Cheek Piercings?

Let me preface this by saying I am not a professional. I have worked at a piercing studio for a few months, so I have more knowledge then the average person, but I do not actually pierce people. I have had multiple piercings, and I had my cheeks in for well over a year, and took them out a year and a half ago.
If you have any questions that I did not cover...let me know! I will certainly answer anything. These are just the questions I get on a daily basis.


1. Did those hurt?
-Yes! They really did hurt. I could feel the needle going through my skin, and it was painful.
2. Do they leave scars?
-Yes, mine are extremely obvious, in fact. Actually, mine are still open and I don't think they will ever close.
3. How long did they take to heal?
-6+ months! Seriously, my cheeks didn't completely heal for 6-7 months. I took antibiotics for the first months because I was scared of an infection. It never got infected, but they swelled up so badly that I went and got longer bars put in. Some people never can heal theirs, and take them out because they are hard upkeep.
4. What gauge needle are they pierced with?
-Mine were pierced at a 14 gauge, but they are currently at 18.

Here are two pictures from when I still had mine in.