The length of time you should keep your initial earrings in depends on the piercing location and your healing progress. For earlobe piercings, you can typically change earrings after two months, and for cartilage piercings, after six months, provided there are no complications. If you're experiencing issues, it's best to leave them in longer. Piercings take about two years to fully heal, so be mindful that they can close quickly if left out before that time. If you need to remove your jewelry for medical reasons, consider using plastic retainers to keep the piercing open.