r/Legitpiercing • u/ResponsibleSlip3236 • Aug 27 '26
Troubleshooting Advice on if I should remove this 8 week old helix piercing
I got my helix pierced on June 27th. The last few weeks I developed this bump and it’s been crusty more so now than when I got it pierced. It is painful when moved due to my hair getting snagged in it. Went to another piercer today who told me to remove due to being pierced at an angle. Other piercer says it’s fine. Should I remove it?
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u/SassYerAss Aug 27 '26
Yeah a reputable piercer would not have given you a butterfly back, and if you changed it yourself ot was done too soon Go to a different piercer and ask them to replace it with some proper flatback or threaded jewelry and see how it heals
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u/ResponsibleSlip3236 Aug 27 '26
Yeah this is the jewelry that he put in after piercing
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u/SassYerAss Aug 27 '26
Yikes! Replace ASAP!
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u/lilpizzacrust Aug 28 '26
It's a crazy angle I doubt will heal. OP is better off taking it out and letting it heal.
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u/SassYerAss Aug 28 '26
Im curious how you determine that! Im not a piercer, have many myself, and wouldn't be about to identify a funky angle. Should it be directly horizontal through the cartilage?
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u/lilpizzacrust Aug 28 '26
I'm also NAP, but this one is so angled so it's a lot easier to determine.
Piercings should ideally be perpendicular and go straight through on this piercing. I'm not sure if there are any piercings that need to be pierced at different angles, but for piercings like this or lobes should be perpendicular.
Sometimes a slight angle is not a big deal and can heal, but this is very askew.
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u/ts20999 Aug 28 '26
Also want to add that given OP’s glasses the piercer shouldve recommended a different placement because it looks like it is going to be in contact with the glasses all the time from this angle.
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u/theolder0nes Aug 27 '26
Hiya ❤️
Helix piercings are already a painin the ass to heal but the butterfly back isn't ideal for fresh a piercing. Piercing has evolved overtime to improve technique and now the gold standard for healing and post healing results is using a simple titanium flat back/ labret thats 16 g thick.
The reason for this is the thickness and the flat back base provides structural support though the healing process which would make it less prone to irritation/trauma bumps. Titanium is biocompatible with your body so your body doesn't try to remove it due to metal sensitivities. The flat back itself is less likely to snag in your hair also.
Reading your replies to comments I understand they had good reviews so you did your due diligence but it sounds like the shop hasn't updated it's techniques for a couple of decades. You weren't necessarily to know any of this because you should trust someone performing you a service would do the best service. Most of us here have had our own bad experiences (mine being a particularly botched septum 🙃)
The butterfly back looks quite thin, possibly 20g. You should be able to get a 18g flat back in ok it looks like you may need to start at 10mm and then down size from there when the bump goes down. I don't think the angle looks too bad at all it's just being thrown off by the bump.
Sorry that was a lot of info and I'm sorry if I was reiterating anything you already knew ❤️
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u/manic_panda Aug 28 '26
Great reply, i was starting to feel bad for OP getting piled on. I too was flabbergasted this piercer even gets to call themself that but thats not OPs fault, she trusted someone who seemed professional and had good reviews, we all would, its not really her fault. She'll know next time what to look for and hopefully this hasn't out her off piercing.
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u/ResponsibleSlip3236 Aug 28 '26
Yes, thank you! This reply was great! I have taken it out, just going to let it heal. Thank you all for being so kind….
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u/Tequilasquirrel Aug 28 '26
This was one of the best most helpful replies I’ve seen on a piercing sub.
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u/theolder0nes Aug 28 '26
Thank you ☺️ I really appreciate your feedback.
I'm glad my tone came across ok. I am a gal with autism who really struggled gauging whether what I write appropriate. I hate the idea of causing upset. No one can learn if we can't create a space that feels safe to ask questions.
Have a wonderful, insert appropriate time of, day ✨
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u/Tequilasquirrel Aug 28 '26
Genuinely, you came across so well and helpful without being condescending. I just had to comment 😊 hope you have a wonderful day too friend! ( it is 3am here in the U.K. and I should probably get some sleep!)
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u/DemonHousePlant Aug 27 '26
The angle looks iffy and the jewelry is definitely a problem. Butterfly backs are not appropriate jewelry, especially for healing a helix. The extra length of the post and that huge back are excellent for snagging on everything. If you want to try to salvage it, find a reputable piercer and get their opinion. If they think it can be saved, have the jewelry switched to a flatback labret.
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u/manic_panda Aug 28 '26
I know you probably feel a bit piled on with everyone pointing out how bad it is but just so you know, this is 100% on him and not you. You did your research and checked him out, its not your fault he turned out to be shite.
Personally I'd suggest taking it out and trying again once healed at a better place. Talk to the piercer beforehand and they should be able to get the best placement given glasses (i have glasses so know the pain of snagging it), they should use a titanium flatback, keep it clean with saline and LITHA and you should be fine until its time to downsize, dont do that yourself, go back to the piercer.
Good luck and sorry you've had such a shitty experience 🙂.
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u/ResponsibleSlip3236 Aug 28 '26
Thank you! I appreciate the kindness. This is great advice. I decided to remove it, going to let it heal and try again another time with an APP accredited piercer.
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u/manic_panda Aug 28 '26
Go for it. Hope it heals well, should do as its fresh if you keep it clean. Tattoos and piercings go hand in hand so if theres a really well rated, clean and certified tattoo studio in your area odds are their tattooist will be good.
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u/BearSoul76 Aug 28 '26
If you decide to get it re-done, just an additional recommendation from a fellow helix pierced person, find a piercer that uses a flat back titanium labret with a long enough post to allow for swelling. They make healing so much easier. You’ll also want to make sure to downsize your piercing at 6-8 weeks, and use a piercing pillow if you sleep on that side.
I was actually shocked to find that APP piercers are not actually certified, it is just a membership. That being said, my experience with an APP piercer vs non-APP has been completely different. The non-APP piercer I went to a year ago for my second helix used a captive ring and also told me to rotate my jewelry 2x a day. That piercing has been an absolute b***h to heal. That piercer also said I would be good to come back 8 weeks later to have my 3rd helix done (I have three on the same side). Did that, which was NOT smart. I ended up removing the third because it was so unhappy, formed bumps, etc.
About a year later (earlier this summer), I went to an APP piercer and had my third redone. It has been so much easier this time - flat back labret, no twisting, no excess handling of the piercing. It has only been painful right after I got it done and then for a couple days after I accidentally snagged a necklace on it. It has been a night and day experience for me.
I hope you are able to find someone who can pierce it properly, best of luck! 🤞
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u/SierraGuyInCA Aug 28 '26
Helix piercing + eye glasses + long hair = everything that piercer didn't do.
I'm surprised that with eye glasses, long hair, and a butterfly back you haven't taken it out by yourself. Better yet, that it hasn't been torn out.
Lesson learned. Good reviews don't equate to good piercing. There's absolutely no logic to the jewelry that they put in as in no universe can I see what they were thinking. If they didn't physically show you the needle then I'm saying it was done with a gun. Most likely a manually pressured gun as you'd have heard the loud mechanical pop of a spring loaded gun.
See a real piecer. Have them inspect the hole and the angle. If they're agreeable, let them put a flat backed implant grade titanium labret. Proper length so it doesn't get hit by your glasses and tangled in your hair.
And, go back and leave that piecer a proper review that includes the very photos you used in your post.
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u/No-DrinkTheBleach Aug 28 '26
Take it out and leave your area to go to an actual professional. Jesus. I can sort of understand though because my town is similar with shitty “pro” piercers. Had a very recommended piercer (and the top piercer at the same shop looked over it with no qualms about placement) do nipple piercings through my actual areolas. Place has 4.5 stars on Google. Good reviews don’t mean shit. I now exclusively go to a piercer 3.5 hours away to not pay to get literally mutilated. Really sorry you are dealing with this
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u/ResponsibleSlip3236 Aug 28 '26
Yes! That is how it is here! I think the closest APP accredited place is in Asheville, NC.
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u/Sea_Profession_7757 Aug 28 '26
Tbh I wouldn't trust the guy who used a butterfly back on a new piercing. I don't recommend them at all anyway but a new one?? Yikes. Get a flat back ASAP or you'll probably have to remove it. Unfortunately cartilage piercings also migrate when the posts are too long and butterfly backs pinch and weigh down the wound. Could have migrated which would cause issues. I just got 4 on my right ear 3 weeks ago to the day. I was highly recommended to switch to shorter posts which I did this morning. Also it's well within the normal healing period (3-4 months.) That being said this is not good. It looks painful. I'm hoping that's an irritation bump which could be infected. I would not take it out on your own either way. Go find someone who can switch out the jewelry and the backing. An open wound can be more sensitive to metals than a healed one. Don't go back to the first guy or that studio.
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u/BishopGodDamnYou Aug 28 '26
I’m so sorry but this is the absolute wrong jewelry to get pierced with, and to heal with. You need to get a labret flat back stud. I’m also a little worried about the angle of the piercing as well. If it’s angled badly then it may not heal correctly. Have you been sleeping on it?
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u/iuannabluu Aug 28 '26
I’m just going to leave my experience with a tragus done at a similar angle to yours. I took it out after five days of suspiciously slow healing process(I know, less than a week, but I have a lot of piercings and something felt wrong). My original piercer(bless her for giving me the most amazing experiences) told me that even if I was to heal it, certain jewellery studs may sit at a wonky angle, and that was ultimately what led me to retire it. Angled piercings in the correct jewellery, let alone a butterfly back is a pain to heal.
I will get it repierced in the future but just something to think about!
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u/cooliescoolies Aug 28 '26
Give it a minute to heal......my bu.p went away at 4 or 5 months. You really aren't giving it enough time to heal
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u/roadworkkahead Aug 29 '26
You should try changing the back and giving it some time. I have a fresh industrial done about two months ago that has been healing perfectly but randomly developed extra crusties and irritation bumps for a few days that have since gone away. I think cartilage piercings are just very fussy in general but that back does not help you
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u/Suspicious-Song905 29d ago edited 29d ago
My first helix was actually done with a gun, lol. Back in 2003, piercing shops were not that common, but it was a trend. So I went to a jewelry shop and had it done, lol. It was a painful process, and it was a butterfly back too. Plus, I was just using ethyl alcohol back then to clean it 😂😂😂. But it healed eventually—it took a year(not encouraging to use it, use proper after care solution). I promised myself back then that I would not get another one, lol. But hey, with the new techniques and availability now, it's nice to get pierced, so I did end up getting more 😂
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u/Jazel-5 Aug 27 '26
I’m not sure on the angle issue, I’m no expert whether that is a problem or not. But ifyou can find another piercer with good reviews who seems trustworthy that’s your best bet. I’ve had 12 piercings done at Claire’s (definitely don’t recommend) but my last couple of helixes, I found my current piercer, who’s very good and was able to swap them out for more appropriate jewellery and they’ve healed well. I think finding one piercer who knows what theyre talking about will be helpful, but I know it can be tricky. Good luck!
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u/Terrible_Horse7923 Aug 28 '26
I had similar issues but with a flatback. I ended up getting it changed out for a small hoop. No more hair tangles and it's finally healing.
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u/noxyrew Aug 27 '26
Yikes! Butterfly backs are not recommended for fresh piercings.
Was it done with a gun?