I got a question from a woman I performed a triangle piercing on:
Hello Elayne,
It has almost been 5 weeks since I got my triangle piercing, and everything is healing up fine. I was wondering how much longer I needed to wait until I gauge it up to a 10?Thanks again so much, so far I really love this piercing!
K.
Hi K.
I'm so glad to hear that you are healing well and enjoying your piercing.
This is from my book, The Piercing Bible:
When to Stretch
Human tissue varies considerably, so there is no set timetable that is correct for stretch-
ing each type of piercing. In fact, it is possible to have a pair of matching piercings with
one side that stretches easily and the other that just won’t give.
Before attempting any expansion, it is safest to wait a minimum of two to three
times the duration your piercing took to heal. For quick-mending areas, doubling the
initial healing period is sometimes sufficient, but the longer your healing period, the
more extended your delay should be before gauging up.
After stretching to a thicker gauge, you generally need to let the tissue recuperate
and stabilize for a minimum of several months before attempting to fit in the next one.
The gauge measurements become progressively bigger, so the stretch from 14 to 12
gauge isn’t sizable (.43 mm), but going from 4 up to 2 gauge is a significant jump (1.36
mm). The larger you go, the longer you usually need to wait between stretches. This is
due to the escalating size differences between gauges, and also because the tissue often
becomes more difficult to expand as you strain its capacity.
The type of jewelry you wear is another factor to consider. A metal ring or other style
with added weight helps you by passively enlarging your piercing. Plugs, eyelets, and
other lightweight jewelry styles do not cause any stretching over time, so you may need
to wait longer before you are ready to gauge up.
Therefore, I'd suggest you wait at least 4 months or longer before stretching up your triangle. Since the minimum healing time is 2 months, then that would be double the minimum initial healing time. If you feel that your piercing takes longer than two months to heal, then you should delay your stretching accordingly.
