Piercing through scar tissue is common for those looking to repierce an old site or place a new piercing over a healed injury. A scar is a patch of fibrous, dense tissue the body forms to repair a breach in the skin’s surface. This tissue replaces the normal, organized cellular structure with a less flexible, haphazardly arranged collection of cells and collagen. Whether the procedure is painful, safe, or possible depends entirely on the specific biological characteristics of the scar tissue.
The Science of Scar Tissue and Pain Perception
The immediate sensation of a piercing through scar tissue is unpredictable. Normal skin contains a dense network of nerve endings responsible for sensation. When an injury occurs, these nerve endings are often destroyed, leading to an area of reduced or completely absent sensation in the healed scar.
The nerves in the area will attempt to regenerate over time, but this process is rarely perfect. Some people experience a dull, numb feeling as the needle passes through, reporting the procedure as less painful than their original piercing. Conversely, if the regenerating nerve fibers become trapped or tangled within the dense collagen matrix, the area can become hypersensitive.
This misdirected nerve regrowth can result in neuropathic pain, causing a sharp, intense, or tingling sensation when the tissue is penetrated. The physical sensation is also different because of the tissue’s composition. Scar tissue is denser and less pliable than normal skin, meaning the piercer must exert more pressure to pass the needle through the tissue.
Evaluating Scar Suitability for Piercing
Piercing feasibility depends on a professional assessment of the tissue’s physical characteristics. Scar maturity is the primary consideration, with most piercers suggesting a minimum of one year before a scar is considered stable enough to pierce. A mature scar is generally pale, flat, and soft, indicating that the collagen remodeling phase is complete.
Piercing an immature scar, which may still be red, raised, or firm, significantly increases the risk of complications due to the ongoing healing process beneath the surface. The type of scar also plays a large role in its suitability. Flat, atrophic scars, which appear sunken due to a loss of underlying tissue, or small, healthy scars from retired piercings are typically the best candidates.
Conversely, hypertrophic scars, which are raised but remain within the boundary of the original wound, are less suitable due to their density and potential for recurrence. Keloid scars, which are firm, excessive growths extending beyond the original injury site, are often a contraindication. A qualified piercer must physically examine and manipulate the tissue to determine if it has the structural integrity and adequate thickness to support a healthy piercing channel.
Unique Healing Process and Potential Complications
Once the piercing is performed, the healing process in scar tissue is fundamentally different and often more challenging than in healthy skin. Scar tissue typically has a reduced vascular network, meaning it receives less blood supply than normal tissue. Since blood delivers the oxygen, nutrients, and immune cells necessary for wound repair, this diminished supply leads to significantly delayed healing times.
The compromised tissue structure also increases the risk of the body treating the jewelry as a foreign object, leading to migration or rejection. Migration occurs when the body slowly pushes the jewelry toward the surface, a process that is easier in the less resilient scar tissue.
Piercing trauma can also stimulate the overproduction of collagen, potentially triggering the recurrence or worsening of a hypertrophic scar. For individuals genetically predisposed to keloid formation, the new injury creates a high risk of developing a new keloid at the site. Due to these risks, aftercare for piercings through scar tissue must be meticulous and prolonged compared to a standard piercing.