By Meghan O'Neal
08/01/2022
There comes a point in everyone’s life when they want to make a change in their appearance. Sometimes it means getting bangs, sometimes it means updating a wardrobe, and sometimes it means removing that lip piercing that you’ve loved for so many years.
But, unlike cutting bangs or changing your wardrobe, removing a facial piercing might leave you with some small marks where the piercing took place. These marks are typically tiny, but depending upon how long you had the piercing and where the piercing was located, your piercing hole may be slightly stretched, and it might not minimize for some time.
Luckily, for the most part, piercings will shrink eventually. Even if you’ve had your piercing for years, it should either completely heal or shrink to the point where it’s barely noticeable. In the meantime, here are some ways that you can treat facial scars as the result of a piercing.
The good news is that piercing scars aren’t all that common. If you were pierced properly, you took care of your piercing, and you never damaged the piercing, any mark left from your piercing shouldn’t be very large.
However, it is possible to experience light scarring during healing or due to snagging or rejection. The result is typically a small raised dot or line on or near the piercing. This is referred to as hypertrophic scarring, and although they are unsightly, they typically fade on their own and rarely result in noticeable damage.
If you’ve had a piercing for years, it will almost always result in some sort of semi-permanent mark. Even after you take out the piercing, while the piercing hole will shrink and possibly close, you’ll probably be left with a small reminder of your piercing. However, it will likely be mininal enough that no one will notice the mark except for you.
Larger piercing scars, like hypertrophic scarring or scars that appear as the result of rejection or a snag, can easily be avoided through proper care. As your piercing is healing, make sure that you clean it every day. Even after your piercing has healed, take care when doing your hair or changing clothes so that the jewelry doesn’t snag. Throughout the life of your piercing, keep an eye out for signs of piercing rejection. Scars as a result of piercing rejection usually occur because the jewelry wasn’t taken out in time. As long as you catch the rejection early, you shouldn’t see any scarring.
If you do experience a facial piercing scar, whether as a result of damage or simply because you had the piercing for a long time, the good news is that most piercing scars fade on their own. The best thing that you can do for it is to give it time.
If you fail to see an improvement over time (remember that it may take months to heal), you can talk to your dermatologist about possible treatments. Depending on the size or type of your scar, they may stitch the piercing hole closed, use laser treatment, prescribe an ointment, or try another method.
If you’re currently pierced, and you want to ensure that your facial piercing shrinks to a negligible size when you’ve decided to take the piercing out, then opt for a smaller gauge for your jewelry. Smaller piercing holes are more likely to shrink than larger piercing holes are.
Most piercing scars will go away or at least minimize to a point where they’re unnoticeable. If they don’t go away fully, then learn to embrace them. Piercings are a form of expression that comes with a risk of scarring. Your facial piercing scars are part of your story. Rather than being ashamed of the small divot where your eyebrow piercing used to be, embrace it! Scars are a physical representation of your history, and they are nothing to be ashamed of.
Septum piercings offer the best of both worlds: a bold, beautiful facial piercing without the risk of any scarring that can be seen. Because the piercing takes place within the nose, when it comes time to remove the piercing, you’ll see zero marks.
Additionally, the septum piercing can be easily hidden; all you have to do is wear a circular barbell and flip it up into your nostrils. This way, you can enjoy your septum piercing while still keeping it secret from your boss and more conservative family members.
Piercing scars are a valid concern, but they can be minimized and avoided. Simply take care of your piercing, opt for a smaller jewelry gauge, or choose a piercing where scarring won’t be seen, and you shouldn’t have any long-term adverse effects from your facial piercing.
Thinking about getting a low-risk septum piercing? Check out some of our favorite jewelry styles.
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