Healthy, happy piercings are at the heart of everything we do at Ear Edit. Whether you're getting your first lobe piercing or planning your dream ear stack, proper technique and aftercare make all the difference.
Piercing Healing Guide
This guide covers healing timelines, what to expect and the best practices for creating the ideal environment for happy, healthy piercings to thrive.
Why Professional Piercing Matters
Not all piercing methods are created equal — and the method you choose directly impacts how well (and how fast) your piercing heals.
Choose a Reputable Professional Piercer
A professional piercer uses a sterile, single-use hollow needle,
which is the industry standard for safe, precise, and minimally traumatic piercings.
This technique:
Creates a clean incision (not blunt force trauma)
Allows for proper angle, depth, and placement
Reduces tissue damage
Minimizes risk of infection, irritation, and bumps
Supports healthier long-term healing
A LITTLE GOLDEN RULE
Avoid Piercing Guns
Piercing guns should never be used for any piercing.
Here’s why:
- They force dull jewelry through your skin, tearing tissue
- They cannot be fully sterilized (even plastic parts harbor bacteria)
- They dramatically increase risk of infection, irritation, and keloids
- They use low-quality jewelry materials that commonly cause reactions
- Placement is often inaccurate, especially on cartilage
Even if you’ve “never had a problem” before, guns create unnecessary trauma — and your ears deserve better.
If you want clean, comfortable, long-lasting piercings, always choose a trained professional.
Healing Timelines by Piercing Type
Healing is not one-size-fits-all. Everyone’s body responds differently, and factors like lifestyle, sleep position, stress, and immune health all play a role.
That said, here’s a general guide for typical healing ranges:
Lobe Piercings
3-4 Months
Lobes heal the fastest thanks to soft tissue and strong blood supply.
Still, they need consistent care to avoid irritation bumps or embedding.
And remember that everyones body moves at its own pace when it comes to healing.
Helix (Outer Cartilage)
9–12+ months
Cartilage heals slowly. Expect the first 3 months to feel “active,”
with tenderness or swelling being normal.
Forward Helix
9–12+ months
Smaller area, same cartilage, same extended healing timeline.
The forward helix in particular is very anatomy dependent when
when it comes to healing. Be mindful not to bump it when tucking hair
behind your ears, putting on sunglasses, hugging someone or brushing your hair. #iykyk
Tragus
9-12+ months
The tragus is dense cartilage — be patient and avoid pressure from headphones.
This is another one you want to be careful to not snag it when taking off clothes, brushing your hair or putting
headphones right overtop of it.
Conch
6–9+ months
Large, flat cartilage area. Wearing over-ear headphones can slow healing.
We always suggest avoiding airpod or in-ear buds as this exposes the piercing to
bacteria, moisture and unnecessary friction.
Daith
9–12+ months
Deep cartilage fold. Expect tenderness when sleeping on that side for a while.
The good thing is that it is tucked a bit in the ear, if done properly, and often is shielded from the normal bumps,
snags and trauma that other more exposed piercings experience.
Rook
9–12+ months
One of the slower healers due to angle and limited blood flow. This piercing should
always begin with a curved barbel and simple is best to avoid unnecessary friction.
Nostril
3–6 months
Heals quicker, but bumps can happen easily with tugging, makeup, or cleansers.
And even though it might heal quick, this one can often close up really quick without jewelry in it.
You want to be mindful of drying your face with a cotton wash cloth, not to catch it on the fabric loops.
Reminder:
A piercing can look healed externally long before the internal tissue is fully healed. Continue aftercare for the full recommended time.
HERE'S THE DEAL
Best Practices for Healing a New Piercing
1. Clean with Saline — Nothing More
Use sterile saline (0.9% sodium chloride) twice daily for the first 4-6 weeks.
Avoid: alcohol, Neosporin, peroxide, ointments, witch hazel, tea tree oil, or DIY mixtures — they can disrupt healing.
2. Don’t Touch It (Really.)
Hands introduce bacteria and that's gross. Only touch your piercing with clean hands when cleaning your piercing. Otherwise... leave. it. alone.
3. No Sleeping on It
Pressure is the #1 cause of irritation bumps and prolonged healing.
It's tough to control our body when we're dreaming, so we always recommend a travel pillow can help keep pressure off at night.
4. Keep Hair, Products & Makeup Away
Hairspray, dry shampoo, foundation, and oils can all irritate new piercings. Do you best to avoid getting this in or near your piercing.
A best practice is to use these products if you must, prior to your cleaning. Once finished with your products, do you cleaning immediately to clean up the piercing.
5. Don’t Twist, Spin, or Move the Jewelry
Another reason why working with a professional who gives correct aftercare instructions is key. This old myth increases trauma and slows healing. Leave it completely alone except to clean around it.
6. Stick With High-Quality Materials
Choose implant-grade titanium or high-quality solid gold for the entire healing period. (and beyond if you ask us!)
This is why Ear Edit jewelry uses F136 Implant Grade Titanium, hypo-allergenic, clean, tarnish-resistant materials — your ears deserve the best.
7. Patience is Key
Healing isn’t linear and it absolutely takes time. Expect ups & downs. It’s normal to have flare-ups or tenderness months into the process. Stay consistent and patient.
When to Downsize Your Jewelry
Professional piercings are done with longer posts to accommodate swelling — but leaving them too long can cause:
snagging
sleeping discomfort
migration
irritation bumps
Most piercings need a downsizing appointment at 6–8 weeks.
Typically a piercing will downsize from 8mm to 6mm or 10mm to 8mm,
depending on the placement of your piercing and your bodys natural anatomy.