Every body is different, and not every piercing is suitable for every anatomy. Before placing a piercing, we carefully assess the area and discuss what will work safely, comfortably and aesthetically for you.

Sometimes this means adapting the placement, choosing a different piece of jewellery or exploring an alternative piercing. You may have imagined two or three piercings together, while your anatomy may only allow one to heal successfully. We will always explain the possibilities honestly and help you find a result that still suits your personal style.

Anatomy can only be properly assessed in person. Photographs may distort proportions and do not always show the tissue, shape or space needed for an accurate evaluation. If you have a specific idea but are unsure whether it is suitable, you can arrange a consultation at the studio.

Beautiful placement begins with understanding your anatomy.

A healing piercing can sometimes look or feel unsettled. During the first few weeks, mild tenderness, itching, localised swelling, slight redness or darkening of the skin, and a pale fluid that dries into a small crust can all be part of normal healing.

These signs do not automatically mean that the piercing is infected. Irritation caused by pressure, movement, jewellery fit or aftercare can sometimes appear similar. However, an infection can only be diagnosed and treated by a medical professional.

Contact Dodeka if the piercing becomes increasingly uncomfortable or if you are unsure about the way it is healing. We can inspect the jewellery, placement and possible sources of irritation, and advise whether medical assessment is appropriate.

Seek Medical Advice Promptly If:

• The swelling, pain or redness continues to increase
• The area feels noticeably hot
• Blood or white, yellow or green pus is coming from the piercing
• You feel feverish, cold, shivery or generally unwell
• The redness or swelling is spreading beyond the immediate piercing area

These symptoms may indicate an infection and should be assessed promptly by a doctor.

Do not remove the jewellery yourself if you suspect an infection. Leave it in place unless a doctor instructs you to remove it

Every piercing heals differently. Placement, anatomy, jewellery fit, lifestyle and irritation during healing can all influence how long the process takes.

The timelines below are therefore general indications rather than guarantees. A piercing may feel comfortable and look healed on the outside while the tissue inside is still recovering. The absence of pain does not necessarily mean that the piercing is fully healed. Different professional sources also publish somewhat different healing ranges, reinforcing that these timelines should be treated as guidance rather than fixed deadlines. 

Before changing your jewellery, let your piercer assess the piercing in person. Replacing jewellery too early can disturb the healing channel and cause irritation or unnecessary setbacks.

Your body decides when a piercing is healed, not the calendar.

Finding a bump around a piercing can be worrying, but it does not automatically mean that something is seriously wrong or that the jewellery must be removed.

Several types of raised tissue can develop around a piercing, including irritation bumps, granulomas, hypertrophic scarring and keloids. These can sometimes look similar, especially during the early stages, so it is important not to diagnose or treat the bump yourself. Hypertrophic scarring generally stays within the original wound area, while a keloid can continue growing beyond it. 

In many cases, the bump is connected to an ongoing source of irritation, such as:

• Pressure from sleeping on the piercing
• Jewellery that is too long or too short
• Excessive movement or snagging
• Unsuitable jewellery or a rough surface finish
• Harsh or excessive aftercare
• The angle or placement of the piercing

Identifying the cause is more useful than simply trying to make the bump disappear. When the irritation continues, products placed on the bump are unlikely to provide a lasting solution.

Let Us Take a Look

Contact Dodeka and arrange an in-person check-up. We can assess the placement, jewellery fit and possible sources of irritation, then advise you on the most suitable next step.

Sometimes the jewellery can be adjusted or the source of irritation can be removed. In other cases, the angle or placement may prevent the piercing from healing successfully. If the jewellery places uneven pressure on the tissue, removing the piercing may occasionally be the safest and most responsible option.

We will always explain our advice clearly and help you understand the available possibilities.

When to Contact a Doctor

A piercer can assess jewellery, placement and possible irritation, but cannot diagnose or medically treat a keloid, infection or other skin condition.

Seek medical advice if:

• The bump continues to grow beyond the original piercing site
• The tissue is firm and continues to enlarge
• The area becomes increasingly hot, swollen or painful
• Pus or blood is present
• Redness begins to spread
• You feel feverish, shivery or generally unwell

Keloids require assessment and treatment by a qualified medical professional, and an infection also needs medical attention. 

Do not remove the jewellery yourself if you suspect an infection. Ask a doctor for advice first.

When jewellery is removed or lost, the piercing channel can begin to shrink or close. This can happen surprisingly quickly, even when the piercing has been in place for some time.

If you would like the piercing back, do not try to force jewellery through the original channel yourself. A partially closed piercing may sometimes be reopened professionally, while a fully closed piercing may need to be pierced again. Forcing jewellery through at home can damage the tissue or create a false channel. 

In many cases, repiercing the same area is possible. However, the tissue must first have enough time to recover. Although the surface may appear healed, deeper tissue and scar tissue can still be changing beneath the skin. Repiercing too soon may cause additional trauma and make the new piercing more difficult to heal. 

How Long Should You Wait?

There is no single waiting period that is suitable for every piercing.

The appropriate timing depends on:

• The original piercing placement
• How long the piercing had been established
• Why the jewellery was removed
• Whether irritation, migration or rejection was involved
• The amount and condition of scar tissue
• Your individual healing process

Some placements may be ready to assess after several months, while cartilage, surface piercings or areas with significant scarring may need considerably longer. Published professional guidance also gives different minimum waiting periods for different placements, so a fixed timeline should be treated as an indication rather than a guarantee. 

An In-Person Assessment Comes First

Before repiercing, we assess whether:

• The tissue has fully settled
• There is still swelling, sensitivity or irritation
• The original placement remains suitable
• Scar tissue may affect the new piercing
• A slightly adjusted placement would offer a better result

Scar tissue does not automatically mean the area cannot be pierced again. However, the new placement may need to sit slightly differently to avoid unnecessary pressure and support more stable healing. 

If the area is not yet ready, we will recommend waiting longer. This is not a refusal of the piercing, but a way of giving the next placement the best possible foundation.

A successful repiercing begins with fully settled tissue, thoughtful placement and the right moment.

During the healing process, your jewellery helps keep the piercing channel open. Removing it too early can damage the healing tissue, introduce bacteria or allow the channel to shrink or close before the piercing has fully recovered.

There may be different reasons why you are considering removing the jewellery. Perhaps the piercing is irritated, the jewellery no longer feels comfortable or you have decided that you no longer want the piercing. Whatever the reason, contact Dodeka before removing it yourself.

In many cases, the piercing can be preserved by identifying the source of irritation, adjusting the jewellery or reviewing your aftercare routine.

No. Leave the Jewellery Still.

Do not twist, turn or move the jewellery while your piercing is healing.

A healing piercing is creating delicate new tissue around the jewellery. Rotating the jewellery can disturb that tissue, reopen the piercing channel and pull dried discharge back through the wound. Unnecessary movement may lead to irritation, prolonged healing and piercing bumps.

The Association of Professional Piercers advises that moving or rotating jewellery is unnecessary during cleaning and may irritate the piercing. Wash your hands before touching the area and otherwise leave the jewellery alone. 

Can the Jewellery Grow Into My Skin?

Properly fitted piercing jewellery does not need to be rotated to prevent the skin from attaching to it.

During healing, the tissue may temporarily tighten around the jewellery. This does not mean that you should twist or force it. Even after a piercing has healed, jewellery may not move freely and should never be forced. 

If the jewellery appears to be sinking into the skin, feels increasingly tight or no longer leaves enough room for swelling, contact Dodeka promptly. This may indicate that the jewellery needs to be assessed or adjusted professionally.

The Best Approach

• Do not twist, spin or rotate the jewellery.
• Do not play with the piercing.
• Do not force jewellery that does not move freely.
• Clean around the piercing without moving it.
• Contact Dodeka if the jewellery feels too tight or the piercing becomes increasingly irritated.

Clean gently. Leave it alone. Let your body heal.

Give Your Piercing Space to Heal

Avoid sleeping directly on a new piercing while it is healing.

Pressure and friction from a pillow can keep the area irritated and contribute to tenderness, swelling, piercing bumps and a longer healing process. Even when sleeping on the piercing does not hurt, repeated pressure may still affect the placement and cause the piercing to heal at an angle.

Cartilage piercings are particularly sensitive because they generally require a longer healing period. Protect the piercing throughout the full healing process, rather than only until it stops feeling tender.

The Association of Professional Piercers recommends avoiding activities that jostle or aggravate a healing piercing and keeping bedding clean throughout the healing period. 

Making Sleep More Comfortable

Try the following:

• Sleep on your back or on the opposite side.
• Use a piercing pillow, travel pillow or doughnut-shaped pillow.
• Position the ear inside the opening so there is no direct pressure on the piercing.
• Keep pillowcases and bedding clean, and change them regularly.
• Keep long hair away from the jewellery to reduce snagging.
• If possible, avoid healing piercings on both ears at the same time.

If you normally sleep on one particular side, consider this when choosing which ear to pierce.

Signs You May Have Slept on It

Your piercing may feel:

• More tender than the previous evening
• Sore when touched or moved accidentally
• More swollen or irritated in the morning
• Uncomfortable where the jewellery presses against the skin

One accidental night does not automatically mean something is wrong. Remove the source of pressure, avoid touching the jewellery and allow the area to settle.

If the irritation keeps returning, the piercing develops a bump or the jewellery appears to be changing angle, book a check-up so we can assess the placement and jewellery fit.

Protect the placement. Avoid the pressure. Give your piercing the rest it needs.

Healing Comes Before Restyling

Wait until your piercing is fully healed before changing the jewellery simply because you would like a different style.

A piercing can look and feel settled on the outside while the tissue inside is still fragile. Changing jewellery too early can reopen the piercing channel, introduce irritation and delay the healing process.

Healing time varies according to the placement, anatomy, jewellery fit, lifestyle and how much pressure or movement the piercing experiences. For that reason, the calendar alone cannot tell you whether your piercing is ready.

Downsizing Is Different

A downsize is not the same as changing your jewellery for a new look.

Fresh piercings are often fitted with slightly longer jewellery to leave room for initial swelling. Once that swelling has reduced, the longer post may need to be replaced with a shorter, better-fitting piece.

Properly fitted jewellery can:

• Reduce unnecessary movement and friction
• Prevent snagging on hair, clothing or bedding
• Improve everyday comfort
• Help prevent irritation and piercing bumps
• Support straighter, more stable healing

A downsize takes place during healing and should be performed by a professional piercer. The right moment depends on the placement and your individual healing progress. [canadianpiercers.org], [vanhessjewellery.com]

When Is My Piercing Ready for New Jewellery?

Your piercing may be ready for restyling when:

• There is no tenderness or discomfort
• There is no persistent redness or swelling
• There is no crusting or discharge
• The piercing has remained calm and stable
• The full expected healing period has passed
• Your piercer has confirmed that the internal channel has healed

If the piercing still becomes tender, produces discharge or flares up occasionally, it is not yet ready, even if it has been several months since the appointment. 

Let Us Make the First Change

We recommend having your first jewellery change performed at Dodeka. We can assess the healing progress, check the fit and install the new jewellery without unnecessarily disturbing the piercing.

If you would simply like a different decorative end while keeping the post in place, contact the studio first. Whether this can be changed safely depends on the piercing, jewellery system and stage of healing.

A Better Fit for Better Healing

Fresh piercings are usually fitted with slightly longer jewellery to accommodate the swelling that can occur during the first stage of healing. This additional space is important because jewellery that fits too tightly may place pressure on the tissue or begin to embed as the area swells.

Once the initial swelling has reduced, the extra length is no longer needed. Downsizing means returning to your piercer to replace the original post with a shorter, properly fitted piece of jewellery.