Piercing holes heal by forming a layer of cells called epithelial cells. The epithelial cells form a tube-like layer of skin along the inside of the piercing to protect your body from the foreign object. The healing process takes at least six to eight weeks.
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.
At least 8 weeks to repierce soft tissue like a lobe or navel piercing. At least 12 weeks before repiercing 'soft cartilage' like a nose or septum piercing. At least 6 months before repiercing hard cartilage, such as daith, helix or conch piercings.
New Skin tissue will start growing around the jewelry and connecting to itself in about 2-3 weeks. This is the Epithelialization phase. While this new skin ideally looks and feels healthy, the truth is it's still a scar that may take years to fade as more collagen grows.
Frequently wearing heavy, dangling earrings often causes earring holes to gradually enlarge, usually over the course of two to three decades. This happens due to the combined effects of gravity and collagen loss: The skin, cartilage, and connective tissues in your ears become weaker as collagen levels drop with age.
While healing times can vary for everyone, it's dependent on factors such as your overall health, sleep and stress levels, and your aftercare regimen. Typically, ear lobe piercings take around 4-6 months, while upper or inner ear piercings take between 6-12+ months to fully heal.
It Takes 12 Months for a Piercing to Completely Heal
In fact, it is safest to wear nickel free jewellery during this time, and ensure that the wound is kept as clean, dry and airy at all times possible to maximise healing.
As soon as you notice that there's skin growing over your nose piercing you should contact your piercer. They know all about the causes of this and will be best to advise on what you need to do to fix the issue. A keloid will take around three to twelve months to develop after the original piercing.
They should be able to pierce the area beside the original location, behind the pocket of scar tissue. Getting re-pierced can be as painful as the initial piercing but many people report that the pain is significantly less than before.
Because the tissue grows back — albeit scarred — it can easily be pierced again. However, it's important to make sure the area is fully done healing before going back in with another needle. “If there's an abundance of scar tissue present, your piercer will evaluate how safe it is to re-pierce,” says Lynn.
Before any re-piercing procedure, you must make sure that the area is fully healed and able to be re-pierced. In most cases, this means waiting at least three months. However, it does depend on the area. If you are unsure that your piercing is closed, check in with one of our Piercing Specialists in salon.
"While nose piercings won't leave a big, gaping hole, all piercings leave scars."
Most likely no. If you're going to not wear earrings at all for years, then the holes can just minimalize that it will be impossible to put a ring in, but they won't completely close.
Professional help may be needed in some circumstances, but it is possible to reopen the hole at home if you sterilize your environment, work slowly, and take care to prevent pain and infection. With careful preparation and patience, you can safely reopen an earring hole and begin wearing earrings again.
Symptoms of piercing rejection
more of the jewelry becoming visible on the outside of the piercing. the piercing remaining sore, red, irritated, or dry after the first few days. the jewelry becoming visible under the skin. the piercing hole appearing to be getting larger.
During the healing process, it can happen that a piercing/piercing ball risks growing into the skin due to a swelling of the area. However, keep in mind that this is a gradual process and makes itself felt.
DO NOT pick the crusties off—that's just introducing your dirty hands to a healing piercing and can increase your risk of infection. The best way to clean them is to soak the piercing in warm saline solution, softening the crusties which then come off easily.
Tongue piercings have the fastest healing duration of all piercings at only two weeks before you can downsize the bar. Lower lip piercings have a minimum of 6-8 weeks, while upper lip piercings (such as madonna or monroe piercings) take around 8 weeks.
Oral Piercings – Especially the Tongue & Webbing!
The tongue takes from 3 to 4 weeks to heal, the lip 2 to 3 months and the tongue webbing 8-10 weeks. Oral piercings from the tongue, the webbing underneath the tongue and behind the lips, and even the lips themselves are some of the fastest healing parts of our bodies!
It can become difficult to insert a pierced earring for many reasons. The most common cause is simply increased friction between the ear hole and the earring. This is most easily remedied by putting petroleum jelly on the earring post and then inserting it into the ear.