Piercing Aftercare

Wash

Wash your hands thoroughly before cleaning or touching your piercing. Otherwise, leave it alone.

Saline

Spray the piercing with sterile saline wound wash once or twice daily, or as directed by your piercer.

The ingredients should list 0.9% sodium chloride and purified water only. Do not use contact-lens solution, eye drops, nasal spray, homemade salt water, or products containing moisturisers, antibacterial agents or other additives.

Spray directly onto the piercing where possible. For awkward placements, clean disposable gauze or a cotton swab saturated with saline may be used gently. Do not scrub or force anything beneath the jewellery.

Rinse and Dry

Rinse gently with clean running water while showering. Allow crust to soften, then remove only what comes away easily. Do not pick at dry crust.

Pat dry with clean disposable gauze or fresh paper towel. Avoid cloth towels, as they can harbour bacteria, leave fibres behind and catch on jewellery.

Do Not Overclean

Cleaning more often or more aggressively will not make the piercing heal faster. Overcleaning can cause dryness, irritation and prolonged healing.

Initially

• A small amount of bleeding
• Localised swelling
• Tenderness or bruising
• Mild warmth
• Redness or darker discolouration around the piercing

During Healing

• Mild itching
• Tenderness that gradually improves
• A small amount of pale or whitish-yellow fluid
• Light crust forming on the jewellery
• Tissue tightening slightly around the jewellery
• Occasional mild irritation after the piercing has seemed settled

Normal healing fluid should not be excessive, thick, green, grey or strongly unpleasant-smelling.

A piercing may appear healed before healing is complete. Piercings heal from the outside inward, so the internal channel may remain fragile even when the outside feels comfortable.

Once Healed

Jewellery may not move freely inside the piercing. Do not force it. Continue cleaning healed piercings as part of normal hygiene.

Even long-established piercings can shrink or close quickly when jewellery is removed. Do not leave the piercing empty if you wish to keep it.

Leave the Jewellery Alone

Unless there is a problem with its size, style or material, leave the initial jewellery in place. Do not change healing jewellery yourself.

Return for Downsizing

Many piercings are initially fitted with longer jewellery to allow for swelling. Once swelling has settled, the jewellery may need to be professionally replaced with a shorter piece.

Jewellery that remains too long can catch, move excessively and contribute to irritation or changes in the piercing angle. Your piercer should perform any downsizing required during healing.

Keep Contact Surfaces Clean

Wash and change bedding regularly. Clean anything that touches or comes close to the piercing, including phones, headphones, earbuds, glasses, helmets, hats, scarves and hair tools.

Exercise and Clothing

Exercise and sweating are generally fine. Avoid activities that place pressure on the piercing, repeatedly move it or risk it being struck or caught.

Wear clean, comfortable clothing that does not rub, press on or catch the jewellery.

Do not use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, antibacterial soap, harsh or fragranced soap, tea tree oil, essential oils, pierced-ear cleaning solutions, creams, ointments, cosmetics, lotions or sprays on a healing piercing unless prescribed by a qualified healthcare professional.

Avoid:

• Twisting, spinning or rotating the jewellery
• Playing with the jewellery or picking crust
• Vigorous or excessive cleaning
• Pressure or friction from clothing
• Sleeping directly on the piercing
• Rough physical contact
• Oral contact or another person’s bodily fluids
• Hanging charms or other objects from healing jewellery
• Makeup, skincare, hair products or fake tan near the piercing

Adequate sleep, nutrition and general health support healing. Minimise nicotine and heavy alcohol use while the piercing is healing.

Avoid submerging a healing piercing in swimming pools, hot tubs, spas, lakes, rivers, the ocean or baths. These environments may expose it to bacteria, chemicals or other contaminants.

Showering is preferable to bathing. If the piercing is accidentally submerged, rinse it thoroughly with clean running water afterward.

Do not sleep directly on a healing ear or cartilage piercing. Pressure can cause irritation and may alter the angle of the piercing.

A travel pillow can help. Place it on top of your normal pillow and rest your ear inside the opening.

Keep pillowcases, phones, headphones, glasses, helmets, hats and anything else touching the area clean.

Contact your piercer promptly if:

• The jewellery feels too tight or begins sinking into the skin
• The jewellery remains excessively long after swelling settles
• The piercing angle appears to be changing
• The skin between the openings appears to be thinning
• The piercing repeatedly develops an irritation bump
• Redness, tenderness or discharge is not gradually improving
• The jewellery falls out or becomes damaged

Do not force jewellery back through a closing or painful piercing channel. A piercer can assess jewellery fit, placement, irritation and migration, but cannot diagnose or medically treat an infection.

Medical and Dental Procedures

Tell your healthcare provider about your piercing before a medical, dental or imaging procedure. If metal jewellery must be removed, contact your piercer beforehand to discuss a suitable retainer.

If You No Longer Want the Piercing

Have the jewellery removed by your piercer where possible, then continue gentle cleaning until the opening has closed. A small mark or scar may remain.

Do not remove jewellery solely because you suspect infection. Seek medical advice first.