How long does a conch piercing take to heal? Six to twelve months, and what the shorter claims mean

A conch piercing takes six to twelve months to heal. The outside can look settled long before then, and the mistake to avoid is treating a conch that looks fine at two months as finished.

What the sources give

We do not know how Claire’s and Banter define healed, so their figures cannot be compared directly. The Cleveland Clinic and our guide 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.

The American Academy of Dermatology’s advice, for pierced ears, is not to remove a new piercing for six weeks or more, even at night, because taking the starter jewelry out too early may cause the piercing to close. That is a minimum, not a healing time.

Why cartilage takes longer

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 weeks. Our guides give six to ten. Ear piercing healing time compares every ear placement.

These are typical ranges. The top of a range is normal rather than slow.

The downsize

A conch starts with a longer post than you will need, to leave room for swelling. Our guide gives six to ten weeks for the downsize. The APP says many piercings require a downsize before the piercing is healed, and that you should see a qualified piercer to perform downsizes or any jewelry changes during healing. 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. For an ear it adds two:

• Sleeping on it. The APP says sleeping directly on a healing cartilage piercing can cause irritation and even shift its angle, and suggests a travel pillow on top of your pillow with the ear in the opening.
• Cloth towels. The APP says they can harbor bacteria and snag on jewelry, so dry with clean disposable gauze.

Do not change the jewelry early. The APP 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 can I change my cartilage piercing explains how to check.

Swimming

Keep it out of pools, hot tubs, lakes and the sea until it has healed. See swimming with a new piercing.

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, and that cartilage infections are more serious. Leave the jewelry in unless a doctor says otherwise. Irritated or infected piercing has a symptom table, and cartilage piercing bumps covers lumps.

What it costs

A conch is $30 to $35 for the service in the studio price lists we read, or $60 to $70 with starter jewelry included. See how much is a cartilage piercing.

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.

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.