The helix piercing; being through cartilage, will take an extended time to heal. Cartilage is a-vascular (no blood flow). Your body does not have an inflammatory response to an injury in cartilage.

There are two basic styles of ring placement; wrap around (perpendicular to your head) or through the margin (parallel with your head). The margin piercing tends to be more comfortable during the initial healing period because it will bend with your ear when being pressed on (example: when you are sleeping on the pierced ear). Most infections that occur begin behind the ear as it is impossible to disinfect hear. For this reason, we recommend that you shampoo your hair daily.

Clean your helix piercing by applying a good soap and water lather your ear, and by using the ring to scrub the inside of your piercing. This must be followed by a fresh water rinse, again scrubbing your piercing, using the ring to rinse the soap out. Your helix piercing should be left alone (do not turn or play with ring) until next time it should be cleaned.

For the first three to five days, you should wash your helix piercing twice per day (morning and evening). Over the next week or so, the second cleaning should be skipped occasionally, then more frequently, until by the end of the first three weeks you are down to once per day.

Continue cleaning once per day for a maximum of two more weeks. After that, only occasional cleaning should be required. Over cleaning is one of the most common problems we see. Over cleaning irritates and dries out your ear; the skin chaps and cracks, exposing underlying tissue to dirt and bacteria. So don’t obsess; the less you do the better.

For the first two weeks of the aftercare period, we recommend that you use an antibiotic ointment like Polysporin after each wash for the first ten days. The ointment will provide a barrier to infection) while the initial healing steps are completed. Use the ring to spread the ointment through your helix, working the ring back and forth until it slides easily through your piercing. Clean off the excess ointment, as it can collect dirt and cause problems.

If you participate in sports or other strenuous physical activity, you should shower afterwards, cleaning your helix in the shower.

If you are exposed to a dirty environment (such as dusty working conditions), frequent cleaning of the pierced area is recommended. To clean the are you should have baby wipes or a similar product handy. As soon as you return home, a full cleaning of your helix piercing is recommended.

At the end of the five weeks, you should not have to clean your helix piercing any more. If it looks dry, moisturize your helix with a regular moisturizer.

Softer metal rings (gold, niobium, etc.) or ear studs should not be placed in your helix until it is certain that the piercing is healthy and stable. Generally, this means at least six to eight weeks with the ring before the change.

Note: During the winter weather you should protect your helix piercing from the cold. The ring is a good heat sink and since cartilage is a-vascular, there is greater risk of frostbite in the ear.