Contemplating getting an ear piercing for the first time? Thinking it’s time to add another piercing to your already studded ear? In a bit of a time crunch and searching ‘how long does it take for ear piercings to heal?’ all over the internet? Well then, you’ve come to the right place.
The Evolution of Piercings
Ear piercings remain ever-popular, with numbers constantly being on the rise due to them being safe, simple and aesthetically pleasing. However, things were not always like that in the past.
Piercings in general have shifted from being ‘extreme’ to ‘mainstream’. Due to the number of A-list celebrities showing off the piercings all over their bodies in previous years, it was only going to be a matter of time before piercings became the norm.
However, just because getting your ears pierced is a quick and easy way to up the ante on your look, that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to take looking after your fresh piercing seriously. In fact, if you don’t get ear piercing preparation or aftercare right, you run the risk of infection.
From lobe to cartilage, the answer to ‘how long does it take for ear piercings to heal?’ can significantly differ depending on the area being pierced and if it's ever been pierced before.
Ear Piercing Preparation
Everybody has a different pain threshold. For some, ear piercings are nothing more than a little pinch, whereas for others, they can inflict substantial pain. Some of you might’ve just never gotten your ears pierced before and don’t know what to expect when it comes to the level of pain.
That is why numbing cream for piercings was created and utilised by both piercers and those getting pierced. Many individuals use numbing cream for piercings as a form of ear piercing preparation.
Not only does it reduce the pain significantly, with some claiming they couldn’t feel a thing, but it also involves efficiently cleaning your ears beforehand, therefore, reducing the risk of infection and resulting in a seamless healing process.
All you need to do to ensure you’re prepping the area well is by applying the numbing cream for piercings around 90 minutes before you wish for it to be activated.
The way the numbing cream for piercings works is that it blocks the pain signals in the area it has been applied to from reaching the brain. Its effects usually last for 60 minutes after activation, leaving you plenty of time to have a pain-free piercing appointment!
Ear Piercing Aftercare
Now that you’ve applied your numbing cream for piercings, and had an untroubled piercing appointment, the healing process begins.
The healing process can be the most frustrating part of getting your ears pierced, but you have nothing to worry about. If your aftercare is great, so will your healing process be.
To ensure the healing site is healed properly, we’ve included some tips for you to follow so you’re left completely satisfied with the look and feel of your new ear piercing.
- Make sure your piercer is a qualified professional, able to do the job safely.
- Always listen to the advice of your piercer. Whether that includes the cleaning process, the application of numbing cream for piercings or when to change out your earrings, they know what they’re talking about.
- Remember not to change your earring too early. Do not remove the piercing until advised to do so by your piercer.
- Make sure your hands are clean every time you want to touch your piercing. However, refrain from playing with it unless absolutely necessary (e.g. cleaning).
- Wash your ear piercing twice a day with cotton wool and salty warm water. It’s important to constantly clean your ear piercing to avoid any infections.
So, How Long Does It Take for Ear Piercings to Heal?
The main indicator of an ear piercing healing properly is a lack of pain, swelling and minimal redness. If your body is reacting badly to the ear piercing, you’ll experience the aforementioned as well as itching, burning or discharge around the piercing site.
As mentioned earlier, the time taken for an ear piercing to heal is actually dependent on which area you got pierced as well as if it’s a new piercing or not.
New Piercings
Brand new piercing holes take longer to heal as they’re the most sensitive. We advise you to use a numbing cream for piercings to avoid any pain. Your body treats them like an open wound, so you must be very careful with the healing process to avoid infection.
Earlobe piercings are the quickest to heal, taking only 1-2 months to heal completely. Cartilage piercings such as a tragus or helix on the other hand take up to 6 months or even a year to fully heal.
Remember to never take your jewellery out during the healing process, especially with a new piercing as the hole could easily close.
Re-Traumatised or Irritated Piercings
Re-traumatised piercings are caused by forcing an earring into the piercing hole. They can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to heal. If you’re going to cause some trauma to the piercing site (which we don’t recommend), then use a lubricant like Vaseline to avoid irritation.
Metal Allergic Reactions
The effects of a metal allergic reaction is usually a flare up around the piercing site. For these piercings, the healing process will not begin until the piercing hole is no longer in contact with the offending material.
Once the reactive earrings are removed, it could take up to a day only for your piercing to heal. We recommend avoiding inserting another pair of earrings until the reaction has subsided.
Infected Ear Piercings
These are piercings with a bacterial infection. Similar to allergic reactions, the healing process will not begin until the earring is removed, that includes non-allergenic earrings.
The healing time frame varies depending on the extent of the infection as well as how quick you are to get it treated.
Making Ear Piercings Less Painful with Tattoo Numbing Cream
Thank you for reading our blog, ‘How long does it take for ear piercings to heal?’. Of course, the main objective is to express yourself in the most beautiful way. So, focus on prepping for your appointment with our numbing cream for piercings and taking good care of the piercing site after for a seamless healing process!
For more information on our numbing creams, feel free to contact us today.
