What Is the Healing Time For Cartilage Piercings?
The healing time for any piercing is widely dependent on the individual and the aftercare procedure followed. In general, cartilage piercings are harder to heal than lobe piercings. "All cartilage piercings generally heal in about six months, in comparison to lobe piercings which take around six weeks," said Schneider. "Cartilage piercings tend to be more sensitive and tender than lobe piercings, requiring extra care during the healing process."
Anyone who has ever had both an ear lobe piercing and a cartilage piercing knows this struggle all too well. Lobe piercings can feel like its healing itself; meanwhile, cartilage piercings have a tendency to put up a fight. This is because of two things: a lack of blood flow to that area of the ear and how much the piercing is irritated.
"The cartilage has an extremely limited blood supply so healing is slower and in contrast to the ear lobe," said Schneider, citing it can take anywhere from three to six months to heal for some people, or as long as six to 12 months for others.
Additionally, irritation is more likely with cartilage piercings. "For example, if it's on an area of the ear that led to constant irritation while you sleep or use earbuds, that will make the piercing harder to heal," she said. "Due to the long healing process, aftercare is crucial when piercing the cartilage."