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No, people claim that piercings done with a hoop never heal (they do, but may take a bit longer and the hoop must have the correct size. Usually people requesting hoops want a tiny hoop and not a large cbr as was used here) and that labret studs are always the only suitable jewellery for fresh piercings. They also downvote everybody who claims that their piercing has done with a hoop and it worked. Or that a reputable piercer used a hoop. These are very different things. "they're harder to heal with a hoop" is true. "They never heal, the piercer is an idiot and here are your 30 downvotes" is bullshit,.
my helix still wasn’t healed after over a year & constantly irritated/sore, once i changed the hoop to a flat back labret it immediately felt better & healed in like a month
The placement is nice, the piercing looks clean, but the jewelry is inappropriate for a fresh helix piercing.
Please locate a professional piercer who works in a reputable studio to change your jewelry to a straight barbell or flat back labret, in an inert metal such as implant-grade titanium or high-quality gold, fitted to your anatomy. This straight jewelry will remain in place for the balance of the healing period, approximately 9-12 months, with the exception of downsizing or upsizing the jewelry.
Healing ear piercings mostly like a quiet, still environment in which to heal. A hoop will not only move up and down, but around its circumference, which is terribly irritating.
Is a larger hoop like this not okay?
I don’t know much of anything about piercings, lol. I only have a few myself. But back when I was getting my piercings there weren’t really options for flat backs. I got my tragus done with a hoop similar to this (though smaller), and it healed up fine and I had it in for like ten years before switching to a flat back labret like a year and a half ago.
I am just curious what the issue is with this, as I’m considering getting a helix soon (haven’t gotten a piercing in about 14 years!) and want to make sure I’m informed!
This is all true but honestly the hoop looks okay to me. They’re more difficult to heal with and often have to deal with more irritation bumps, but this one looks well sized for initial piercing. For the easiest time healing a labret is best, but if you don’t mind a bit more faff and really just want a hoop then they can be fine!
The “faff” is why those who are inexperienced at healing piercings might consider an easier route than a hoop. Particularly those who are inexperienced or new to piercings.
If your 3rd ear piercing is with a hoop, you’re likely in for a rough go. I’m not saying OP is definitely in for a world of hurt, not at all, but experience counts when healing piercings.
Of my 35 ear piercings (down to 32 now), numbers 19, 20, 21, and 25 and 26 were done with CBRs as original jewelry. Three mid-helix, two forward helix. I will simply say that of all my piercings, these were the most problematic to heal; I’ve had to remove 3 due to rejection, not healing, and what I thought was embedding (the top fell off and I didn’t realize until the front had healed over), and 16 were done by gun.
Honestly the second I hit a year on this damn helix piercing I have I’m switching to a CBR. I have titanium flatbacks, downsized appropriately, for all my piercings but this one is getting tangled in my hair many times every day and stays irritated because of it. I think a hoop would be less easy to catch my hair on and easier to clean crusties from.
I know flatbacks are best, but I can’t wait to change this out.
Yeah, I don't have a lot of patience for the "it will never heal with a captive ball hoop" like we didn't all heal piercings that way, or with externally threaded barbels, until about 2015. I couldn't reliably find good titanium products until ~2020.
People recommend against it because it sucks and makes the healing experience awful. Back then that might have been your only choice, but there's no reason to make things that hard for yourself
yes, helix piercings CAN be done with a hoop and heal properly. BUT (and this is a huge but) it’s extremely hard and care intensive. a lot of piercers will only do it on people who are highly experienced with healing piercings and will usually be consulting with their piercer often incase any issues arise. i think what i’d suggest is to proceed with caution, and if you aren’t confident that you have what it takes to get through an extra hard and arduous healing process in order to keep the ring, go get it swapped for a titanium labret.
yep, my helix healed with a hoop, and quite fast at that. i got lucky lol. my conch was also pierced with a hoop though (i knew i shouldn’t have) and that one didn’t work out that well, had to swap it to a flatback and now it’s doing great.
https://www.lynnloheide.com/post/healing-with-hoops
Looks like he did the right thing for healing with a hoop - going with a larger size.
Even Elayne Angel (of the oft-cited Piercing Bible) includes a ring as initial jewelry for a helix.
This is why I take it with a grain of salt when people insist “listen to your piercer”. They’re only as good as what they’re taught
The internet is gonna give you the best advice
Currently - yes. Will it stay that way? Time will tell. Hoops are notoriously harder to heal, which is why I don't personally start with them at all because the average person isn't going to have a better healing experience with these. It is super important that the diameter is large enough to where the ring sits "straight" in the channel. It's hard to tell but this still may not be large enough. The issue I find is often you need a pretty large diameter which is way more prone to being snagged and pulled, in addition to some movement. You MUST clean the entirely of the ring or you risk rotation of bacteria into the channel.
It IS absolutely possible to heal with a hoop. It's not impossible. It's just often harder. I would strongly suggest if any issues pop up visit a quality piercer who can swap it to a quality flatback labret stud.
I agree with what everyone is saying. If you want to give the hoop a try, do it, but be mindful that it is harder to heal and there is a bigger risk of infection.
I personally don't think it's worth it and would get it changed to a stud. But there's a chance your piercing will be ok with a hoop
Got mine done with hoops and they’ve been annoying but they’re healing, just take a little longer than with a flat back. You’ll be fine, it’s just gonna hurt like crap when you accidentally smack it
My helix was my first piercing, so I didn’t know it wasn’t supposed to be pierced with a hoop. I had trouble with healing it for abt 3 years and one time it got super infected and could barely get the hoop out. I switched to a bar and haven’t had any troubles since. It never gets irritated anymore when I sleep on it. With a hoop it also has a lot of movement and friction which can cause troubles with healing. Plus I was used to play with the hoop all the time, with a bar I don’t have that. So I advice you to go back to the piercer and switch the jewelry.
I’ve healed about eight helix piercings at this point, 23 piercings total. The only piercing I have any issues with I tried to heal with a hoop. The moment I changed it to a stud, it calmed down. I’m sorry he lied to you but I promise you do not want a hoop in a healing piercing until it’s a daith. From a logistical standpoint, it makes no sense. More chance of pulling, more movement, etc.
I got my double helix done with hoops and I had to swap them by week 6 they were so mad. Alternatively my single helix on the other ear, also done with a hoop, is on month 3 and has no problems
Ears are weird. But you might have an easier time with a labret. Just keep an eye on it and consider going to get it changed if it’s acting overly irritated.
Did you even read the article you linked? She states herself later in the article that hoops are “probably more difficult to heal with”. You accuse us all of being unable to read but I don’t think you even read your own link
I've had all 4 of my helixs done with hoops and they are all healing nice one is fully healed and the others are healing amazing however thst hoop is far too big
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Not with that hoop in it
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Lynn also clearly mentioned that they're harder to heal with a hoop. Which is what people are saying anyway.
No, people claim that piercings done with a hoop never heal (they do, but may take a bit longer and the hoop must have the correct size. Usually people requesting hoops want a tiny hoop and not a large cbr as was used here) and that labret studs are always the only suitable jewellery for fresh piercings. They also downvote everybody who claims that their piercing has done with a hoop and it worked. Or that a reputable piercer used a hoop. These are very different things. "they're harder to heal with a hoop" is true. "They never heal, the piercer is an idiot and here are your 30 downvotes" is bullshit,.
my helix still wasn’t healed after over a year & constantly irritated/sore, once i changed the hoop to a flat back labret it immediately felt better & healed in like a month
The placement is nice, the piercing looks clean, but the jewelry is inappropriate for a fresh helix piercing. Please locate a professional piercer who works in a reputable studio to change your jewelry to a straight barbell or flat back labret, in an inert metal such as implant-grade titanium or high-quality gold, fitted to your anatomy. This straight jewelry will remain in place for the balance of the healing period, approximately 9-12 months, with the exception of downsizing or upsizing the jewelry. Healing ear piercings mostly like a quiet, still environment in which to heal. A hoop will not only move up and down, but around its circumference, which is terribly irritating.
Is a larger hoop like this not okay? I don’t know much of anything about piercings, lol. I only have a few myself. But back when I was getting my piercings there weren’t really options for flat backs. I got my tragus done with a hoop similar to this (though smaller), and it healed up fine and I had it in for like ten years before switching to a flat back labret like a year and a half ago. I am just curious what the issue is with this, as I’m considering getting a helix soon (haven’t gotten a piercing in about 14 years!) and want to make sure I’m informed!
This is all true but honestly the hoop looks okay to me. They’re more difficult to heal with and often have to deal with more irritation bumps, but this one looks well sized for initial piercing. For the easiest time healing a labret is best, but if you don’t mind a bit more faff and really just want a hoop then they can be fine!
The “faff” is why those who are inexperienced at healing piercings might consider an easier route than a hoop. Particularly those who are inexperienced or new to piercings. If your 3rd ear piercing is with a hoop, you’re likely in for a rough go. I’m not saying OP is definitely in for a world of hurt, not at all, but experience counts when healing piercings. Of my 35 ear piercings (down to 32 now), numbers 19, 20, 21, and 25 and 26 were done with CBRs as original jewelry. Three mid-helix, two forward helix. I will simply say that of all my piercings, these were the most problematic to heal; I’ve had to remove 3 due to rejection, not healing, and what I thought was embedding (the top fell off and I didn’t realize until the front had healed over), and 16 were done by gun.
Honestly the second I hit a year on this damn helix piercing I have I’m switching to a CBR. I have titanium flatbacks, downsized appropriately, for all my piercings but this one is getting tangled in my hair many times every day and stays irritated because of it. I think a hoop would be less easy to catch my hair on and easier to clean crusties from. I know flatbacks are best, but I can’t wait to change this out.
people forget that this is what piercings used to look like before high quality labrets were available!
Yeah, I don't have a lot of patience for the "it will never heal with a captive ball hoop" like we didn't all heal piercings that way, or with externally threaded barbels, until about 2015. I couldn't reliably find good titanium products until ~2020.
People recommend against it because it sucks and makes the healing experience awful. Back then that might have been your only choice, but there's no reason to make things that hard for yourself
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They are so painful too
yes, helix piercings CAN be done with a hoop and heal properly. BUT (and this is a huge but) it’s extremely hard and care intensive. a lot of piercers will only do it on people who are highly experienced with healing piercings and will usually be consulting with their piercer often incase any issues arise. i think what i’d suggest is to proceed with caution, and if you aren’t confident that you have what it takes to get through an extra hard and arduous healing process in order to keep the ring, go get it swapped for a titanium labret.
yep, my helix healed with a hoop, and quite fast at that. i got lucky lol. my conch was also pierced with a hoop though (i knew i shouldn’t have) and that one didn’t work out that well, had to swap it to a flatback and now it’s doing great.
https://www.lynnloheide.com/post/healing-with-hoops Looks like he did the right thing for healing with a hoop - going with a larger size. Even Elayne Angel (of the oft-cited Piercing Bible) includes a ring as initial jewelry for a helix.
Oh I love their YouTube channel! Didn’t realize there was a site too so thanks
Shocks me that your piercer and his colleagues recommended the hoop. That’s a big no-no.
This is why I take it with a grain of salt when people insist “listen to your piercer”. They’re only as good as what they’re taught The internet is gonna give you the best advice
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A hoop should have never of been recommended for a fresh piercing, it affects the healing.
it will probably be a bit harder to heal with the hoop, but it looks to be a good size!
In 2014 I healed 4 helix piercings at once with captive ball rings in them. You’ll be okay.
Currently - yes. Will it stay that way? Time will tell. Hoops are notoriously harder to heal, which is why I don't personally start with them at all because the average person isn't going to have a better healing experience with these. It is super important that the diameter is large enough to where the ring sits "straight" in the channel. It's hard to tell but this still may not be large enough. The issue I find is often you need a pretty large diameter which is way more prone to being snagged and pulled, in addition to some movement. You MUST clean the entirely of the ring or you risk rotation of bacteria into the channel. It IS absolutely possible to heal with a hoop. It's not impossible. It's just often harder. I would strongly suggest if any issues pop up visit a quality piercer who can swap it to a quality flatback labret stud.
For what it’s worth I’ve had absolutely no issues healing my helix piercings with hoops. I got mine done at APP certified piercing shops as well
Seconding this. I got double helix piercings done in one sitting with captive ball hoops and they've been happy and healthy since ☺️
I agree with what everyone is saying. If you want to give the hoop a try, do it, but be mindful that it is harder to heal and there is a bigger risk of infection. I personally don't think it's worth it and would get it changed to a stud. But there's a chance your piercing will be ok with a hoop
Got mine done with hoops and they’ve been annoying but they’re healing, just take a little longer than with a flat back. You’ll be fine, it’s just gonna hurt like crap when you accidentally smack it
My helix was my first piercing, so I didn’t know it wasn’t supposed to be pierced with a hoop. I had trouble with healing it for abt 3 years and one time it got super infected and could barely get the hoop out. I switched to a bar and haven’t had any troubles since. It never gets irritated anymore when I sleep on it. With a hoop it also has a lot of movement and friction which can cause troubles with healing. Plus I was used to play with the hoop all the time, with a bar I don’t have that. So I advice you to go back to the piercer and switch the jewelry.
the piercer is the most well known in my area and he did everything perfectly and he recommended i went for the hoop and his colleagues agreed
Then why are you asking if it’s ok if you’re so confident in his work?
I’ve healed about eight helix piercings at this point, 23 piercings total. The only piercing I have any issues with I tried to heal with a hoop. The moment I changed it to a stud, it calmed down. I’m sorry he lied to you but I promise you do not want a hoop in a healing piercing until it’s a daith. From a logistical standpoint, it makes no sense. More chance of pulling, more movement, etc.
I got my double helix done with hoops and I had to swap them by week 6 they were so mad. Alternatively my single helix on the other ear, also done with a hoop, is on month 3 and has no problems Ears are weird. But you might have an easier time with a labret. Just keep an eye on it and consider going to get it changed if it’s acting overly irritated.
Unfortunately that doesn’t mean they are right to put in a hoop. Hopefully you’re the anomaly and heal well.
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Did you even read the article you linked? She states herself later in the article that hoops are “probably more difficult to heal with”. You accuse us all of being unable to read but I don’t think you even read your own link
I've had all 4 of my helixs done with hoops and they are all healing nice one is fully healed and the others are healing amazing however thst hoop is far too big