Do your ears get overgrown if you don’t wear earrings?
In theory, ear piercings can get overgrown if earrings are not worn. In practice, it all depends on the situation and individual characteristics of the person – someone pierces their ears and stops wearing earrings almost immediately, someone takes them off after a few years of active wear.
The results for different people are also different – for some, the ears get overgrown literally “before our eyes”, while others cannot “overgrow” the puncture for years, although they try very hard. We propose to figure out why this is happening and whether it can be influenced.
Do your ears get overgrown if you don’t wear earrings for 2 weeks
If the piercing is fresh, then after a break in wearing the earrings it may seem that it is overgrown. This is how it manifests itself – when you try to insert an earring into your ear, you feel resistance, and you feel some kind of “lump” in the earlobe. In fact, more often than not, this seal is the punctured hole, it is just difficult to get into it. Even with “fresh” punctures, inflammation often occurs – the lobe around the hole swells a little, turns red, and suppuration may appear. This process gives the feeling that the hole is overgrown, but you just need to remove the inflammation – treat the lobe with an antiseptic, and then try to put on the earrings again. If the inflammation is not removed, the holes can become overgrown. Punctures in the ears overgrow quickly, if they are made recently and become inflamed – the body directs forces to regeneration, a “cork” appears at the puncture site. The hole in the ears can still overgrow if it was pierced incorrectly – in the wrong zone of the earlobe, at the wrong angle. But even in this case, it is possible that the puncture will not overgrow, but will simply bring inconvenience – it can deform (stretch), hurt. If the puncture was made long ago and correctly, then the ears will not grow. At least, this happens in most cases – when the puncture is made in an anatomically correct place and for a long time, the body will not seek to “overgrow” it and, thus, get rid of it. Although if a person has an incredible ability to regenerate, then the holes in the earlobes can heal even after 10 years of wearing earrings. True, how much you have to not wear jewellery for this is difficult to say.
Do your ears get overgrown if you don’t wear earrings for several months?
They may or may not be overgrown. It all depends on the body’s ability to regenerate and the accompanying conditions. For example, people who want to get rid of pierced ears often use special regenerating ointments – such remedies do not guarantee, but can help. If a person has a high capacity for regeneration, then it may be enough for him to remove the earrings for 1–3 months, and the punctures in the lobe will gradually begin to tighten. Of course, the puncture site can be noticeable for a long time, but the earring cannot be inserted – at least not without effort. If the ability to regenerate is low and the hole is made correctly, then the long-awaited “overgrowth” will never come – you can stay with pierced ears for life or turn to a surgeon who will simply sew up the holes.
Do ears get overgrown after the “tunnels”
For “tunnels” you need more than just a puncture – the hole in the earlobe is widened to form a real hole. From a medical point of view, the procedure is quite traumatic, and the holes remain in the ears after the tunnels are removed. Can such a hole be overgrown? Depends on the diameter of the “tunnels” the person was wearing. If the hole was relatively small, then it has a higher chance of overgrowing. If it tightens, there is a high probability that a mark will remain – the larger the hole, the larger the scar will be.
After “tunnels” of large diameter, the ears usually do not heal, in order to get rid of holes, people resort to the help of plastic surgeons.
Why do your ears hurt when you put on earrings?
Pain and pulling sensations when wearing earrings can appear if the puncture is made incorrectly – at the wrong angle or in the wrong part of the earlobe. In this case, only a new puncture will help, and you do not need to put on the earrings in the old hole – it will either overgrow itself, or you will need to seek help from a surgeon. Ears can hurt if the earlobe near the hole is inflamed. Take a closer look – if redness is visible and there is discharge from the hole in the lobe, you need to give up jewellery for a while and regularly treat the lobes with an antiseptic. Sometimes the inflammation is not visible to the naked eye, but you still need to remove the jewellery for a few days and wipe the puncture sites with an antiseptic. If there is no improvement and your ears continue to hurt while wearing earrings, seek the advice of a specialist.
How long can you not wear earrings to avoid overgrowing your ears?
If the punctures are fresh, then without earrings they will grow quickly – the body will heal wounds, which, in fact, are punctures in the earlobes. The exact amount of time is difficult to name, it depends on the individual’s ability to regenerate. Someone’s ears are overgrown after 2 weeks, if you do not wear earrings after a piercing, for someone after 2-3 months. If the ears are pierced for a long time, they are unlikely to quickly tighten. Usually, those who have holes in their ears for a long time manage not to wear earrings for years, and nothing happens. The body is already “accustomed” to the holes in the earlobes and considers them “native”, therefore it is unlikely to want to fight them, and therefore they will not overgrow by themselves. An exception is situations when the lobes become inflamed or a special regeneration cream is used.