Cartilage Piercing Aftercare

Healing timeline

• Typically 6–12 months; helix and conch sit at the longer end, tragus and daith vary with anatomy.
• The starter bar is long for swelling; downsizing is usually ready at 6–8 weeks and prevents the bar from tilting.
• Minimum age: 14+ (a parent or legal guardian must be present to sign for minors).

Daily cleaning

• Wash your hands before you touch the piercing, and otherwise leave it alone.
• Soak or spray with sterile saline twice a day, then pat dry with clean disposable paper — never a cloth towel.
• Rinse well in the shower afterward so no saline or soap dries in the channel.

What to avoid

• Don't sleep on the pierced side — a travel pillow with the ear in the hole helps.
• Don't twist, rotate, or slide the jewelry — movement drags bacteria into the channel and delays healing.
• Skip alcohol, peroxide, Bactine, Neosporin, tea tree oil, and over-cleaning; they irritate the wound.
• Keep headphones, helmets, glasses arms, and hair away from the piercing while it heals.
• Stay out of pools, hot tubs, lakes, and baths until healed; showers are fine.
• Don't change the jewelry yourself during healing — book a jewelry change at the studio.

What to expect

• Some bleeding, swelling, tenderness, bruising, and clear or whitish crust are normal in the first weeks.
• A small irritation bump can appear if the piercing is snagged, slept on, or the jewelry is too long — it usually settles once the cause is removed and the bar is downsized.
• A piercing can feel healed on the outside before the inside has closed — keep cleaning for the full window.

When to get help

• Get medical attention for spreading redness, red streaks, fever, thick yellow or green discharge, or heat and swelling that keeps increasing.
• Book a downsize or check if the bar tilts, sinks, or a bump won't settle after a few weeks.