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Rook Piercing: Cost, Pain Level, Healing Time, And More
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While traditional ear piercings happen on the lobes, piercings on other parts of the ear have surged in popularity in recent years. Specifically, the helix piercing — which is made on the upper or outer cartilage of the ear — has become an increasingly trendy choice, thanks to celebs like Miley Cyrus, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Aniston, Timothée Chalamet, and Rihanna.
While helix piercings offer a fun way to adorn your ears with different styles of jewelry, a 2021 study also found that cartilage piercings come with one of the highest rates of infection of any body piercings.
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According to Suzanne Friedler, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Advanced Dermatology in New York City, this is because cartilage tissue gets less blood flow than the fleshy, fatty lobe. Less blood flow means the wound heals more slowly, making it more prone to infection. Additionally, Friedler says helix and other cartilage piercings come with a higher risk of keloids — thick raised scars caused by excess collagen in the skin during healing.
All that said, you can reduce your chances of these complications by taking certain precautions beforehand and ensuring proper aftercare during the healing process. Here's what dermatologists want you to know before getting a helix piercing.
There are several types of helix piercings to choose from, each of which is in different locations on the ear. Here's what to expect from each, according to Susan Massick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
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The price of a helix piercing ranges from about $30 to $75, says Massick, but varies significantly depending on which type you choose and where you get it done. For example, a double or triple helix piercing will typically cost more than a single one.
Don't choose where to get your piercing solely based on who offers the lowest price, — Friedler says it's well worth it to go to a specialty parlor for helix piercings since they're so prone to infection.
When selecting a parlor, Friedler advises making sure they sterilize the equipment between each use, wear a fresh pair of disposable gloves, and have experience specifically with cartilage piercings.
Medical Complications Of Cartilage And Ear Piercing
If you're prone to infections or keloids, Friedler suggests getting a piercing at your dermatologist's office, as they can inject cortisone at the site to prevent keloids. They can also numb your ear beforehand to reduce pain during the piercing.
Before you get a helix piercing, Friedler recommends cleaning your entire ear thoroughly with antibacterial soap. To minimize any discomfort, you can also take an over-the-counter pain reliever 30 minutes to an hour before your appointment. Acetaminophen is a better choice than ibuprofen or aspirin, which can thin out your blood and thus cause more bleeding when you get pierced.
Keep in mind that it's normal for the site to feel a little swollen or sore for a few days after you get a helix piercing. However, that should go down within the first week — if it doesn't, or gets worse, that may signal a possible infection.
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As with all piercings, it's crucial to keep the area around your helix piercing as clean as possible. During the first two weeks of healing, Friedler advises applying rubbing alcohol on both sides of the piercing twice a day to kill off germs.
For the remainder of the healing process, you can do this once a day — or alternate alcohol with a saline solution, which can help relieve inflammation, flush out the wound, and facilitate healing. Once the piercing is closed up, you can switch to only saline. Massick advises always using gauze instead of cotton balls to apply these solutions because cotton fibers can get caught in the piercing or wound.
Some other aftercare tips are to wait 24 hours before getting your helix piercing wet, says Friedler. If you're a side sleeper, you should also try to avoid laying on the ear that was pierced, which can cause friction that leads to irritation and swelling, according to Massick. Speaking of sleeping — changing your pillowcase every two days can also help to reduce the risk of infection.
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Avoid twisting or fiddling your piercing, says Massick, which can irritate the wound and delay healing. Swapping out the jewelry or touching the piercing before it's fully healed — especially with unwashed hands — increases your risk of infection.
You may also be more prone to minor skin infections after an ear piercing if you have atopic dermatitis or allergic metal contact dermatitis, according to a 2005 study.
When you notice symptoms of an infection, Friedler recommends applying a layer of antibiotic ointment and making an appointment to see your dermatologist or doctor as soon as possible.
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A healthcare provider can determine whether you're having an allergic reaction or infection, and then determine if an oral antibiotic is necessary or if the cartilage needs to be drained. In cases of a severe infection that turns into cellulitis, Massick says IV antibiotics may be needed.
If left untreated, Friedler says an infection can lead to cauliflower ear, otherwise known as boxer's ear, which happens when blood collects and gets trapped under the skin of the cartilage, causing an increase in swelling that permanently disfigures the ear.
Additionally, neglecting to treat an infection can increase your risk of scarring, including keloids. These scars are not painful or dangerous, but they can be unsightly.
I'm A Piercer And Here Are The Pain Levels For The Most Popular Ear Piercings… Your Lobe Is A Piece Of Cake
Helix piercings — which are done on the upper cartilage of the ear — offer a unique way to sport different styles of jewelry. That said, these piercings tend to be more painful, take more time to heal, and are more prone to infection than traditional earlobe piercings.
The best way to minimize your risk of infection is to choose a reputable and experienced licensed piercer, clean your piercing daily, and avoid touching or fiddling with it until it's fully healed.
Rebecca Strong is a Boston-based freelance writer covering health and wellness, food and wine, fitness, and travel. In addition to contributing to the Health Reference andKitchen verticals at , she has also written for Healthline, Health magazine, Bustle, StyleCaster, PopSugar, AskMen, and Elite Daily. You can follow her work on Twitter.While the earlobe is the most common location for a body piercing, it is definitely not the only option out there. Many choose to pierce their tongue, lips, nose, eyebrows, nipples, naval and more. Many factors can affect piercings, including body type, location, skin, nerves, etc. Therefore, we have put together a little information on high-risk piercings.
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Earlobe piercings are the most common type of piercings and generally safe. When you pierce your earlobe with a normal stud and then remove it, the hole will eventually heal. However, gauging your ears with anything larger than a standard stud will force your lobes to stretch. If you choose to remove the gauge, your earlobes may shrink a little over time, but you will still be left with a gaping hole.
Tragus piercings are relatively a low-risk when done by a professional piercer. That being said, the low blood supply to the area can make it a piercing that has a higher risk for infection and poor scarring. Some of the most common risks of tragus piercings are hypertonic scarring and keloids. Keloids are largely a genetic issue. However, getting a stud instead of a hoop can help to avoid these issues.
Rook piercings are another common type of ear piercing among many. The inner folds of the cartilage can vary significantly from person to person. Some individuals won’t have enough of a cartilage fold in the rook area to pull off this piercing. Additionally, cartilage piercings are susceptible to scarring, cartilage bumps and other permanent issues.
Tragus Piercing Pain: How Bad Is It?
Helix piercings are another ear cartilage piercing on the outer rim of your ear. Keloid scars can form anywhere that there is tissue damage. However, they tend to show up more often with cartilage damage. If you are likely to subconsciously mess with new jewelry, then you might want to reconsider getting a cartilage piercing, as cartilage is more easily damaged.
The pain associated with many piercings is minimal, but the
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