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A cartilage piercing takes six to twelve months to heal. The mistake to avoid is treating a cartilage piercing that looks settled at two months as finished.
What the sources give
| Source | Cartilage |
|---|---|
| Cleveland Clinic | May take up to six months or a year to fully heal. Six to 12 months for daith, rook, conch, helix and tragus |
| This site | 24 to 52 weeks for most placements |
| Claire’s | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Banter (Piercing Pagoda) | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Rowan | New piercings can take up to one year to fully heal |
We do not know how Claire’s and Banter define healed, so their figures cannot be compared directly. The Association of Professional Piercers (APP) warns that a piercing may seem healed before the healing process is actually complete.
Healing time by placement
| Piercing | Healing | Downsize at |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical tragus | 8 to 16 weeks | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Tragus | 24 to 40 weeks | 4 to 8 weeks |
| Daith | 24 to 40 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Forward helix | 24 to 40 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Helix | 24 to 52 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Conch | 24 to 52 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Flat | 24 to 52 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Rook | 24 to 52 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Hidden helix | 24 to 52 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Double helix | 24 to 52 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Anti-tragus | 24 to 52 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Snug | 24 to 52 weeks | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Orbital | 24 to 52 weeks | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Industrial | 36 to 52 weeks | 8 to 12 weeks |
These are typical ranges from our guides. The top of a range is normal rather than slow. The Cleveland Clinic gives one range for the group, so the differences between placements are our estimates.
Why it takes so long
A 2005 review in American Family Physician says ear cartilage piercings are associated with poor healing and more serious infection because cartilage is avascular, meaning it has no blood supply of its own. A lobe is soft tissue and heals in six to eight weeks by the Cleveland Clinic’s figure. Earlobe healing time covers it.
How to tell it has healed
The Cleveland Clinic’s signs of a healed earlobe are that it does not hurt, is not red or swollen, is not crusty, scabby or flaking, and the jewelry rotates easily. Cartilage takes far longer to reach the same point. Because the APP warns that a piercing may seem healed before the healing process is complete, the safest test is a piercer’s opinion. When can I change my cartilage piercing has a checklist.
The downsize
Most cartilage piercings start with a longer post than you will need, to leave room for swelling. The APP says many piercings require a downsize before the piercing is healed, and that you should see a qualified piercer to perform it. Piercing downsizing explains why.
What slows healing
The APP’s aftercare advice is to avoid friction and pressure from clothing, excessive motion of the area, playing with the jewelry and vigorous cleaning. It adds that sleeping directly on a healing cartilage piercing can cause irritation and even shift the piercing’s angle, and suggests a travel pillow on top of your pillow with the ear in the opening. It also says to leave the initial jewelry in place for the entire healing process unless there is a problem with its size, style or material.
When to see a doctor
The APP says to see a doctor if you have severe redness, swelling or pain, or if symptoms last for a week or get worse. The American Family Physician review says infections can develop in the first month. Leave the jewelry in unless a doctor says otherwise. Cartilage piercing bumps covers lumps, and irritated or infected piercing has a symptom table.
What it costs
How much is a cartilage piercing compares studio prices for every placement.
Not medical advice
This page is educational. If a piercing is hot, has spreading redness, thick coloured discharge or red streaks, or you feel unwell, see a doctor the same day.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a cartilage piercing take to heal?
Six to twelve months. The Cleveland Clinic says cartilage may take up to six months or a year to fully heal, and gives six to twelve months for daith, rook, conch, helix and tragus. Our guides give 24 to 52 weeks for most placements. The outside can look settled long before then.
Why do some places say eight to twelve weeks?
Claire's and Banter both give 8 to 12 weeks for cartilage, and Rowan says up to a year. We do not know how the shorter figures are defined. The Cleveland Clinic and our guides give the time for the piercing to heal fully, and the Association of Professional Piercers (APP) warns that a piercing may seem healed before the healing process is actually complete.
Which cartilage piercing heals fastest?
In our guides the vertical tragus, at 8 to 16 weeks, then the tragus, daith and forward helix at 24 to 40 weeks. Most others are 24 to 52, and the industrial is 36 to 52. The Cleveland Clinic gives one range for the group rather than one per placement.
Why does cartilage take so much longer than a lobe?
A 2005 American Family Physician review says ear cartilage piercings are associated with poor healing and more serious infection because cartilage is avascular, meaning it has no blood supply of its own. A lobe is soft tissue and heals in six to eight weeks by the Cleveland Clinic's figure.
When can I change or downsize the jewelry?
The APP says many piercings require a downsize before the piercing is healed, and that a qualified piercer should do it. Our guides give six to ten weeks for most cartilage piercings. Other changes wait until it has healed, and the guide on changing a cartilage piercing explains how to check.
What if it develops a bump or looks infected?
The APP says to see a doctor if you have severe redness, swelling or pain, or if symptoms last for a week or get worse. The American Family Physician review says infections can develop in the first month, and that cartilage infections are more serious. Leave the jewelry in unless a doctor says otherwise.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic - Ear piercing 101: healing, hurting, cleaning and morehttps://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-to-expect-when-getting-your-ears-pierced
- Meltzer (2005) - Complications of body piercing. American Family Physicianhttps://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2005/1115/p2029.html
- Association of Professional Piercers - Suggested aftercare for body piercingshttps://safepiercing.org/aftercare/
- Association of Professional Piercers - Troubleshootinghttps://safepiercing.org/troubleshooting/
- Claire's - Piercing guidehttps://www.claires.com/pages/piercing-guide
- Banter by Piercing Pagoda - Ear piercinghttps://www.banter.com/ear-piercing
- Rowan - Aftercarehttps://heyrowan.com/pages/care-after
This article is for education only and is not medical advice. If a piercing is hot, swollen, spreading redness, oozing yellow or green discharge, or you have a fever, see a doctor today.