When a new piercing is performed, the initial jewelry is usually slightly longer to allow room for normal swelling. Once that swelling has gone down, the original post may become longer than necessary.

Downsizing means replacing that initial post with a shorter, properly fitted one. A better fit can make the piercing more comfortable and reduce unnecessary movement, snagging and irritation while the piercing continues to heal.

At The Piercing Place, downsizing is generally recommended after a minimum of six weeks, depending on the type of piercing and how your body is healing.

Six weeks does not necessarily mean your piercing is completely healed. It simply means that enough of the initial swelling may have subsided for your piercer to determine whether a shorter post is appropriate.

Because every piercing heals differently, we recommend having one of our professional piercers assess your piercing before changing the jewelry.

Yes. Your first standard downsize is free at The Piercing Place after a minimum of six weeks, provided your piercing is ready to be downsized.

We consider downsizing an important part of professional piercing aftercare. Bring your downsize card with you, and one of our piercers can check the piercing and determine whether it's ready for a shorter post.

Leaving an unnecessarily long post in a piercing can allow the jewelry to move around more than necessary. Longer jewelry may also be more likely to catch on clothing, towels, hair or other objects.

For some piercings, excessive movement and pressure can contribute to irritation or affect how comfortably the piercing continues to heal.

Properly fitted jewelry is an important part of maintaining a healthy, comfortable piercing.

Once a piercing is fully healed, many types of body jewelry can be changed at home. However, changing jewelry too early can disturb the healing channel and potentially cause irritation or other complications.

If you're unsure whether your piercing is ready, don't guess. Visit The Piercing Place in Markham, and one of our piercers can assess it and help change your jewelry safely.

That depends on the piercing and how well it is healing. A piercing can look healed on the outside before the tissue inside has completely healed.

If you want a new style, colour or piece of jewelry before you're certain the piercing has fully healed, come see us first. We can check the piercing and let you know whether changing or upgrading your jewelry is appropriate.

Absolutely. Downsizing is a great opportunity to give your piercing a new look.

We carry a selection of high-quality titanium piercing jewelry in different styles and designs. When you return for your downsize, you can keep things simple or ask your piercer about upgrading your jewelry to something that better suits your personal style.

In many cases, yes. However, our piercers may need to inspect the jewelry first to make sure that the material, size, style and quality are appropriate for your piercing.

We won't install jewelry that we believe could compromise the health of your piercing. If your existing jewelry isn't suitable, we can help you select an appropriate piece of high-quality titanium body jewelry from our studio.

Contact us as soon as possible. Even established piercings can sometimes begin to shrink or close surprisingly quickly once the jewelry has been removed.

Do not force jewelry back through a piercing if it isn't going in easily. This can damage the tissue. Come to The Piercing Place and let one of our professional piercers determine whether the jewelry can be safely reinserted.

Absolutely. Creating a curated ear is about more than simply adding more piercings. Placement, anatomy, jewelry size, style and the relationship between existing piercings all contribute to the finished look.

Our piercers can help you plan an ear stack using lobe, helix, flat, conch, tragus and other ear piercings, then help you select titanium jewelry that works together to create a look that's uniquely yours.