How long will it take for my piercing to heal?
Piercing
Updated March 14, 2023
At Essential Beauty we specialise in professional ear & body piercings, we love to make clients feel beautiful and unique with our styles! A common question we receive at Essential Beauty is how long will it take for my piercing to heal?
Healing time is different depending on the part of your body that you get pierced. Areas that are softer, with no cartilage such as ear lobes will heal faster than other areas. Healing times vary from person to person and depend on how well you follow our recommended aftercare.
Depending on your piercing, healing can take anywhere between 6 weeks or 6 months. You may choose to changeover your jewellery before your piercing has completely healed. It is important to remember to only changeover jewellery in a clean, sterile environment. Our Piercing Experts are specialists in jewellery changeover. Visit them in salon to organise a piercing changeover!
Healing time and jewellery changeover times are two very different things. You may choose to changeover your jewellery, but jewellery should stay in your piercing for at least 12 months.
Jewellery Changeover Times
Lip/labret: 6-8 weeks for initial healing
Ear cartilage (helix, daith, rook, snug, conch, tragus): 6–12 months
Belly/navel: 6–12 months
Septum: 3–4 months
Surface: 3–6 months
Monroe & cheeks: 3–5 months
After the times listed above, you may be able to remove your jewellery for a short time for a changeover. However, your piercing may begin to shrink. We cannot give you an exact time for how long you can remove your jewellery before it becomes difficult to reinsert. This varies between people. Just remember – never force jewellery into a piercing that has shrunk.
Signs Your Piercing May have Healed:
- It’s been 12 months since you received your piercing
- There is no more discharge or redness
- The piercing is not tender to touch
- The jewellery is loose and moves somewhat freely
     
   
Aftercare is Important
It is important to follow recommended aftercare information and advice from the Piercing Experts. From weeks 1 & 2, use Sterilear Step 1: Clean. It is important to spray the front and back of the piercing twice a day. Sterilear Step 1: Clean contains the optimal concentration of salts to promote healing. Sterilear solution helps prevent bacteria from forming around the piercing.
From weeks 3 onwards, move onto Sterilear Step 2: Care. Spray the front and back of the piercing twice a day. Step 2: Care’s enhanced formula enriched with aloe vera, lavender and vitamin E to soothe the skin and promote healing. Contains peppermint oil to provide anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties.
   
If you have any concerns, talk to the Piercing Experts! Visit our piercing specialists in your local Essential Beauty salon.