The Importance of Downsizing
What is Downsizing?
One of the most common phrases you may hear from your piercer after getting a new piercing is “Be sure to come back in for a downsize!” This is because it is crucial for a fresh piercing to have extra room on the jewelry to accommodate swelling - this is in order to avoid uncomfortable pinching or the jewelry actually becoming embedded inside the piercing channel. While we allow extra space on the jewelry for your safety, once your swelling has gone down your jewelry may then be too big. Wearing well fitted jewelry allows your piercing to have the best chance to stay healthy over time. Here we will be discussing the WHY behind your downsize & breaking down the important factors and risks involved if your jewelry is never downsized.
Jewelry that is too large increases the risk of migration. You may have heard the term “Migration/Migrating” when referring to body piercings before. This can happen when your body starts using the additional length on your jewelry as a leverage to push against the piercing from a different angle. The pressure causes it to shift and settle in a way that may not only look crooked, but can also harm the piercing. To avoid this, it’s important to ensure the jewelry stays fitted to your anatomy once your swelling has gone down.
Jewelry with extra room is more prone to snagging and catching. Another benefit of keeping your jewelry fitted is that you will be able to lessen the risk of your jewelry getting caught on things like clothing, bedding, towels, and hair. Why is this a big deal? Because trauma to the piercing through increases the risk of irritation bumps, migration, rejection, and even infections being that irritated piercings are more vulnerable. Body jewelry is not one size fits all, so if you see that additional length on your jewelry it's time to come in and get something better fitted to your anatomy!
Timing is key, as downsizing too early or too late can be problematic. After getting a new piercing you will notice initially that the jewelry may seem long, and overnight your body will swell up to the length of the post. Over the course of the next few days to weeks, you will notice that you are able to see the additional length on the post again. This may happen sooner than we typically suggest for a downsize (usually 2-4 weeks after the piercing, depending on the placement) but if we change out your jewelry too early it may be susceptible to swelling up again. Similarly, if it appears your swelling has only partially subsided, we may suggest giving it a little more time so you don’t to come back for a second downsizing and purchase even more jewelry later. If you believe your piercing is ready to be downsized be sure to get a consultation with a professional to confirm it’s ready.
Is YOUR piercing ready for a downsize? Book an appointment for a jewelry change and we will verify if the time is right and get that jewelry fitted for you so your piercing will stay happy and healthy!
