One of the most common questions we get asked (other than “is this a keloid”) is which piercings are the easiest to heal and which piercings are the hardest to heal. This is actually a rather relative question as some people get advanced piercings that heal without any trouble and some people run into problems with piercings that are considered more basic. A lot can depend on things like general health, the position someone sleeps in, how rigorously people adhere to the aftercare routine, and…. let’s admit it, a bit of luck. But, generally speaking, there are a few piercings that are just harder to heal and a couple of piercings that generally heal without much issue.
🟢 Very Easy - Ear Lobes
Often, the very first piercing that someone will get is their earlobes. Not only are lobes the most common (and thus most “socially acceptable”), but they also usually heal like a dream. The earlobe is simply a dangly piece of tissue at the bottom of the ear. It doesn’t contain any cartilage. Cartilage takes longer to heal and can be more finicky while it is doing so. Ear lobe piercings generally take between six to eight weeks to heal, as opposed to cartilage piercings which can take many months. While many people don’t think of lobe piercings as “body piercings”, they are and should be performed as such. Any shop that offers to use a piercing gun on your lobes or any other part of you should be avoided!
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🟡 Easy - Septum
Another piercing that is good for beginners or people looking for an easier healing experience is the septum. This piercing is done at the center front of the nose. If done correctly, it should pass through a spot known as alar cartilage where the cartilage is soft and squishy. This is known as the sweet spot, Again, due to the lack of typical cartilage involvement, this is a faster healing piercing. Due to its location on the face, it is less likely to get irritated by things like sleep position or accidentally snagging it on hair or clothing.
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🟠 Difficult - Industrial
When discussing piercings that are challenging to heal, one should probably begin with the industrial. A pair of helix piercings connected by a single barbell; the industrial piercing is a challenge for several reasons. For one, you are trying to heal two piercings simultaneously. Not only that, but they are connected to each other so if one end gets snagged, it will impact the other end as well. Also, since it is a cartilage piercing of the ear, it does heal more slowly and can take six to nine months. Also, this piercing is extremely anatomy-dependent, and one performed on inappropriate anatomy may never heal at all. This piercing is notorious for developing irritation bumps while healing and may require some extra-special TLC during the healing process.
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🔴 Very Difficult - Snug
Possibly the single most challenging piercing is also possibly the most anatomy dependent. The snug piercing is notoriously difficult to heal and requires a very specific type of ear to heal as a sustainable piercing. The snug piercing is located on the vertical ridge of cartilage that sits above the anti-tragus on one’s ear. It is pierced horizontally, through the ridge, so that piece of cartilage has to be prominent enough to support a piercing. Since the entire piercing goes through the rigid cartilage, it is a slower and more finicky piercing which can take up to a year to fully heal. Also, because it is on the ear, it is more likely to fall victim to the irritants that can crop up with other ear cartilage piercings such as being slept upon.
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Whether you are a pierced pro or a nervous newbie, there is a huge range of healing times and possible complications across the piercing spectrum. Some piercings tend to heal more easily than others and the range of healing times varies widely. But if you’re looking for a faster healing piercing or if you’re in it for the long haul, there is a piercing that will suit your needs. Piercings are a bit like people that way – they come in all kinds, and we love every one of them! Happy piercing!
