool. The most important part of this step is to make sure your earring stays in place as you pull out the tool. Many people find this part equally painful as the initial piercing, so they rush it. Keep the earring in place and slowly remove the tool.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Taking Care of Your Pierced Forward Helix

1
Leave your starter earring in for 6 weeks. Do not take your earring out for any reason other than sheer discomfort. If you take your earring out of your forward helix, it will close up and you won’t be able to put the earring back in. After 6 weeks, you can take it out, but you should replace it within a couple of minutes. Most of the time, healing will occur from 4 months to 1 year after initial piercing and largely depends on the person, blood flow to the area, and ability to keep the piercing clean and free from infection.^{[5]
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2
Wash your pierced ear daily. Make a warm salt water solution in a bowl just big enough for your ear to be completely submerged in. Take 1 tsp of sea salt and dissolve in 1 cup of warm (not hot) water. Sea salt works better than normal table salt. The salt fights infection in the piercing. Do not use Epsom salt; it has a different chemical makeup and is not actually salt.^{[6]
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- Dipping a cotton bud/Q-tip in the warm salt water solution and rubbing it around and against the piercing can also do the trick.^{[7]
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- Buy antiseptic solutions specifically made for newly pierced ears. You can buy them at beauty stores and pharmacies. Dip a cotton ball in the solution and rub gently around the piercing. Make sure to clean both sides of the piercing as well to insure that it remains free of harmful bacteria.
3
Rotate the earring. When you are cleaning the earring, rotate it to both clean as much of the shaft as possible and to prevent your ear from healing too tightly around the piercing.
4
Remove your earring and put a new earring in after 6 weeks. Put the new earrings in immediately after taking the original earring out and cleaning the hole. Your piercing has not yet fully healed, but has reached a point where the earring can be replaced.
5
See a doctor. In the event that you think you have an infection, see a doctor promptly. It is possible that they can give you something to fight the infection and you might be able to keep the earring. If you go too long without receiving medical attention, you will probably have to remove the earring while it heals.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I use a gold earing? I don't have a barbell. And will it affect the healing time?

Community Answer

Yes, you can use it, but it may affect the healing time. Talk to your piercer.
Question

Can I use a regular earring when piercing at home? (I don't have a barbell, and my parents won't let me buy one.)

Community Answer

First, don't pierce at home, see a pro. Next, regular earrings aren't made for new piercings. Backs/clasps need to be removed for cleaning, or you'll risk injury. Backs/clasps can also squeeze or pinch, leading to pain or infection. Also, regular earrings aren't usually a solid, quality metal or hypoallergenic material. I have 3 helix piercings in each ear and recommend captive bead rings during healing. I don't recommend barbells because of the small area. Hoops are better because they don't put pressure on the area while it's swollen and healing.
Question

If I let the piercing heal with a hoop in it, will it heal as a curved hole? Will I not be able to wear regular studs later?

Community Answer

You will be able to wear regular studs. The first time, it may take a little wiggling to get the stud in, but you shouldn't experience any significant pain. Don't rush it; let it heal completely before changing piercing.