Your ear-piercing healing time may take longer to heal than you think. You need to ensure that your piercing holes don’t close or get infected while your ear is healing. Below we provide you with some information on your new piercing to better equip you for aftercare.
Has My Piercing Healed?
You can tell if a wound is healing if there is no swelling and redness around the site. The healing process can take some time but redness usually subsides within a few weeks. A lack of redness, however, doesn’t always necessarily mean that your ear is fully healed. Your actual healing time might take a while depending on the type of piercing you have. As a general guide, ear piercings can take from 8 weeks to 12 weeks to heal.
Wondering if your ear is healing well? Here the stages of healing:
- Week 1: You may see some discharge for a while. Don’t worry, this is normal and can occur around the first week.
- Week 2: After a week or so, you may be able to touch the ear without pain but it is still not healed so be cautious when touching your ear.
- First few weeks: Ear discharge might return after the first week. It will start to harden. Don’t rely on this as an indication of whether the hole has healed or not as this is also normal. Make sure to keep your ears clean during this time to avoid infection.
- Week 5: Your pain has probably gone down but this also doesn’t indicate that the pierced hole is healed. The tissue is repairing itself. Be patient. You’re almost there
- Week 8 – 12: Your pierced hole might be healed. Some signs to looks for is discharge completely ending, the pierced hole feeling smooth and the earring feeling loose and free.
New Piercing Holes Are More Likely To Close Quickly
It is important to not remove your earrings too quickly or before your ear has healed as new pierced holes can close quickly. Consult a professional if you aren’t sure whether your piercing hole has completely healed.
It is important to remember that even after 12 weeks, your piercing may feel healed but it may be too soon to change earrings as the skin is still retaining flexibility and repairing itself. If you do want to change your earrings after this period, it is advisable not to choose materials that might hurt your ear. Play it safe and choose nickel-free earrings. Avoid touching your ear with dirty hands and keep your ear and jewellery clean to avoid infections.
We recommend browsing through our range of nickel-free earrings for sensitive ears, made from hypoallergenic materials that won’t cause your delicate skin any harm.
What To Do If You Think Your Piercing Hole Is Closed
Firstly, try showering or bathing with warm water- the water will help to soften your skin so you can check if your earring will go through the earlobe. If it doesn’t, you may have a closed or partially-closed hole. Don’t stress or try to pierce the hole yourself. Consult professional piercers who can re-open the hole or pierce it if needed.
If you have sensitive skin or ears, we suggest choosing an earring from Ear Sense for your ear piercing. We have a range of sensitive earrings that can be used even after your earlobe has healed. Once you are ready to change your earrings, you can browse from our diverse range of nickel-free earrings for sensitive ears, including studs, hoops, and pearl earrings to suit your mood and style.
Now that you have all the info on ear piercing healing time, browse our collection of earrings here or contact us today!
