A guide to helix piercing healing

We won't hide it: the helix piercing is our favourite. Simple and stylish, it adds volume to an ear stack, combining several pieces of jewellery.

And we suspect you've fallen for this lovely piercing too. Haven't you?

But you still have a few questions about healing a helix piercing… How long does it take? How do I know whether my cartilage has healed? When can I change my jewellery?

That's completely understandable!

You've come to the right place. At Solstice Bijoux, we specialise in piercing jewellery. We've been advising our customers for a while, and we love it.

So we've put together a guide to helix piercing healing, with a selection of our top tips. This article discusses the piercing procedure and aftercare; our catalogue jewellery is intended for healed piercings. 

Let's explore it together!

How long does a helix piercing take to heal?

The helix is the often-curved outer rim of the upper ear. This section of cartilage extends from near the base of the skull to just above the lobe.

The helix is a popular piercing placement. Once healed, we love styling it with several hoops and layering jewellery. And we suspect you do too.

That all sounds lovely, but how long does a helix piercing take to heal?

Healing can take several months, and the timeframe varies from person to person.

That may sound like a long time, but healing varies, and a helix cannot reliably be described as one of the quickest cartilage piercings to heal. 

Really?

Yes. Cartilage piercings can all take time to settle, and none has a fixed healing timeline. 

That puts things into perspective, doesn't it? And the result can be worth the wait.

So a helix may be an option for a first piercing, depending on your anatomy and your piercer's advice. Pain and healing time vary, so it should not be presented as a universally easy or quick-healing choice.

But (yes, there is a but), the outer cartilage is particularly exposed to knocks and snagging. You'll need to take care and keep up with aftercare. 

So how does a piercing heal? 

Broadly speaking, this guide describes piercing healing in 3 stages:

• Inflammation: the piercing may be red, sore and swollen, with some bleeding or fluid. Pus should not be assumed to be normal healing and needs medical assessment. The level of pain varies.
• Irritation: brown crusts may form and the pain may gradually ease;
• Healing: crusts may come away, leaving a cleaner-looking piercing opening, but its appearance alone does not confirm full healing.

So can I change my helix jewellery once there are no more crusts?

Hmm… It's a little more complicated than that.

When can you change your helix piercing jewellery?

Did you have your cartilage pierced several months ago and now can't wait to change your jewellery?

Be patient! Don't rush it.

We recommend changing your helix jewellery once the piercing has fully healed.

There are 4 signs that may suggest your ear is healing well, although they do not prove it is fully healed:

• The skin around the opening is its usual colour (not red or purple);
• Your piercing does not hurt
• No fluid (pus or blood) comes from the opening
• Your ear is not swollen

A professional jewellery adjustment may sometimes be possible during healing, if your piercer assesses it as appropriate and carries out the change. This does not mean the piercing is ready for a decorative change or for jewellery from our catalogue.

One of our customers thought her cartilage had fully healed because the opening looked clean. 

When she changed the jewellery herself, pus began to come out and quickly dried.

The result? Her piercing partially closed. Ouch… She had to return to her piercer to resolve the problem. Pus can indicate infection and should also be assessed by a healthcare professional. 

Always ask your piercer for advice if you're unsure. They have relevant professional experience, although you should check whether there is a fee for the consultation.

How can you support cartilage piercing healing?

Is your helix piercing taking a long time to heal? Reviewing your aftercare may help, but slow healing does not necessarily mean you haven't cared for it properly. 

Here are 5 tips to help you understand what to consider.

1. Follow a daily aftercare routine

Appropriate daily aftercare can support helix piercing healing, although it cannot guarantee faster healing.

Your piercer should have explained what to do.

But at Solstice, we like to revisit the essentials. A little reminder can help, can't it? 🙂

For helix piercing aftercare, follow the routine your piercer recommends and avoid over-cleaning.

Use only the aftercare products your piercer recommends. For general guidance, see the APP aftercare recommendations. 

Above all, keep products such as creams, shampoo and make-up away from the piercing.

2. Avoid knocks and snagging

If you already have a helix piercing, you've probably noticed how easily it can catch on things.

Yes, it's annoying.

So take particular care to avoid knocks and snagging. They're among the things to watch out for: they irritate the wound and can slow down ear piercing healing.

Contact sports are therefore best avoided while the piercing heals. 

Remember to tie your hair back and limit the use of earphones and headphones that touch the piercing.

Anything else?

Yes! Avoid sleeping on your pierced ear, as this can put pressure on the piercing or cause snagging. Sleeping on the other side may help. If you're considering a headband, discuss it with your piercer first, as it may also rub or catch on the jewellery.

3. Visit a professional piercer

As with any piercing, visit a qualified professional piercer. Choose someone with experience in body piercing.

Piercing is their speciality.

Check that they use appropriate sterile equipment and single-use items where required, including gloves and needles, and suitable sterile initial jewellery. These precautions reduce risks, but cannot eliminate them.

Avoid jewellery shops that use automatic piercing devices (guns) for cartilage. 

And you may be surprised: a professional piercer's needle can feel less painful than a jewellery shop's piercing gun, although experiences vary.

4. Ask about suitable initial jewellery materials

For a healing piercing, ask your piercer which initial jewellery materials are suitable for your situation. See the APP criteria for initial piercing jewellery. Solstice catalogue jewellery is intended for healed piercings.

Many materials contain nickel, which can cause allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to it. Take particular care when choosing materials. Hypoallergenic does not mean there is no risk of a reaction.

5. Maintain a healthy lifestyle

Taking care of your piercing starts with taking care of yourself.

General self-care still matters while the piercing settles.

If your helix still isn't healing, your body may need more time, but do not assume the cause is genetic or that nothing can be done. Ask your piercer or a healthcare professional to assess persistent problems.

Keep caring for your ear consistently, rather than increasing cleaning or treatment without advice.

Final thoughts

As you've seen, helix piercing healing takes time. The few months quoted in this guide are only an estimate, and irritation or unsuitable aftercare can delay recovery.

Appropriate daily cleaning, follow-up appointments with your piercer and a healthy lifestyle… You'll need patience while your cartilage piercing heals. 

But the result can be worth the wait.

If you haven't had your ears pierced and you're still unsure, why not try our ear cuffs, which don't require a piercing?

Discover them here:

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