Getting Re-Pierced

Want to get re-pierced? Find more information about the piercing procedure and healing process for re-piercing.

For many people, getting re-pierced can be a stressful and emotive issue. Sometimes people have had to retire a piercing for traumatic reasons (trauma to the piercing, an injury or for health reasons) so the re-piercing process can be rather cathartic. For others, a re-piercing is simply a means of achieving their ideal aesthetic. Whatever your reason for seeking a re-piercing, make sure you visit a fully trained piercer at a reputable piercing studio to ensure the process is handled safely and professionally.

It can be difficult for some people to understand the reasons behind wanting to get something re-pierced, though this is typically due to a lack of comprehension regarding the personal choices behind getting a piercing. For example, it's common to opt for a re-piercing if you've had to remove your jewellery for the following reasons:

Surgery
Pregnancy
Migration
Rejection
A change in dress code at school or work
Illness
Issues with healing
Extreme weight gain or loss

There are also plenty of people who choose to get re-pierced after having previously retired a piercing simply because they were too forgetful to re-insert jewellery or wanted a change in their personal style.

It's important to remember that certain piercings (in particular, nostril piercings) can heal over extremely quickly, sometimes in as little as a few hours. In cases such as these, it's essential to refrain from attempting to force jewellery through the hole, no matter how tempting it may be to do so. It's advised to allow the piercing to completely heal (a few months or so is usually sufficient) before getting it re-done, as this will allow the tissue to fully repair itself.

Procedure

Before you can go ahead and get re-pierced your piercer should perform an examination of the area to assess the viability of your request. After checking that the tissue is healthy and able to support being re-pierced, your piercer will be able to tell you whether you are able to have your piercing performed in the same location or if you will need it in a slightly different location due to scar tissue or migration issues.

In most instances, you should be able to have the original piercing channel re-opened or re-pierced. In many cases, the internal channel (i.e. where the jewellery sits inside your body) remains relatively intact, with only the entry and exit points healing over, making the re-piercing process simple and relatively un-traumatic.

If you had to retire your piercing due to migration, injury or rejection, you may discover that you cannot be pierced in the exact same location as before. Most piercers will place the new piercing behind any pockets of scar tissue to ensure the piercing is in a more viable location, though it is worth remembering that as scar tissue is weaker in construction than the skin1, this method doesn't necessarily guarantee success. Many individuals find that they experience no issues following this type of piercing, though some people may encounter problematic healing due to the presence of the scar tissue. As with any piercing, we advise discussing everything fully with your piercer before taking the plunge, to ensure you aren't left with any nagging questions or nasty surprises.

1: Angel, E. (2009) The Piercing Bible, Berkley: Crossing Press

Pain

Some people find that getting their piercings re-done is more painful than when they had the initial piercing, though others report a virtually painless experience. It's worth bearing in mind that everyone experiences pain differently, so this evidence is purely anecdotal.

Healing

If you're re-pierced in the same spot (using the original inner channel), then you may find you heal a little faster than before due to the fact that the majority of healing had been done the first time around and the amount of trauma to the area is minimal.

If your piercing is performed in a slightly different location, then your healing time will be a little longer, as is the case with any fresh piercing.

Jewellery

As with a brand new piercing, the jewellery you are given to wear in the initial healing stage will be specially chosen to allow for any swelling that may occur following the piercing. This jewellery is usually a little longer and larger in diameter than you may prefer to wear but it's essential that you keep it in for the entirety of the healing period as changing your jewellery too early can cause irritation, infection, and potential rejection.

Once your piercing has fully healed, you can then change your jewellery for something with a little more personality. From simple BCRs and practical Curved Barbells to pretty navel bars and bold add ons to transform your look, we've got a little something for every taste in our Piercing Jewellery shop!

If you plan to wear jewellery of a larger gauge or intend to significantly stretch your piercing, we recommend discussing this prior to getting the piercing or paying a visit to your piercer (Once you've fully healed, NOT before!) to ensure your piercing can accommodate stretching and that your anatomy is suitable, prior to changing your jewellery. For more information about safely stretching your piercings, check out our informative article on Ear Stretching.

Please Note: Blue Banana piercing information is based on knowledge from our experiences as one of the UK's top piercing studios. All details provided should be read alongside professional advice. Please see our full Piercing Articles Disclaimer, here.

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