How to Care for Newly Pierced Ears

Co-authored by Roger Rodriguez

Last Updated: December 16, 2024 Approved

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It's important to take good care of your newly pierced ears so they’ll heal properly. Clean your ears twice a day while they heal and avoid handling your piercings when you don't have to. Be gentle with your piercings to avoid injury or infection and enjoy your new fashion statement!

Things You Should Know

Professional body piercer David Wilkins says to clean your new piercing “twice a day with saline” solution. Leave your starter piercings in your ears to heal for at least 4-6 weeks. During this time, sleep “flat on your back” or use a “doughnut-shaped pillow” and avoid swimming.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cleaning the Piercings

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Wash your hands with antibacterial soap before touching your ears. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly right before handling your earrings. This will prevent you from transferring bacteria to your ears with your fingers. Use an antibacterial soap to ensure that your hands are as clean as possible.^{[1]
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American Academy of Dermatology
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- Lather your hands with soap and wash them for a full 10-15 seconds to kill germs.
Lather a mild soap between your fingers until it is foamy. Gently rub the soap onto the front and back of your piercings. Carefully wipe your ears with a clean, wet cloth to remove the soap.^{[2]
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Use a saline cleaning solution as an alternative to soap and water. Ask your piercer to recommend a sea salt-based cleanser to care for your newly pierced ears. This will clean your piercings without over-drying the skin. Swab the front and back of your piercings with the cotton ball or swab saturated in the cleaning solution.^{[3]
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- There is no need to rinse your ears after applying the saline solution.
Disinfecting your ear piercings will cut down the chance of infection and speed up the healing process. Dab rubbing alcohol or antibiotic ointment to your ears with a cotton ball or swab.^{[4]
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HealthyChildren.org
Health information from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Go to source} Discontinue this after a few days, as prolonged of these treatments can dry the sites of your piercings and make it harder for them to heal.^{[5]
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Rotate the earrings gently while the skin is still wet. Grasp the back of your earrings and rotate them carefully right after cleaning the area. This will prevent the piercings from closing too tightly around the jewelry while they heal. You should only do this while your ears are still wet.^{[6]
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- Twisting your new piercings when your skin is dry may cause it to crack and bleed, resulting in a longer healing time.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Avoiding Injury and Infection

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Leave your starter earrings in your ears for at least 4-6 weeks. When you first get your ears pierced, the piercing technician inserts starter earrings. These earrings are made from hypo-allergenic materials that are safe to keep in your ears. Leave them in your ears both day and night for at least 4 weeks or your piercings may close or heal improperly.
- The hypo-allergenic earrings should be made of surgical stainless steel, titanium, niobium, or 14- or 18-karat gold.^{[7]
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- If you get a cartilage ear piercing, you will need to leave the starter jewelry in for 3-5 months while it heals fully.^{[8]
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Unnecessary handling of your piercings can lead to infection. Avoid touching them unless you are cleaning or inspecting them. If you do need to touch them, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water first.^{[9]
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Swimming can lead to a transfer of bacteria to your new piercings, resulting in an infection. Steer clear of pools, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water while your ears are healing. If you use a hot tub, avoid submerging your body deep enough in the water to get your ears wet.^{[10]
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Be careful with items of clothing that could snag on your earrings. Keep your clothing away from your earrings while they heal. Pulling or friction can cause irritation and slow down the healing process. Avoid wearing hats that cover your ears and be careful when getting dressed and undressed to avoid injury.^{[11]
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- If you wear a veil, choose a fabric that won't snag easily. Try to wear very loose veils and avoid wearing the same veil multiple times without washing it.
5
See a doctor if you notice signs of infection that last several days. If your ears are painful and swollen a week or more after you get them pierced, they may be infected. Visit your doctor to have them checked if you notice pus or thick, dark discharge. Infected skin around the piercings will also likely be red or deep pink in color.^{[12]
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- Serious piercing infections may require drainage and oral antibiotics.

Quick Tips

Care Guidelines for New Ear Piercings

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do you clean a new ear piercing?

Roger Rodriguez
Piercing Specialist
Roger Rodriguez, also known as Roger Rabb!t, is the Owner of Ancient Adornments Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the Los Angeles, California area. With over 25 years of piercing experience, Roger has become the co-owner of several piercing studios such as ENVY Body Piercing and Rebel Rebel Ear Piercing and teaches the craft of body piercing at Ancient Adornments. He is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP).

Roger Rodriguez

Piercing Specialist

Expert Answer

The best way to take care of a piercing is to make sure you're hydrated, eating well, and cleaning your piercing regularly with a wound wash or saline solution. You can usually buy these at a piercing studio. Generally, these will either be a mist or spray that you put on your piercing. The solution will loosen any debris that you have in the piercing and it will make it naturally fall off.

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Question

How long will it take for my piercing to heal?

Roger Rodriguez
Piercing Specialist
Roger Rodriguez, also known as Roger Rabb!t, is the Owner of Ancient Adornments Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the Los Angeles, California area. With over 25 years of piercing experience, Roger has become the co-owner of several piercing studios such as ENVY Body Piercing and Rebel Rebel Ear Piercing and teaches the craft of body piercing at Ancient Adornments. He is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP).

Roger Rodriguez

Piercing Specialist

Expert Answer

On average, it takes about six to eight weeks for an ear lobe piercing to heal. Piercings on the cartilage, including your upper ear and your nose, can take anywhere from three to six months. For these piercings, it depends on the amount of work that you're doing to keep them clean and how many piercings you're getting.

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Question

How can I make sure my piercing heals properly?

Roger Rodriguez
Piercing Specialist
Roger Rodriguez, also known as Roger Rabb!t, is the Owner of Ancient Adornments Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the Los Angeles, California area. With over 25 years of piercing experience, Roger has become the co-owner of several piercing studios such as ENVY Body Piercing and Rebel Rebel Ear Piercing and teaches the craft of body piercing at Ancient Adornments. He is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP).

Roger Rodriguez

Piercing Specialist

Expert Answer

Make sure to get your piercing done at a reputable studio. You should also be aware of the materials you are using, which can include antegrade steel and antigrade titanium.

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Tips

Wear your hair up to avoid getting it caught in your piercings.

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Brush and comb your hair carefully to avoid snagging your piercings.

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If your cartilage piercing is causing you pain, try to sleep on the opposite side to avoid putting pressure on it.

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