Dear Alley: I've Had My Helix Piercing For Two Years... Will it Eventually Heal? (2024)

FAQs

Is it normal for a helix piercing to take 2 years to heal? ›

A few bits of basic information for those who might not be familiar: helix piercings are ear cartilage piercings, which typically hold a heal time of around a year. In your case, two (2) years is definitely a long time for a piercing to be in a state of constant healing...

You are probably aggravating the cartilage by messing with the piercing. If you're not getting infections, and the pain goes away, there's nothing wrong. But if you're ever in doubt I recommend contacting your piercer. You can also have your piercer change your jewellery - they might cause less irritation.

It's hard to predict how quickly your body will attempt to close a piercing, but as a general rule, the newer it is, the more likely it will close up. For instance: If your piercing is less than a year old, it can close in a few days, and if your piercing is several years old, it can take several weeks.

Cartilage ear piercings may take up to a year to fully heal, but generally take 3-6 months (as opposed to the ear lobe, that takes just 4-6 weeks). They heal from the outside in, so even if it looks fine on the outside, you should not assume it is fully healed.

Even with great care sometimes your piercing just refuses to heal. Things happen. Whether it's getting pierced or putting in jewelry that's the wrong gauge, or developing irritated piercing bumps, there are usually a few things that you can do to try to make things better.

Piercing bumps are part of the body's natural response to injury, and they do not typically require treatment. However, people can take steps to keep the area clean, prevent infection, and allow the piercing to heal. These include: keeping piercing jewelry in, without changing or removing it, for at least 6 weeks.

If left untreated, Friedler says an infection can lead to "cauliflower ear," otherwise known as "boxer's ear," which happens when blood collects and gets trapped under the skin of the cartilage, causing an increase in swelling that permanently disfigures the ear.

Forward Helix Piercing Healing Process

Cartilage is avascular in nature, and the lack of blood flow means slower healing times. The longer healing times also mean that cartilage piercings are more susceptible to piercing complications, like piercing bumps.

You can expect it to take 6 to 9 months for your new piercing to be completely healed. It really depends upon your own healing process because everyone's body works a bit differently. If you tend to heal slowly when you get a wound, then treat your cartilage piercing like it isn't fully healed for at least 6 months.

Do helix holes close up? ›

Like a lobe, helix piercings can take as long as six months to fully heal. During this period, the hole can close up quickly if the jewellery is removed. Removing jewellery from an unhealed piercing can also cause complications and irritation - leave it in, even if it's uncomfortable or infected.

The Possibility of Permanent Holes

For certain individuals, the hole from an ear piercing might not ever close up entirely, causing a permanent hole. This outcome typically occurs in cases where the piercing has been kept in place for many years.

How Long Does it Take for a Helix Piercing to Heal? Healing time can vary, but typically helix piercings generally take around three-to-six months to heal. However, if you don't properly look after your new piercing as it heals, it could take longer—or you could have to get it re-pierced and start all over.

As with any healing piercing, you should conduct a salt bath or saline soak 2 - 3 times a day. However, with a helix piercing, be extra careful not to move the jewelry too much as you clean it. Moving the jewelry can cause damage to the surrounding skin, leading to bumpy scars.

Is a Hoop or Stud Better for Cartilage Piercings? It is always better to get a cartilage piercing initially done with a stud. It is easier for the piercing to heal on a long, straight post rather than a curved post.

Understanding The Helix Piercing Healing Time

It's essential to note that cartilage piercings, like the helix, often take longer to heal compared to soft tissue piercings due to the nature of cartilage tissue, which has less blood supply.

An infected ear piercing can also develop years after a person got the original piercing. Usually, the infections are minor, and people can treat them at home without complications. Touching the piercing too often with dirty hands or not cleaning the area can lead to infections.

For some, ear piercings may close up quickly, while for others, it could take months or even years for the holes to shrink significantly or disappear. Older piercings are less likely to close entirely, while newer piercings tend to close faster if earrings are removed.