Everything You Need To Know: Ear Piercings, Healing, and Maintenance

Ear piercings or body piercings are one of the most popular types of body art. Ear piercings, just like tattoos take time to heal and require proper care and maintenance. I have experience with both tattoos and ear piercings so I’m going to share with you the proper care and maintenance to follow. These tips and tricks will ensure proper ear piercing healing.

The History Behind Ear Piercings

Ear piercings were a custom that began over 5,000 years ago in Europe. It was considered a sign of wealth and virility. According to Indian ayurvedic beliefs, ear piercing encouraged reproductive health. One of the most fascinating benefits of ear piercing, especially in children, was that it stimulated their brains. Ear lobe piercings connect the left and right hemispheres of the brain! So the next time you’re trying to convince your parents for an ear piercing, remind them that it can make you smarter!

No matter the reason behind getting an ear piercing, the most important thing to consider is your ear piercing’s healing time. If they don’t heal properly, it can lead to infections, or worse, you might have to close the piercing.

Types of Ear Piercings and Their Healing Time

There are loads of ways you can customize your ear piercings. Traditional ear piercings are usually done on the lobe. But now, you can pierce the cartilage and even the inner part of your ears! One thing to consider is, the further up that you pierce your ear, the longer the healing time. Therefore, understand that cartilage piercings can take longer to heal.

Most Common Ear Piercing: Lobe Piercing (Healing Time: 6-8 weeks)

Lobe piercings are the most common. Ear lobe piercings are done through the fleshiest part of your ear. Depending on the size of your ear and ear lobe, some people can have up to three piercings in that area! These are the ones that are done first. Also, depending on your cultural background, lobe ear piercings are done very young.

Helix (Healing Time: 6-10 months)

So, the helix is the outer rim of the ear or the cartilage part of your ear. The helix can accommodate between 5-6 ear piercings depending on your ear. Back in the early 2000s when I got my first helix piercing, I realized that both of the helices of my ears were very different. In other words, that meant that the positioning of each piercing needed to be mapped out. Because jewelers use a gun, damage to the cartilage is possible.

Forward Helix (Healing Time: 6-10 months)

Just like the helix piercings, these are also cartilage piercings. These go in from the front of the ear. Because it’s cartilage, it can take between 6-10 months to heal. Note that these are estimates. Healing time depends on your body, and how you maintain your piercing.

Helix Flap (Healing Time: 6-10 months)

If you’re lucky enough to have curved cartilage like me, you can get the outside of your helix pierced as well! Again, the healing time can vary depending on how you care for your ear. A word of advice, avoid wearing any dangling earrings in this piercing because you run the risk of ripping it out.

In India, specifically in Maharashtra, helix flap piercing is very common in Marathi culture. Women have it in both ears and wear earrings called a bugadi while men wear it on one ear and call it a big baali.

Tragus

(Healing Time: ~8 months)

The tragus is the soft cartilage part of your ear that guides sound into the eardrum! It’s so tiny but so important! Beware that using any sort of earbuds or headphones is going to be difficult with a freshly pierced tragus! Even when changing your clothes or doing your hair, take extra care of the tragus, because ripping out the new piercing is unfortunately a common injury.

Anti-Tragus

(Healing Time: ~8 months)

The anti-tragus is located opposite the tragus. Another way to locate it is to think of the peak above where your second love piercing would be. I’ll be honest, I haven’t really seen too many of these piercings but if you’re looking for a curated ear stack–this could look amazing!

Daith

(Healing Time: ~10 months)

The Daith part of your ear is the inner cartilage ridge inside the ear. The daith area (I say area because there are more piercings possible for the area, which we will cover later) is pierced especially by those people suffering from migraines. Wearing a hoop or a spiky hoop would look sick! I really want this piercing but it’s painful and I’m a chicken.

Rook (Healing Time: 8-10 months)

The rook is the area between the inner and outer conch. Whaaa? I know it can be confusing, but check out my diagram for the specific area, I promise it’ll make sense. Like any cartilage piercing, this will take a bit longer to heal.

Conch

(Healing Time: Up to 1 year)

Finally the conch. The conch piercing goes through the cartilage that forms the back of the ear. You might have seen lots of people wearing cuffs through this part of the year. I’m so jealous of them! It looks so chic! Again, it’s cartilage so the healing time is longer. Take care while using headphones or earbuds after a freshly pierced conch.

Other piercings

While the ones that I’ve mentioned are the more common types of ear piercings, there are many more that I’m sure many of us haven’t heard of. There are constellation piercings, which are basically a curated look in the lobe region of your ear, to look like a constellation.

Industrial piercings are those where two piercings in the cartilage are connected using one piece of jewelry. You can get something that looks like a barbell to achieve this look or use an ear chain for the same idea.

Orbital piercings are normally done next to one another in a horizontal way, kind of like flat piercings which are done on a flatter area of ear cartilage. Orbital piercings also use one piece of jewelry to connect two piercings in the lobe.

What type of jewelry is best for new ear piercings and healing?

Depending on where you get your ear piercings done (where physically and where in the world), the types of earrings used and the healing method and time will differ. I know that can be confusing so let’s break it down.

In the US piercings are usually done using a piercing gun. Make sure that you choose a clean and hygienic place to pierce your ears. The mall can be great but do your research. You don’t want there to be an injury or an infection because of the person’s carelessness or lack of experience. Just like getting a tattoo, you want to make sure the technician knows how to do it. Ask questions and make sure they know where on your ear you want the piercing done.

Stainless steel is what is normally used when you get a new piercing. It’s usually a thicker stud type of earring and your choice of colored stone.

Do Not Remove The Piercing Jewelry Prematurely!

I can’t stress that enough.

Your skin is trying to get used to something new. It’ll take time to heal and using this type of jewelry is the best. Why? Surgical-grade stainless steel is what is used inside your body as well. This type of metal will cause (if at all) the least amount of reaction.

What should I wear after my ear piercing is healed?

Normally I would suggest that you wear whatever you want, but depending on your piercing, I have some suggestions.

Avoid wearing hoops too early–especially just as you’ve reached the end of your healing period. Remember, everyone’s body reacts differently. If you wear a hoop, especially in your cartilage piercings (outer cartilage), and if it ever gets caught in something, you’re running the risk of re-injuring the piercing and causing a keloid.

My favorite types of studs are the flat backs. They’re usually called the South-Style screws in India. Basically, the post of the earring has a flat-headed screw that threads internally or externally depending on your preference. As you sleep, there’s no poking into the side of your head so you can put all your pressure on your ear and it’ll be absolutely fine.

What’s a Keloid?

A keloid is a thick, skin-colored bump or scar that forms from the new piercing. Think of it as scar tissue resulting from an injury. The most common place this can happen is on the cartilage. While keloids aren’t harmful to you, it can be tender and cause discomfort especially if it begins to grow over the piercing hole.

Keloids usually occur 3-12 months after the piercing so if you see a bump within a few days, chances are it’s just a piercing bump that has fluid in it. It should go away with proper piercing care and healing. They’re usually a white color and can be crusty and itchy, cleaning the area with alcohol and applying Neosporin can help.

Keloids on the other hand can get bigger over time and there’s usually no fluid in them, as they’re scar tissue. So trying to pop them is out of the question. Usually, there are corticosteroids that can help shrink them or in the worst-case scenario, they need to be surgically removed.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Ear Piercing and Healing

Now that you know the types of ear piercings and what to expect, let’s talk about the do’s and don’ts while getting your ears pierced and having your new piercings heal.

Before the piercing

Avoid taking any aspirin or blood thinners before the piercing. I know it’s tempting to do so to deal with the pain. Taking aspirin before the piercing will cause more bleeding.

Make sure you eat properly because the anxiety and “trauma” can cause you to get lightheaded. So eat well before the piercing. Eating well will also aid in the healing process. Remember piercing is considered “trauma” so just like a tattoo, it needs care and a proper diet to heal.

Be sure about what you want and where you want it. Prepare for it. Swimming and other activities might be a no-go until the piercing is healed, so keep that in mind.

After the piercing

Your technician will give you instructions on how to clean and maintain your new piercing. Most likely there will be a wash and a spray, or just an ointment to use. Don’t skip this! Follow their instructions because you want to avoid having a keloid or a piercing bump. Keeping the area clean will also prevent any further skin infections.

Turn the earring in the hole often. Gently turning the earring within the hole will get your skin and the piercing accustomed to the jewelry you’re wearing.

A home ayurvedic remedy is to take turmeric powder and neem oil and make a paste. Apply it with a cotton bud to the piercing. It will stain your clothes and sheets, so keep that in mind. Turmeric is a natural antibiotic and will help keep your piercing infection free.

Healing

After the piercing has healed (usually after the minimal healing time it requires), avoid wearing artificial jewelry. This is the time to change your earrings into ones that are preferably gold. They don’t need to be expensive but by using gold jewelry, you’re allowing your piercing to adjust to another earring with minimal to no infection.

Studs are safer to wear than dangles. Although for example, for a cartilage piercing if 6-8 months have passed, it doesn’t mean that specifically for you, the piercing is healed. It can take longer or less, depending on your skin and how you have maintained the new piercing.

Always remember that a new piercing is a trauma for the body. You need to clean the area and keep it as dry as possible. Avoid swimming or any harsh chemical exposure to the new piercing. Check for any piercing bumps or possible keloids. If you have any doubts please consult your doctor.