How Long Does it Take for a Piercing to Close?

An article by Worlmetrics.org shows that at least 14% of people with piercings experienced a piercing-related issue. Getting a piercing is a great way to express yourself and wear beautiful jewelry, but you also need to care for the opening to prevent it from closing.

So, how long does it take for a piercing to close? There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer because the duration will depend on various factors. In this article, we will help you answer this question and others, such as:

• How long does it take for ear piercings to close?
• How long do cartilage piercings take to close?
• Do some piercings close faster than others?

Continue reading for more insights.

How Long Does it Take for a Piercing to Close? Understanding the Basics

When you create an opening in your skin by piercing it, the body will start trying to close it. The piercing hole will shrink slowly as the tissues reconnect, and the healing process can depend on the following:

• Location of the piercing
• Duration you've had the piercing
• Whether the piercing had healed fully
• Piercing aftercare

If your piercing hasn't healed fully, it's more prone to closing quickly. The skin tissue is still fresh and in the process of repairing itself. Besides, your body considers the piercing a wound, and its priority is to close that hole as part of the healing process.

Softer tissues like earlobes tend to heal and close faster than thicker ones like cartilage. Moreover, areas with higher blood flow, like the tongue and lips, can close within hours because the tissue regenerates faster.

Piercings become more stable as they stay on your skin and become harder to close. The ones you got several years ago might never fully close, but they may shrink or narrow if you don't wear jewelry for an extended period.

Everyone's body is different; some people's skin heals and closes faster than others. So, your healing process may vary based on factors such as:

• Genetics
• Skin type
• Skin health
• Age

Failing to clean your piercing or follow aftercare instructions delays recovery and makes your piercing close faster. However, proper body piercing aftercare will ensure that your piercing heals correctly.

How Long Does it Take for Ear Piercings to Close?

An article by VeryWell Health shows that 83% of Americans have ear piercings. These piercings are popular worldwide because they have the shortest healing times, and you can explore a wide range of jewelry.

If you have a new ear piercing, meaning it's less than six months old, it will close a few hours or days after you remove your jewelry. Taking your earrings too soon may cause the hole to shrink or close up quickly.

Some ear piercings older than six months but less than a year may still be healing. Once the six-month mark passes, the hole may not close quickly, but it may still shrink a few days after removing your jewelry. You may notice resistance if you try to reinsert earrings after leaving them out for a few days.

Piercings older than a year are more mature and will take much longer to close. For most people, the piercings don't close even after failing to wear jewelry for several months. However, the holes may shrink and narrow significantly as time moves on.

How Long Does It Take for Cartilage Piercings to Close?

Cartilage piercings may include those on body parts such as:

• The upper ear
• The nose
• Septum

Fresh cartilage piercings, especially those a few weeks or months old, may close up quickly. Sometimes, the hole will shrink within a day or two after you remove your jewelry. Removing jewelry from an unhealed cartilage piercing leads to issues such as infections or abscesses.

If your cartilage piercing is older than a year, it most likely is fully healed. As a result, it may take several weeks or even months for the hole to close.

Navel Piercings often need 6-12 months to fully heal. If you remove your jewelry before the six-month mark, you will notice that the hole starts shrinking and closing up quickly.

Nostril piercings take about six months to heal, while septum ones heal faster, within 6-8 weeks. If you have such fresh piercings, they may start closing within hours after you remove your jewelry, while healed ones will take several days or weeks.

Eyebrow piercings heal within 6-8 weeks and can close in a few days. Lip piercings, on the other hand, generally take 6-10 weeks to heal, while tongue piercings heal faster in 4-6 weeks. Both of these can close in a few hours if the piercing is fresh. Fully healed piercings may also start closing in a few days.

The healing time for piercings on the navel is longer. The process may take 12 months, but the openings will close in a few days or weeks if you don't wear jewelry.

Tips for Preventing Your Piercing From Closing Prematurely

If you're not ready for your piercing to close, there are several steps you can take to prevent the process. Such include:

• Keep the jewelry in place
• Use a retainer
• Follow the right aftercare practices
• Wear jewelry regularly
• Use high-quality jewelry

Removing your jewelry, especially during the healing phase, can lead to a quick closure. Always talk to your piercer beforehand to know how far along your piercing is in the healing process. Doing so will help you determine if it's okay to remove it, and you will also know the maximum duration you can stay without jewelry safely.

Sometimes, you may need to remove jewelry for school, work, or an event. In such cases, it's best to use clear retainers that will keep the piercing open discreetly.

Keeping your piercing clean as it heals will help you avoid infections and ensure proper healing. Clean piercings with a saline solution or an aftercare product recommended by your piercer to avoid complications.

If you want to maintain your piercing for a long time, it's a good idea to wear jewelry periodically. Doing so will maintain the size of the piercing path and prevent closure.

Poor-quality jewelry can cause irritation, allergic reactions, and infections. Such issues slow down healing and often cause piercings to close faster. Invest in high-quality, hypoallergenic jewelry made from materials like pure silver, titanium, or gold to improve healing and avoid premature closure.

Pulling at your jewelry can cause trauma to the tissue, especially with fresh piercings. Be careful when putting on or taking off clothing that might catch on your jewelry. You can cover your piercings or remove delicate pieces when dressing to avoid damage.

Jewelry Removal and Insertion Tips to Prevent Piercing Closure

Removing or inserting your jewelry without caution can lead to injuries that may cause your piercings to close. While it's tempting to change jewelry before your piercing heals fully, you should wait. Moving the piece too early can dislodge the scab and irritate the skin.

Always wash your hands with soap and warm water before touching your piercing or jewelry. Taking this precaution will prevent the transfer of bacteria and lower the risk of infection. If you don't have access to soap and water, use a gentle hand sanitizer instead.

If you have new jewelry, always soak or wipe it with rubbing alcohol or a saline solution. Besides, gently clean around the piercing with a sterile saline solution or an aftercare product. You should always avoid using harsh chemicals like hydrogen peroxide or alcohol on the piercing because they can dry and irritate your skin.

Here are other helpful tips for applying when wearing or removing jewelry:

• Use hypoallergenic earrings on fresh piercings
• Insert your jewelry slowly
• Use tweezers if your jewelry is in a hard-to-reach area

If you have a new piercing or have left the opening open for a long time, you may find it hard to insert jewelry. Avoid forcing it because the piece may tear the tissue and damage the piercing, leading to infections or scarring.

Applying a small amount of sterile lubricant to the post of a piece of jewelry will help it glide into a piercing smoothly. It also avoids discomfort and reduces tissue trauma.

Many people believe that they should twist jewelry while their piercings heal. But doing so does more harm than good because it may irritate the piercing and prolong healing. The best measure is to leave the jewelry in place through the healing process.

Is it Possible to Reopen a Closed Piercing?

If you allowed your piercing to close but later changed your mind, you may think about reopening it. So, can you reopen your piercing, and how long will that take?

If your ear piercing shrinks after not wearing earrings for a few days or even a couple of weeks, you may be able to gently reinsert an earring without much trouble. The outer layer of skin may already be healing, but the internal tissue will retain the piercing channel, allowing you to reinsert earrings.

In case your piercing closed partially, you should take precautions such as:

• Clean your hands and disinfect the earrings
• Apply a lubricant to the piercing
• Reinsert the earring gently

If you take these measures but experience pain or bleeding, it's likely that your piercing closed significantly. In such a case, you should stop wearing earrings and consult a professional.

If your ear piercing closed for months or longer, it's unlikely that you'll be able to reopen it on your own. Forcing an earring through a fully closed piercing can cause tears, bleeding, and infection. Visit a piercer because they may be able to reopen the hole using specialized tools.

How to Safely Reopen Piercings

When you have a partially closed piercing, a piercer may recommend reopening or re-piercing. The expert will first determine how much the hole is closed, and if the change isn't significant, they may use a taper to stretch the hole.

But if your piercing is closed fully, the piercer may recommend re-piercing it. The procedure is typically quick, and they will give you aftercare instructions to prevent future complications. Such may include:

• Clean your piercing regularly
• Watch out for signs of infection
• Wash your hands before touching your new piercing
• Avoid clothes and accessories that might snag your jewelry
• Avoid applying pressure on the piercing for the first few days

Cartilage is less flexible and takes longer to heal compared to areas like the earlobe. Hence, reopening cartilage piercings can be more complex and riskier. You should always visit a professional piercer for this process to avoid health risks.

If you don't want to deal with a lengthy recovery process, you may also let your piercings close. In such a case, a professional may provide piercing closure tips to help you enjoy a smooth healing process.

Factors That May Affect Reopening Piercings

Reopening your closed piercings will depend on factors such as:

• How long you didn't wear jewelry
• The presence or absence of scars
• How long you had the piercing before it closed

Piercings that have been closed for a long time will be harder to reopen. If it's been a few weeks, you could safely stretch the hole at home, but if it's been several months or years, you should always visit an expert.

Scar tissue is thicker and less elastic than regular skin. If there's any scarring around your piercing, it will be harder to slip your jewelry, making reopening harder.

Piercings that have been in place for years before closing are more likely to have a durable channel. So, it's always easier to reopen mature piercings than newer ones.