On this page
A daith piercing takes six to twelve months to heal. The daith is the fold of cartilage just inside the ear, and it heals like other thick cartilage: slowly, and it looks finished long before it is.
What the sources give
| Source | Daith |
|---|---|
| Cleveland Clinic | Between six and 12 months for daith, rook, conch, helix and tragus |
| This site | 24 to 40 weeks |
| Claire’s and Banter | Cartilage 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. The Association of Professional Piercers (APP) warns that a piercing may seem healed before the healing process is actually complete. 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.
The downsize
A daith starts with a longer post or ring than you will need, to leave room for swelling. Our guides give six to ten weeks. 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.
The migraine claim
People often get a daith to try to ease migraines. That does not change how it heals. Our daith migraine guide covers the claim and says it has never been tested properly. A healing piercing is not a medical treatment, and migraines are a question for a doctor.
While it heals
- Sleeping. 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.
- Friction and pressure. The APP advises avoiding friction and pressure from clothing, excessive motion of the area, playing with the jewelry and vigorous cleaning.
- 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. 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 daith is $30 to $45 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, and cartilage piercing healing time 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 daith piercing take to heal?
Six to twelve months. The Cleveland Clinic gives that range for daith, rook, conch, helix and tragus piercings, and our guides give 24 to 40 weeks for a daith. The outside can look settled long before the piercing has healed.
When should I downsize a daith piercing?
Our guides give six to ten weeks, once the initial swelling has gone. The APP says many piercings require a downsize before the piercing is healed, and that you should see a qualified piercer to do it.
Does a daith piercing help migraines, and does that change the healing?
It does not change the healing, which is the same as for other cartilage piercings. Our daith migraine guide covers the claim and says it has never been tested properly. Do not treat a healing piercing as medical treatment, and see a doctor about migraines.
Can I sleep on a daith piercing?
Not while it is healing. The APP says 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.
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 APP warns that a piercing may seem healed before the healing process is actually complete.
What if it 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. A 2005 American Family Physician review says ear cartilage piercings are associated with more serious infection, and that infections can develop in the first month. 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.