FAQs
Keep bad bacteria away. Aside from your daily soap and water cleanse, you'll also want to further clean the area 2 to 3 times daily for the first 6 or 12 weeks (again, depending on whether it's an earlobe or cartilage piercing) using an antibacterial solution to reduce your chances of infection.
Can I stop cleaning my ear piercing after 6 weeks? ›
We recommend using this solution at least three times daily during the initial healing period (6 weeks for an earlobe piercing and 12 weeks for a cartilage piercing). After the healing period has ended, we recommend that you continue using your ear care solution as needed to keep your new piercing and earrings clean.
What will happen if I change my piercing too early? ›
Unfortunately, you should be patient when thinking about changing the jewellery in a fresh piercing, as changing the jewellery too early can lead to infection, inflammation and even the piercing closing up.
How should a new ear piercing look? ›
It's normal to have some redness, swelling or pain for a couple of days after getting your ears pierced. But your ears should look and feel better each day. If you find that your ears do great and then suddenly start to become red, inflamed or crusty a week or two later, that's usually a sign of infection.
Is water enough to clean a new piercing? ›
The Aftercare: Keep it clean with water and saline solution or mild soap, avoid sleeping on your stomach, and be aware of any rigorous exercise that might irritate the hole. Keep in mind: This piercing is a slow heal, but only because the abdomen is a hot spot for movement.
Can you wash a new piercing too much? ›
The soap cleaning should be done once per day and salt soaks one to two times per day. As important as it is to clean piercings, you don't want to overdo it. Cleaning your piercing means touching your piercing, and too much touching will irritate it. This is especially true during the first couple of weeks of healing.
Should you clean the crust off my piercing? ›
DO NOT pick the crusties off—that's just introducing your dirty hands to a healing piercing and can increase your risk of infection. The best way to clean them is to soak the piercing in warm saline solution, softening the crusties which then come off easily.
How long do you have to use saline spray after piercing? ›
NeilMed and Arm&Hammer Simply Saline Wound Wash is recommended for cleaning your piercing 3-4 times a day for 4-6 months or longer, thoroughly spray both sides of your piercing, and gently push the jewelry back and forth as you continue to spray both sides of the hole to remove residue/build-up.
What happens if you don't clean your piercing for one day? ›
If you don't clean your piercing regularly, you could develop complications like infection, scarring, and inflammation, our experts explain. Additionally, the piercing could potentially take longer to heal. Keep in mind that some types of piercings are more likely to become infected than others.
How do I know if my ear piercing is healed? ›
It Takes 12 Months for a Piercing to Completely Heal
- The edges of the holes are smooth and pulled inwards. When the tissue connects inside there, the holes pull inward and look smooth.
- The earring moves freely and loosely without pulling the piercing in the direction you are rotating to.
Just like other piercings, there is a wait time before you can change your earrings after getting them done. This is to ensure that the piercing heals properly without any infection. After getting your earlobes pierced, the wait time is generally around 6 to 8 weeks. For cartilage piercings, it can be up to 12 weeks.
How do I know when my piercings are healed? ›
Typically, ear lobe piercings take around 4-6 months, while upper or inner ear piercings take between 6-12+ months to fully heal. You'll know your ear is healed once any discharge, swelling, redness, flaking, or soreness stops.
Should you wiggle a new piercing? ›
If you do rotate the piercing, this could introduce bacteria from the jewelry into the wound, causing irritation or even infection. It's best to just clean the piercing and jewelry thoroughly without actually moving it.
How do you sleep with a new ear piercing? ›
Avoid sleeping on your stomach, as it can put pressure on your ear, and cause discomfort. Try to sleep on your back or side instead.
What is the hardest piercing to heal? ›
Cartilage piercings are any piercings that go through the hard, non-bendy tissue, called cartilage, above your earlobe. Cartilage is much harder to pierce than the skin, so piercings usually take longer to heal.
How do you know when your ear piercing is healed? ›
Has My Piercing Healed?
- It stops hurting – piercings are often only tender to touch, or if they are knocked, in the first couple of weeks. ...
- I can change my jewellery – as a general rule jewellery should not be changed for the first 3 months. ...
- It looks good – most piercings look pretty good from the outset.
Week 8 – 12: Your pierced hole might be healed. Some signs to looks for is discharge completely ending, the pierced hole feeling smooth and the earring feeling loose and free.
How long do you have to spray saline piercings? ›
Instructions. NeilMed and Arm&Hammer Simply Saline Wound Wash is recommended for cleaning your piercing 3-4 times a day for 4-6 months or longer, thoroughly spray both sides of your piercing, and gently push the jewelry back and forth as you continue to spray both sides of the hole to remove residue/build-up.
How many times a day do you clean a new ear piercing? ›
Clean fresh piercing
As a reminder, if your ears are freshly pierced, you should clean the holes and the earrings twice a day. A fresh wound is more susceptible to bacterial infection, so you have to keep it super clean.
