Whether you are changing jewelry or simply no longer want a belly piercing, it’s important to understand how quickly a belly piercing can close.
A belly piercing that is still healing can close almost immediately. If it’s already healed, then it can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to several years to close. Some belly piercings may never completely close. A major factor in how long it takes to close is how long you’ve had the piercing.
Some may want their belly piercings to close. Some may want to switch their jewelry and fear that their piercing will close. Whatever the reason, there’s a lot to know!
How Long Does it Take?
This is a loaded question that unfortunately does not have a cut and dry answer. How long your belly piercing will take to close depends on several factors. For starters, if your belly piercing is new and still healing, then it could close immediately. If you’ve had your belly piercing for a while, then it could take just a few 
weeks or up to several years!
Everyone’s body is different and everyone experiences the healing process differently. A new belly piercing should not be replaced until the healing process is complete, or you run the risk of the hole quickly closing. Do not switch out jewelry unless you are confident that the piercing has adequately healed.
Perhaps you no longer want your belly piercing or simply want to take it out for a family vacation. If the piercing is completely healed, then it can take anywhere from a couple of weeks up to several years to fully close. Many women report that their piercing never ‘fully’ heals and that a small bump or hole is still visible after several years.
It’s best to not leave your belly piercing out for an extended period of time if you are afraid of it closing. Quickly change jewelry without waiting. If you take your ring out for a family vacation, then you should put it back in when you’re covered up. Wanting your belly piercing hole to close is a different story, and you’ll just have to be patient.
New Belly Piercings
Since new belly piercings close so quickly, it’s critically important that you pick out a cute piece of high-quality jewelry for your new piercing. We recommend choosing a piece of jewelry that is neutral and goes with all of your outfits. A neutral piece of jewelry will reduce the urge to replace the ring just to match your outfit for a night out.
It’s also important to choose a high-quality piece of jewelry for your new belly piercing. If you choose a low-quality material, then you run the risk of the material irritating or otherwise causing an infection. If your body has a negative reaction to a low-quality material, then you’ll be forced to replace it and run the risk of it closing.
Some high-quality materials that you should invest in include:
- Stainless Steel: Used as the material of choice in surgeries, stainless steel is known for its antibacterial characteristics.
- Titanium: One of the most commonly used metals in the piercing industry, titanium is another great choice used by the medical community.
- Niobium: Niobium is heavier and more expensive than titanium, but can similarly be anodized with a color of your choice.
- Platinum: An expensive option that boasts similar antibacterial characteristics to stainless steel, titanium, and platinum.
- 14k Gold: Also expensive, 14k gold will need to be professionally serviced every now and then as it scratches easily.
Some low-quality materials that you should avoid include:
- Coated Metals: Coatings easily chip away and can become lodged in your new piercing. Once the coatings chip off, the exposed metal alloy can cause a reaction.
- Sterling Silver: Silver easily oxidizes and rusts. Rust in an open wound can lead to a blood infection.
New belly piercings can take anywhere from a couple of months to an entire year to completely heal. Picking a high-quality material will set you up for a quick and smooth healing process while minimizing the chance of infection. A neutral piercing will help you resist the urge to change your jewelry for matching purposes.
Old Belly Piercings
Belly piercings that have been with you for a while will take significantly longer to close. If your belly piercing has already completely healed, then it’s safe to switch out jewelry as you please. You should still aim to switch out your jewelry quickly and not waiting for an extended period of time to minimize your risk.
A business event or a family vacation may require you to take your piercing out for the day. If you’re piercing is completely healed, then you should be safe. Once you get back home or covered up, we recommend getting the piercing back in as soon as possible. Some women have reported their healed piercing closing as quickly as overnight!
Perhaps you’ve just grown out of your belly piercing and no longer want it. In this case, you’ll have to be patient as it can take anywhere from several weeks to several years. Be prepared that your piercing may not ever completely heal, but it will look better over time. A small bump or hole may still be present after several years.
To aid the closure of your belly piercing, you should apply a Vitamin E lotion or Moderna as part of your daily routine. After all, any piercing results in the formation of scar tissue. Scar cream or Vitamin E oil is proven to help minimize the appearance of these unwanted blemishes.
Salvaging a Closed Piercing
Don’t start panicking just yet if your belly piercing closed overnight. You may still be able to save it from closing off completely! There are some at-home fixes that you can try, but if those don’t work out, then you’ll have to visit your piercer. The most important thing here is to not force it and cause pain or an infection.
You can purchase a tool called a taper along with a tub of Vaseline. A taper is a spike-shaped metal rod that is smaller at the point and progressively larger towards the end. Tapers are commonly used to increase the size of gauges, but can also be used to reopen or stretch a closed belly piercing. Make sure to purchase a titanium or stainless steel taper to minimize the risk of infection.
Coat your taper with Vaseline and poke the pointy side into your freshly closed piercing. The Vaseline will help lubricate and prevent a painful pulling sensation. This technique should only be used if your piercing is not an open wound. Oftentimes, the skin doesn’t completely close over the hole and will just have to be stretched back out.
If you’re unable to get your taper through the hole without the use of excessive force or pain, then the hole may have healed over and you may need it re-pierced by a professional. Please don’t attempt to pierce your own belly as it could lead to an infection. It’s best to leave this to the professionals.
Plan Your Piercing
If you’re still living with your parents and will need to hide your belly piercing from them, then you should probably just wait until you live on your own. With a new belly piercing, you shouldn’t be swapping the jewelry in and out to hide it from your parents. It’s probably going to close when you’re swapping it anyway!
Avoid getting your belly pierced if you have any big plans in the near future such as a beach vacation. Chlorine and saltwater may irritate your belly piercing tempting you to take it out. Sunscreen and tanning oil may further irritate your piercing.
It’s best to get your belly pierced in the winter or when you’re most inactive. After all, who wears a belly shirt in the middle of winter? Let your new piercing heal all winter under your shirt so that it is completely healed and ready to flaunt in the summer.
In Summary
There are many scenarios in which an individual wants a belly piercing to close. There is an equal number of scenarios in the opposite direction of individuals who fear that their belly piercing will close. Whatever the reason being, it’s important to understand how long that hole will take to close.
New piercings can close in a matter of minutes. Trying to switch jewelry prematurely may not only cause your hole to close but may also lead to an infection. Choose a high-quality ring to minimize the risk of infection and a neutral color to eliminate the temptation to change your jewelry to match your outfit for a night out.
Old piercings that have already healed may take significantly longer to close. In fact, some piercings may never fully close at all. It’s important to be patient and assist in the healing process with Vitamin E lotion or scarring cream. Regardless, you will most likely be left with a small bump or scar once your belly piercing closes.