Piercing professionals recommend wearing only piercing studs in your newly pierced ear lobes for six to eight weeks. This will give the piercings time to heal and strengthen. After this time the original studs can be removed and heavier, dangling earrings can be worn.
Some Piercings May Take Even Longer to Heal
While piercings through the fleshy lobe of the ear can require six to eight weeks to heal properly, piercings through the cartilage of the ear can take two to three times longer to fully heal.
Bottom Line
For a traditional piercing made in the fleshy lower lobe of the ear, a period of six to eight weeks should allow sufficient healing time. After this period the original studs inserted directly after the piercing can be safely removed and replaced with larger, dangling earrings if you wish.