When Should I Change Earrings After an Ear Piercing?

The history of pierced ears dates back to over 5,300 years ago. This is thanks to the discovery of Ötzi the Iceman. Ötzi is a mummy that was one of history's original bad boys with a body containing multiple tattoos and ear gauges up to 11mm wide.

Ear piercings have long been associated with various cultural meanings from establishing social classes to intimidating enemies. Modern ear piercings are a great way to showcase your individuality and personal style. Some types of ear piercings may even have health benefits associated with them.

But when can you change earrings after piercing? If you have new ear piercings, caring for these piercings properly is essential. You need to understand all of the elements of ear piercing aftercare including ear piercing infection signs.

To learn more about the answers to important questions like "How long after ear piercing can you change earrings?", keep reading below.

When Can You Change Earrings After Piercing?

Getting a new ear piercing is exciting. You may be tempted to switch out the earring before it's time so you can change up your style. But you need to understand that there are several variables involved.

Most sources will tell you that you should wait a minimum of 6 weeks. This ear-piercing healing timeline starts from the day you have your ears pierced. However, it can take several more months for the piercing to heal completely, so it is recommended that you wait at least 8 weeks before attempting to change earrings.

Every person has a unique healing process of their own. Even two people who get the exact same types of ear piercings will experience different ear piercing healing timeframes. Some may heal faster than others while some individuals will take longer to fully heal so there is no clear-cut answer for everyone.

There's also a difference in ear piercing healing time depending on the piercing method used. When it comes to deciding between a piercing needle and piercing gun, a piercing gun may cause more swelling and trauma to the area. A piercing needle is more precise and causes less tissue trauma, it may also result in a more precise placement.

If you have an allergic reaction to ear piercing or the metal content in your earring, this can slow the healing process down. It will depend on how well you follow the ear piercing aftercare instructions as well as the types of ear piercings you receive.

Different Types of Ear Piercings

The answer to the question "When can you change earrings after piercing?" will also depend on the types of ear piercings you get. Different locations on the ear will also have different ear piercing heal times.

There are several different areas on the ear that can be pierced. Overall there are 16 types of ear piercing to choose from that target specific areas of the ear's structure. They are:

• Standard Lobe- piercing of the main lobe of the ear
• High Lobe- piercing the area just above the lobe portion
• Helix- piercing anywhere on the upper outer ear cartilage
• Forward Helix- cartilage piercing on the upper ear above the tragus
• Daith- piercing the hoop that hugs the inner cartilage fold of the ear
• Tragus- piercing on the small flap by the ear canal entrance
• Anti-Tragus- piercing directly across from the Tragus
• Conch- piercing of the middle part of your ear cartilage
• Inner Conch- piercing the middle ear cartilage above the Conch
• Outer Conch- piercing the middle ear cartilage below the Conch
• Industrial- two upper ear cartilage piercings connected by a barbell
• Rook- inner-ear cartilage piercing above the Daith, between the Inner Conch and Forward Helix areas
• Auricle/Mid-Helix- piercing of the outer ear between the Lobe and the Helix, halfway up and across from the Tragus
• Snug- inner rim cartilage piercing done horizontally through above the Anti-Tragus
• Orbital- piercing using a ring or chain to connect two piercings together
• Stacked Lobe- piercing done above the lobe to create a vertical stack

So, when can you change earrings after piercing? The Auricle/Mid-Helix, Outer Conch, Inner Conch, Conch, and Forward Helix all take between 3-9 months to fully heal. The Rook piercing will take 3-10 months and the Tragus and Daith piercings have a 6-9 month ear piercing healing time.

With a Standard Lobe piercing, you'll follow the 6-8 weeks ear piercing healing time. A Stacked Lobe piercing and a High Lobe piercing also take around 6-8 weeks. While an Orbital piercing will take about 8-10 weeks to heal.

A Helix piercing in the cartilage takes 6 months to a year. The Anti-Tragus and Industrial piercings can take upwards of 9 months to a year to heal. The Snug can take 4-6 months for full healing.

For cartilage piercings in general though, it can take 12 weeks or more to fully heal. Ideally, you should wait a minimum of 3-5 months before attempting to change an ear cartilage piercing.

Common Ear Piercing Infection Signs

After your ear piercing, you'll need to be diligent about following the ear piercing aftercare instructions. Always keep your hands clean and dry and avoid touching or twisting the piercing too much. Your hands could contain dirt and bacteria that could infect the piercing.

If you notice any crusting, redness, or swelling at the piercing site, these are common signs of an ear infection. Clean the affected area with sterile saline. If needed, apply a small amount of antibacterial cream to the area.

If the piercing infection does not improve, you may have to see a medical professional. They may put you on a course of oral antibiotics to treat the infection from within.

What to Do If You Have an Allergic Reaction to Ear Piercing

You may experience certain symptoms from your ear piercing that are caused by allergic reactions as well. Some symptoms include localized swelling, redness, and itchiness in your ear. This is often from the type of metal your earrings are made from.

For instance, you may have a common nickel allergy. This can happen from skin coming into contact with nickel used as a filler in many types of inexpensive jewelry like earrings.

Applying a Corticosteroid cream can reduce the swelling and itchiness. But if it becomes too troublesome you may need to remove the earrings altogether.

You can avoid this by choosing only high-quality ear-piercing jewelry to start with. Use jewelry made from 14k gold, stainless steel, titanium, and sterling silver metals that are specifically labeled as nickel free only.

Express Your Unique Style with High-Quality Body Pierce Jewelry Today

Now that you know the answer to the question "When can you change earrings after piercing?" you can be more prepared for your next piercing. Whether you're a first-time ear piercer or are just looking for new ways to change up your style, piercings have long been a form of personal expression.

Body Pierce Jewelry is your source of high-quality piercing jewelry. We offer a 90-day industry-leading warranty on all of our jewelry products. We also have a happiness-guaranteed money-back policy if you're not completely satisfied.

Browse our selection of high-quality earrings and other piercing jewelry on our website today.