Piercing healing times vary not only by area but can vary slightly from person to person. Because of this, we have set minimum healing times for each piercing – to ensure everyone has enough time to safely and effectively heal their new piercings!
Ears
Ear piercings, although all share the same body part, have greatly varying healing times. For example, cartilage piercings such as helix, conches and tragi all have a minimum downsize time of 8-12 weeks minimum. However, daith, rooks, and forward helixes all have a downsize time that commonly can last 12-16 weeks.
Ear lobe piercings have a much shorter downsize time of 6-8 weeks compared to most other ear piercings. And piercings such as scaffold(industrial), anti-tragi and snugs can easily exceed the 12-16 weeks as they are pierced through thicker cartilage in a more exposed area.
Oral
Oral piercings, or piercings that have constant contact with your saliva, tend to heal a lot easier than most other piercings, due to the healing properties of our own saliva. 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.
There are a few exceptions to this faster healing however, such as cheek piercings, which can take years to heal due to the constant movement of the area. Vertical lip piercings tend to have problems healing too, as it is a surface piercing placed in an area that is likely to be bumped and moved a lot- so is often considered a possibly semi-permanent piercing.
Nose
Nose piercings are notoriously hard healers, as they are a very sensitive area due to the nerves that run though. They take at least 12 weeks before being able to be changed, and even then, may need more time. They are known for closing up fast, even when you’ve had them a while, as the body considers it a high risk area and wants to protect wounds from dirt and bacteria.
Septum’s, however, are regarded as a pretty easy healer, as they are in a protected area that has very little movement. It is around 8-10 weeks before you can change your septum.
Navel
Navel piercings are another piercing that can be a little problematic if not treated with caution, as they are in an area of constant movement, and are completely exposed- meaning they risk being knocked and bumped. They take around 4-6 months of healing at least before you can change them, as they are a surface piercing that need a little extra TLC to ensure they can heal fully.
Surface Piercings
Surface piercings are generally considered a “semi-permanent” piercing for most people, as they sit so close to the skin surface that over time they will be pushed upwards due to our natural skin shedding process. The amount of time a surface piercing lasts for varies from person to person and from area to area- but there are a few things you can do to help give it the best change at a longer stay.
When you first get a surface piercing (such as a microdermal or skin diver) it is important that you keep the piercing firmly covered with micropore tape for at least 4 weeks after having the piercing done- this ensures the piercing settles evenly into the skin and heals as flat as possible. This means it will take longer for the piercing to shift and rise to the surface- so is an important step in helping the longevity of the piercing. Make sure to keep up with your cleaning and to never pick or twist the piercings, as this will only cause swelling and encourage the body to push the piercing out.
| Minimum Healing | Piercing |
| 2-3 weeks | Tongue |
| 6-8 weeks | Ear Lobes, Lower Lip, Smiley, Bridge, Eyebrow, Dermals, Labia, PA, Frenum, Scrotum |
| 8-12 weeks | Ear Rim, Helix, Conch, Tragus, Forward Helix, Daith, Madonna, Medusa, Septum, VCH, Triangle, Guiche |
| 12-16 weeks | Rook, Anti-Tragus, Snug, Fore Tragus, Vertical Scaffold, Triple Forward Helix, Nipples, Surface |
| 4-6 months | Cheeks, Navel |