You should expect some swelling during the initial healing process with most piercings. For this reason, the jewelry that is used initially is a longer post (or a larger diameter ring) than the jewelry that will ultimately be worn after the piercing is healed. It is important to get more snug-fitting jewelry inserted after the initial swelling has gone down. This is what we refer to as “downsizing” the jewelry in a piercing.
Do not leave the original jewelry in longer than necessary, as improperly sized jewelry can delay healing and can often lead to migration and/or a crooked piercing. This is especially true for piercings above the neck: earlobe and ear cartilage piercings, nostril piercings, and oral piercings.
We suggest you return to the studio to have your piercing checked and jewelry downsized. For most piercings this is usually no earlier than six weeks and no later than eight weeks. (For oral piercings, we recommend coming back between two and three weeks). If swelling subsides quickly and there is an uncomfortable amount of jewelry “poking out” of the piercing, feel free to come in earlier. Likewise, if your piercing is still filling the full wearable surface of your jewelry at the suggested check-in date, you can probably wait a few more weeks. Remember: healing and downsize times are only approximate; your body has its own timetable.
