remember, the piercing may not be fully healed even if it looks like it is. piercings heal from the out-side to the in-side, so even if the outside looks healed it may not be completely healed all the way through. ear lobe piercings generally take anywhere from 6-8 weeks, and ear cartilage can take 4-8 months. (the tongue heals the fastest out of the body piercings, 4-6 weeks). the more you mess with it the longer it will take to heal.