When and How to Change Earrings Safely

After weeks or months of patient healing, there's nothing quite like the excitement of finally being able to change your earrings. But rushing this milestone or using the wrong technique can set your piercing back significantly. This guide ensures your first jewellery change goes smoothly.

When Is It Safe to Change?

The urge to swap out your initial jewellery can be strong, especially when you have beautiful new pieces waiting to be worn. However, patience during the healing period is crucial for a well-established piercing that will serve you for years.

Healing Timelines by Piercing Type

Different piercings require different waiting periods before changing jewellery:

• Lobe piercings: 6-8 weeks minimum
• Helix and forward helix: 4-6 months minimum
• Tragus: 4-6 months minimum
• Conch: 6-9 months minimum
• Daith: 6-9 months minimum
• Rook: 6-12 months minimum
• Industrial: 9-12 months minimum

Note the word "minimum." These are the shortest times to consider changing, assuming perfect healing conditions. Many piercings benefit from waiting even longer. Your piercing is fully healed when the tissue has completely matured on the inside, not just when the outside looks good.

Signs Your Piercing Is Ready

Beyond the time guidelines, look for these signs that your piercing has healed enough for a jewellery change:

• No pain, tenderness, or sensitivity when the jewellery is touched or moved
• No discharge of any kind (not even clear lymph fluid)
• No redness around the piercing site
• The jewellery moves freely in the piercing without any resistance
• No crusties forming for at least several weeks

If you're unsure, visit your piercer for an assessment. They can examine the piercing and tell you whether it's ready for a change. This is especially worthwhile for cartilage piercings, which can be tricky to evaluate on your own.

Your First Change: Downsizing

Your very first jewellery change is likely to be a downsize, not a style change. Initial piercing jewellery is intentionally longer than necessary to accommodate swelling during the healing process. Once swelling has subsided (usually after a few weeks for lobes, longer for cartilage), this extra length can actually cause problems.

Overly long jewellery can catch on things more easily, move around more than necessary (causing irritation), and apply pressure at awkward angles. Downsizing to a snugger fit once initial swelling has passed often makes the rest of the healing process smoother.

How to Change Earrings Safely

When you're confident your piercing is healed and you're ready to change jewellery yourself, follow these steps for a safe, hygienic jewellery change.

Step 1: Prepare Your Space

Choose a clean, well-lit area with a mirror. Lay out your new jewellery and have sterile saline solution handy. Make sure you won't be rushed or distracted during the process.

Step 2: Wash Your Hands Thoroughly

This step is non-negotiable. Wash with antibacterial soap for at least 20 seconds, making sure to clean under fingernails. Dry with a clean paper towel.

Step 3: Clean Your New Jewellery

Even new jewellery should be cleaned before insertion. Rinse with sterile saline solution or, for non-porous metals, you can use rubbing alcohol followed by a saline rinse. Allow to air dry on a clean surface.

Step 4: Remove the Current Jewellery

For threaded jewellery (most body jewellery), hold the back or decorative end steady while unscrewing the ball or top. For push-pin or threadless jewellery, hold the labret back while gently pulling the decorative end straight out. If the jewellery is stuck due to dried discharge, soak your ear in warm saline for a few minutes to loosen it. Never force jewellery that won't budge.

Step 5: Insert the New Jewellery Immediately

Piercings can begin to close surprisingly quickly, especially newer ones. Have your new jewellery ready to insert as soon as the old piece comes out. Insert the post gently. If you meet resistance, don't force it. Apply a tiny amount of water-based lubricant or saline to help the post glide through.

Step 6: Secure the Backing

Once the post is through, attach the backing or screw on the ball. Ensure it's snug but not over-tightened. Test that everything is secure but still comfortable.

Step 7: Clean the Area

Spray the piercing with saline solution and gently clean away any residue. Pat dry with clean paper towel.

Choosing Your New Jewellery

Not all earrings are suitable for all piercings, especially ones that have only recently healed. Here's what to consider when selecting new pieces.

Material Matters

Even in healed piercings, quality materials are important. Stick with implant-grade titanium, solid gold (14k or higher), niobium, or platinum. Avoid costume jewellery, plated pieces, and mystery metals, especially for piercings that are newly healed. Once your piercing is very well established (a year or more of trouble-free healing), you may be able to tolerate a wider range of materials, though this varies by individual.

Size Considerations

The gauge (thickness) of your new jewellery should match your original piercing. Standard lobe piercings are typically 20 or 18 gauge, while cartilage piercings are often 16 gauge. Wearing jewellery that's too thin can cause the piercing to shrink over time or create a "cheese cutter" effect where the thin wire slowly migrates through the tissue.

Style Recommendations

For recently healed piercings, simple styles are best. Studs and close-fitting rings are less likely to catch on things or put stress on the piercing. Save elaborate dangles, heavy pieces, and large hoops for piercings that have been stable for six months or more.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

The Hole Seems to Have Closed

If you can't get jewellery through a piercing that was previously open, the hole may have partially closed. Try using a smaller gauge piece or visit your piercer. They can often reopen a partially closed piercing without repiercing, but this becomes harder the longer you wait.

Pain During or After Changing

Some temporary discomfort during a jewellery change is normal, but it shouldn't be significant or prolonged. If pain persists, it may indicate that your piercing wasn't fully healed or that the new jewellery is unsuitable (wrong size, poor quality, or an irritating style).

Irritation After Changing

If your piercing becomes irritated after a jewellery change, first assess whether the new jewellery might be the cause. If so, switch to high-quality, simple jewellery. Return to regular saline cleaning twice daily and treat the piercing as if it were healing again. If irritation persists, consult your piercer.