How Long Does A Tongue Piercing Hole Take To Close Up?

How the Healing Process Effects Closing Times

It’s essential to understand what happens during the tongue piercing healing process and how long it takes. This will help you better predict when your piercing will close. For example, you may feel the hole is healed by week two and assume you can remove the stud or barbell. At this point, however, removing the jewelry is not recommended because the hole will close up very quickly.

A tongue piercing takes about six to eight weeks to heal completely. This will vary depending on your aftercare routine and your body’s natural healing abilities. Time alone doesn’t determine when your piercing is healed. Your body might naturally heal wounds slowly, and it might take closer to take ten weeks for your wound to heal.

It’s unsafe to change your jewelry any time before at least six weeks have progressed. Listen to your body, and don’t rush it. It’s tempting to want to switch out that boring stud with a cool barbell, but if you remove your tongue piercing too soon, it can close up in a matter of hours (and infection within the wound becomes much more likely).

If in doubt, ask your piercer for advice to see when they recommend you remove your piercing. They will know better than anybody.

Early Healing Phase

The first couple of days after receiving the piercing, your tongue will be sensitive to even the slightest contact. You may be tempted to play with the piercing at this stage because it’s new and exciting, but this will only cause bleeding and inflammation. Fidgeting with your piercing can also transfer more bacteria to the site, increasing your risk for infection.

Primary Healing Phase

This is when your body stops viewing your piercing as a wound that needs to be healed. It will begin accepting the foreign object and send different agents to the piercing site. Your body’s natural defense system slows down, and the agents and antibodies sent to the piercing seek to destroy any bacteria and support the surrounding area.

This is the most critical stage of the healing process. You can touch the piercing, but avoiding regular contact is recommended. This phase can last several months and you must clean the piercing with saline or salt water regularly.

Ganz genau! Die Wahl eines veganen und alkoholfreien Nachsorgeprodukts ist eine ausgezeichnete Entscheidung für die Pflege deines Piercings. Diese Art von Produkten ist oft sanfter zur Haut und minimiert das Risiko von Reizungen oder allergischen Reaktionen. Es ist entscheidend, während des Heilungsprozesses sorgfältig auf die Pflege deines Piercings zu achten, um Infektionen und andere Komplikationen zu verhindern. Wenn du weitere Fragen zur Pflege deines Piercings hast oder Tipps benötigst, stehe ich gerne zur Verfügung!

You may think your piercing has healed because the swelling and irritation has subsided, but it doesn’t mean you can remove the jewelry. You need to give your body time to get used to this foreign object being lodged inside of it. If you were to remove your piercing here, it could still close up in a matter of hours.

Maturation Phase 

As your new piercing hits the 8-10 week mark, your natural defense system is almost finished working on the area. The piercing is beginning to toughen up and is no longer at high risk of infection.

It’s safe to remove your piercing during this phase, but keep in mind that tongue piercings will still close up quickly.

Hole Closures in Fully Healed Tongue Piercings

Tongue piercings can close up even after years of having them.

The human body’s natural response to any kind of wound or puncture is to heal itself, and this includes piercings. When a piercing is removed, even one that’s been in place for years, the body will start the healing process to close the hole. The speed at which this happens can vary greatly from person to person.

Tongue piercings, in particular, are known to close up quite quickly because the tongue is a muscle with a good blood supply, enabling it to heal faster than many other parts of the body. It’s possible for an old tongue piercing to start closing in a matter of days, and it could be completely closed within a week or two. However, the exact timing will depend on factors such as the individual’s overall health, age, and how long the piercing has been in place.

Keep in mind that, even if the exterior hole closes, there could still be a fistula, or tunnel of scar tissue, inside the tongue where the piercing was. This might not be visible from the outside, but it’s a sign that the piercing was there.

What to Do if Your Tongue Piercing Hole Has Closed Up

If your tongue piercing hole has closed up, here’s what you can do:

1. Don’t Force It: If you’ve removed your tongue piercing and can’t put it back in because the hole seems to have closed, do not force the jewelry back in. This could potentially cause injury or an infection.
2. Seek Professional Help: Visit a professional piercer as soon as possible. They may be able to reinsert the jewelry safely if the hole hasn’t completely closed. Even if it has, they can evaluate whether it’s safe and advisable to re-pierce the area.
3. Assess the Situation: If you regularly have trouble with the piercing hole closing, or if the piercing is causing other issues like damage to your teeth or gums, you may want to reconsider whether a tongue piercing is a good fit for you. Consult with your piercer or a healthcare provider to explore your options.
4. Re-piercing: If the hole has closed and you still want a tongue piercing, you’ll need to have it re-pierced once the area has fully healed. Be aware that re-piercing can be more painful and take longer to heal than the initial piercing, as scar tissue may have formed.

Summary

Tongue piercings are notorious for closing up overnight. The most critical thing to remember is that removing your piercing during the first phases of the healing process is not advisable. If you want to remove or replace the jewelry, go to your piercer for help. Not only will they advise you if you’re ready for a replacement, but they can also help you remove it safely.

Every person’s body is different and heals at a different pace. Your friend may tell you that their hole didn’t close up for weeks, but maybe their body heals more rapidly. Most importantly, you should listen to your body and monitor the situation. The tongue is a muscle, unlike the cartilage of the ear or the flesh of a belly button. It reacts and heals much differently and, often, in a more complicated way.