So you recently took out your tongue ring or nipple barbell and now you’re wondering – how fast is this hole going to disappear on me?
Piercing closure time varies notably by body part and piercing thickness. While your healed lobe holes may last months or years empty, other areas close up extremely fast once jewelry gets removed.
Read on for typical closure timelines by piercing type and what factors impact how hastily holes shrink away.
Overview
Healed piercing closure speeds often surprise people who take out jewelry for short periods then scramble to reinsert it once realizing their body moves quick to close open wounds.
In general, oral and genital mucous membrane areas close fastest as the skin tissue proves delicate and quick to bond back together once punctured. Cartilage and dense areas like the nipple heal slower over weeks instead of days.
But variables like gauge size, trauma during removal, and your body’s innate healing abilities also influence closure rates.
Now let’s examine specific piercing locations and typical time ranges before holes disappear for good.
Typical Closure Timelines By Piercing Location
Ear and Facial Piercings
For healed eyebrow piercings, expect holes to begin closing within 2-3 days without jewelry inserted to hold the fistula tract open.
Lip and nostril piercings – being delicate tissue – start to close similarly fast within about 5-7 days max.
Ear lobes and fleshy body parts close slower thanks to ample blood flow. Still expect lobe holes to shrink notably after 1-2 months max.
Cartilage ear piercings like helix, daith and industrial last longer thanks to thick skin but still risk overgrowth in 6-12 weeks without jewelry retention.
So facial holes require fast jewelry reinsertion once removed or risk embedding scar tissue blocking easy re-entry. Ear lobes offer longer leeway.
Oral Piercings
The moist mucous membrane environment of the mouth accelerates closure of tongue holes once barbells get taken out. Reinsertion gets difficult beyond 5-10 days.
Similarly, lip tissue smiley and labret piercings close quicker than facial holes within 1 week as saliva exposure softens the piercing channel.
Navel Piercings
Belly button piercings vary based on navel depth. Shallower holes last around 2 months without jewelry. But deeper piercings with more embedded scar tissue close slower over 9-12 months.
Genital Piercings
The delicate membrane tissue of genitals causes fast closure for these intimate piercings.
Prince Albert piercings – passing through the urethra and glans tip of the penis – seal over fully in just 3-5 days without jewelry retention!
Similar delicate penile tissue means Ampallang piercings also close quickly within 5-7 days max.
For women, clitoral hood, inner labia and outer labia genital piercings close fastest within just 48-72 hours as the area remains constantly moist.
So never leave genital jewelry out too long unless you want to endure repiercing sensitive regions once holes disappear.
Surface Piercings
Surface piercings like hip dermals, wrist microdermals and collarbone piercings penetrate only partial skin depth, not completely piercing through the body.
Still, surface skin bonds remarkably fast with holes growing over with skin completely in just 5-7 days on areas like the hips or collarbones once jewelry gets removed and cease retaining them open.
As you can see, closure speed varies dramatically by location and tissue type. But what other factors impact how fast your piercing starts to shrink?
What Impacts the Closure Speed?
Beyond body part, other variables affect how hastily piercing holes shrink away:
Gauge/Thickness – Larger gauge piercings close slower as more scar tissue accumulated within the fistula (ie: the hollow piercing channel). But tissue bonds remarkably fast once jewelry exits small 18-20 gauge holes.
Duration Pierced – Brand new piercings less than ~6 months heal close lightning fast if jewelry falls out. Long-term decades old piercings remain open longer thanks to substantial scar tissue accumulation.
Trauma – Aggressive jewelry removal damaging tissue jumpstarts the closure process. While slowly tapering bars out delays skin bonding for easier future reinsertion.
Healing Abilities – Some bodies naturally close wounds quicker thanks to genetics, health factors and age. Youthful strong healing defeats jewelry-less holes slower than seniors. Immune conditions also accelerate closure.
So consider your piercing gauge width, age of the holes, gentleness removing jewelry and innate healing powers as added factors influencing how hastily your jewelry-free holes shrink away.
Now what if you want to keep holes patent longer when jewelry must get temporarily removed?
How to Slow Down Piercing Closure
Ideally leave body jewelry in at all times. But what if a medical scan, surgery or major life event requires removing it?
Shorten Jewelry-Free Periods – Instead of leaving posts out for days or weeks when necessary, minimize the duration pierced tissue stays empty. Reinsert jewelry ASAP once past scanning equipment interference.
Use Taper Retention – Have your piercer insert a taper earring to hold the fistula tract open sans jewelry for short periods instead of fully closing. Just don’t leave taper too long risking embedded fusion.
Apply Vitamin E Oil – Massaging vitamin E oil into the empty piercing channel right after jewelry removal can lubricate and protect the area, keeping the path patent longer before bonding together.
These conservative tricks cautiously prolong how quickly holes shrink minus accessories, buying extra closure cushion when going jewelry-free gets non-negotiable.
What happens though if life events mean leaving posts out too long?
What to Do If a Piercing Closes Too Fast
Despite best efforts, busy schedules or medical turmoil often inevitably interfere longer than anticipated.
What if you took out nipple piercings for a week-long work trip but now that soft skin already resealed itself firmly shut in just days?
Firstly, don’t fret! You have options before resorting to painful repiercing.
Contact Your Piercer Immediately – Skilled pros can often taper earrings back into newly closed holes if you act fast enough before internal scarring totally blocks that channel. Time is of the essence!
Beware Infection Risk Attempting Self-Reentry – Never try forcing blunt earrings through collapsed holes without an expert’s finessed touch, tapering equipment and sterilization. Risky infections and embedment dangers surge without proper technique.
So connect with your original piercer ASAP if holes surprisingly already shrunk too small for standard jewelry re-wear. The closure timeframe proves much faster than you expected!
If left too long, fully mended tissue leaves professional repiercing the only option once scar barriers grow impenetrable for taper re-stretching. But don’t panic yet! Urgent experts can work magic reviving unexpectedly seal piercings.
Key Takeaways on Piercing Closure Timelines
To summarize key lessons on piercing closure speeds:
- Oral & Genital Piercings Close Fastest – Just days without jewelry risks losing delicate mouth and genital holes. Reinsert ASAP!
- Cartilage Closes Slower Than Flesh – Dense ear cartilage lasts months longer jewelry-free vs soft facial or body tissue.
- Larger Gauges & Older Piercings Persist Longer– Bigger gauge and decades old holes withstand more time sans jewelry thanks to substantial scar tissue.
- Minimize Jewelry-Free Periods – Take bars out only when absolutely necessary. Use tapers as placeholders when possible to prolong closure.
- Act Quick If Unexpectedly Closed – If holes surprisingly already re-sealed before reinsertion, immediately see your piercer to attempt taper restart.
While closure timelines vary dramatically by piercing area and individual healing variation, understanding general frameworks helps set realistic expectations for how long you can leave jewelry out before holes disappear.
React quickly as needed if attempting to reestablish unexpectedly sealed piercings before pursuing painful repiercing! Over-prepare so you don’t get pierced in the long run.