If you fail to include cleaning the piercing as part of your daily hygiene routine, normal but smelly bodily secretions may accumulate. A piercing may seem healed before healing is complete. This is because piercings heal from the outside in and while the piercing feels healed, the tissue on the inside remains fragile.
Not cleaning your earrings often can lead to grimy, infected holes when the dirty earrings introduce bacteria into your piercing. Moreover, dirt and grime can cause your beautiful studs to lose their shine and become discoloured.
Cleaning Solutions
If sterile saline is not available, a sea salt solution mixture can be a viable alternative. Dissolve 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon (. 75 to 1.42 grams) of non-iodised (iodine-free) sea salt into one cup ( 250 ml) of warm distilled or bottled water.
New piercings should typically be cleaned twice daily. (Frequency also depends on your skin type, your daily activities and environment, and what piercing you are trying to heal.) You should continue this cleaning routine for the entire healing period.
We suggest cleaning no more than once a day. On average, most piercings will need to be cleaned over the next 3-4 months (unless otherwise stated by your piercer). It is vital that you do not over-clean the piercing. If it has been longer than four months, do not clean the piercing anymore.
Handle your piercing ONLY after washing your hands, and ONLY when it is being cleaned. Be sure to follow the cleaning directions outlined in the information below. Overcleaning can slow healing and cause irritation. Overcleaning is just as bad as undercleaning.
-Avoid using cotton or q-tips to clean your piercing. These fibers can get wrapped around your jewelry and harbor bacteria, which can cause infection.
Symptoms of piercing rejection
more of the jewelry becoming visible on the outside of the piercing. the piercing remaining sore, red, irritated, or dry after the first few days. the jewelry becoming visible under the skin. the piercing hole appearing to be getting larger.
To ensure the healing process goes as smoothly as possible, wash your hands before touching your piercing or jewelry. Don't soak your piercing in water (other than a saline solution) until it fully healed.
It's best to just clean the piercing and jewelry thoroughly without actually moving it. Rinse the piercing and jewelry several times with warm water, ensuring that all soap has been removed. Dry your piercing with a clean paper towel and then dispose of it.
Piercing aftercare begins 24 hours after your ears are pierced and will occur 2-3 times per day and continue for several weeks. This timeline is different depending on where in the ear you get pierced; your nurse will give you the specific timeline appropriate for your piercing.
To clean use warm water with a cleansing agent of antibacterial soap. (ie, Phisoderm, Bactine, or liquid antibacterial soaps such as Dial, Lever 2000, or Softsoap) and avoid perfumed products. Dilute 50/50 with water if irritation occurs.
It can get infected if you don't clean it properly for the healing period. By cleaning I mean soaking in a warm sea salt saline solution. You should not use antibacterial soaps unless recommended by your piercer.
Gently wash your piercings with a mild, fragrance-free soap and water at least once a day. Thoroughly rinse your piercings after washing them.
Avoid baths, hot tubs, swimming pools, saunas, lakes, etc. for the first three weeks after being pierced as they contain bacteria which can increase the risk of infection.
Surface piercings have the highest rejection rate. Surface piercings such as microdermals as well as eyebrow piercings and navel piercings reject the most because they are closest to the surface of the skin.
Surface piercings such as eyebrows, neck, nipple and wrist tend to be rejected more easily than other piercings. That's because they do not travel directly through the body, but rather along an area of skin because the jewellery is puncturing only a small amount of the skin's surface.
Cotton swabs – these are ideal for cleaning your new piercing. We don't recommend cotton balls because they are harder to use in small spaces and their fibers can get caught and tug your new earrings. Small carrying case – pack a small zip case with after ear piercing supplies for on-the-go cleaning.
Don't touch your healing piercings unless you have CLEAN disinfected hands! Twisting your piercing can also cause it to become irritated, inflamed, and could cause the piercing to migrate or heal crooked! If you need help finding a professional piercer, see this blog.
You'll know your ear is healed once any discharge, swelling, redness, flaking, or soreness stops. In general, your piercing should continue to feel better with time and a consistent aftercare routine!
Earlobe Piercing
Earlobe piercings are the most standard, comfortable, and fastest healing type you can get.