When it comes to body art, piercings may seem like a relatively unclear choice. After all, if you get tired of it, you can just take it out. However, if you are considering having your piercing removed, you may want to know whether some areas close better than others and whether any marks will be left. Whether you're worried about nose piercing scars or belly button piercing scars, here's what you should know about how to properly close your piercing.
The most important thing to remember about piercing removal is that sealing does not ensure that all traces of the piece of metal or plastic that once penetrated the skin are gone forever. After all, you are piercing the skin, and scarring occurs when the skin is damaged. Let’s be honest, there’s no magic way to guarantee that scars won’t form due to the natural way your skin heals. According to research, scarring is the result of an accelerated healing process, and your body's only purpose is to heal - whether or not to restore the skin to its original state (in this case, pre-piercing).
Learn More: 11 Cartilage Piercing Facts You Need to Know Before You Get Pierced
Therefore, when you get a piercing, it will leave a scar, especially if it heals completely. However, you can still take steps to minimize the amount of scar tissue by thinking ahead and taking the appropriate steps. Here are seven things you should know if you plan on getting your piercing closed .
1. Some piercings close better than others
The type of piercing you have will determine how well it closes. Rob Banks, a piercer at Elite Jewelry Co. in St. Mark's Square in New York City, explained to me in an interview at the store that piercings in the belly button, eyebrows, Monroe, or lips can all leave Very deep scars, which makes them more difficult to remove completely. closure. Meanwhile, microdermal piercings and piercings in the ears tend to close more easily.
2. Consider scars before getting a piercing
When you go to get a piercing, ask your piercer what the scar will look like if and when you take it out. One of the best ways to reduce scarring is to place your piercing well. "Follow the folds of the body," Banks explains.
If placed properly, some scars can disappear into the nooks and crannies of the skin—like nose piercing scars or belly button piercing scars—making them harder to see. Even eyebrow piercings can be placed near the hairline to minimize the appearance of scarring. However, no matter how carefully you place them, hiding the scars left by other piercings like a belly button piercing can be a challenge.
3. Do not remove the piercing if it is infected
The time it takes to close the hole is not the time the piercing becomes infected. While you may think that removing jewelry after an infection occurs seems like a good idea, this is not the case. Dermatologists warn against removing them because if the hole closes, infection may become trapped. Also, if your piercing becomes infected and you don't actually want the piercing to close permanently, you may lose it entirely after the piercing is removed.
4. Reduce scars with topical treatment
If you are concerned about scarring when your piercing is about to close, topical treatments can be used to help minimize the appearance of these potential scars. Mederma is a scar treatment made from onion skin extract that has been shown to be effective in studies and should be applied to the area once a day.
Another option is bio-oil. Like Mederma, research shows that its key ingredients—oleic and linoleic acids—can help improve the appearance of scars that have already formed. It should be applied to the area once a day.
5. Go with the flow and be patient
Banks recommends that if your piercing is completely healed and you're ready to have it removed, just take it out and be done with it. However, there's no way to truly know how long it will take to shut down, or if it will shut down completely. However, the general rule is that newer piercings take less time to close and can be completed in just a few days. However, piercings that are older than a year will take at least a few weeks to close.
6. Suturing is an option
Perhaps the most complicated piercing to close is to measure the ear because the skin is stretched so much. Pulling the plugs isn't enough, you may need to sew them back up. There are different suture methods depending on the type of stretch piercing you have. Through the small hole, the plastic surgeon can cut away the new growth, essentially creating a new wound that can then be stitched to heal. Larger holes can also be cut to create openings and then sewn together.
7. Embrace the scars
When you get your piercing removed, your skin won't magically return to its original appearance, and you may even be left with a hole for the rest of your life. It doesn't matter. "Sometimes you just have to accept it," Banks said.
Even if a piercing doesn't stay with you forever, scars will, so be sure to think carefully about whether you want a scar as much as you want a piercing. However, if you do want to get your ears pierced, don't be ashamed or embarrassed by the scars. They are completely natural and show where you have been. In a way, they are part of your story.
