The best piercing aftercare involves cleaning 1-2 times daily with sterile saline spray, rinsing well in the shower, and gently drying with non-woven gauze or paper towel, keeping hands off, avoiding harsh chemicals (alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Dettol, strong soaps), and maintaining overall health (sleep, nutrition) for optimal healing. Don't rotate the jewelry unless necessary for cleaning; let water/saline irrigate, pat dry, and avoid baths, pools, or touching with dirty hands to prevent infection.
Rinse under running water or use a peri-cleanse bottle (available over the counter in most drug stores); it has a squirt top which is ideal for rinsing the area. Urine may irritate the area but usually does not cause infection. Keep the new piercing clean. Never touch it with dirty hands.
The "2:3 piercing rule" is a curated ear guideline suggesting that for every two piercings, you should have three units of space between them, aiming for a balanced look, often by placing two piercings on the lobe and three on the upper cartilage, or by using larger jewelry at the bottom (lobes) and smaller pieces (studs/huggies) as you go up the ear for a cascading, uncluttered aesthetic. It's a styling tip, not a strict rule, for creating harmonious ear stacks.
Clean your piercing consistently. Consider taking a multivitamin. Multivitamins containing Zinc and Vitamin C can boost your body's healing abilities. Sickness, stress, and fatigue will negatively affect the healing of your piercing.
Things to Avoid:
What piercings reject the most? 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.
Yes, you can and should take a shower. However, it is important to make sure that you do not clean the piercing directly with soap or shampoo while showering. For body piercings, you should use a pH-neutral shower gel and make sure that nothing but water comes into contact with it.
Go Slow and Be Gentle
Start by gently twisting the earring back and forth instead of trying to push it straight through. The twisting motion will help gradually reopen the hole without causing too much strain on the tissue. If you feel any resistance, stop and try again later.
The snug piercing is notoriously difficult to heal and requires a very specific type of ear to heal as a sustainable piercing. The snug piercing is located on the vertical ridge of cartilage that sits above the anti-tragus on one's ear.
Piercing guns essentially punch a hole through the tissue using blunt force. In contrast, hollow piercing needles separate the tissue in a more gentle way. This blunt force can cause excessive bleeding, shearing of the piercing channel, and more tissue trauma than a hollow needle.
A nose piercing typically ranks around a 5-7 out of 10 on the pain scale, feeling like a sharp pinch or sting, but it varies greatly by placement (nostril vs. septum) and individual pain tolerance, with septum piercings often less painful if the "sweet spot" is found, while high nostril piercings can be more intense but heal differently.
4. Leave the ear piercing studs in the ear lobe for 6 weeks before replacing with earrings.
THE LOVISA PIERCING EXPERIENCE
We offer free ear piercing and nose piercing services in selected stores, with the purchase of a piercing stud. Our team of expert professional piercers will take you through the piercing process, from piercing placement to choosing jewellery and piercing aftercare.
In the past, it was recommended to rotate your piercing regularly. It was said that would keep the jewelry from sticking to your skin. That's not recommended anymore. “It's better to wait until the healing process is well underway, which may be weeks to months, before purposefully spinning a piercing,” Dr.
The Importance of Proper Piercing Aftercare
The APP recommends using sterile saline solutions specifically designed for wound care. They advise against using harsh chemicals, alcohol, and antibacterial and synthetic soaps that can over-dry and irritate the healing tissue.
WHAT IS The APP? The Association of Professional Piercers (APP) is an international health and safety organization. It is a nonprofit voluntary alliance dedicated to the dissemination of information about body piercing.
The rarest piercings often involve extreme locations, custom jewelry, or complex procedures, with contenders like the Rhino piercing (vertical through the nose tip), Uvula piercing (back of the throat), Achilles Heel piercing (between ankle bone and tendon), and the custom-made Mad Max (two connected surface piercings) being extremely uncommon due to skill needed, healing challenges, or unique requirements, making them stand out from even unique options like floating navels or septills, notes PierceBody and Monster Piercing.
Of all the body sites commonly pierced, the navel is the most likely to become infected because of its shape. Infections can often be treated with good skin hygiene and antibiotic medications.
A piercing is rejecting when your body pushes the jewelry out, signaled by signs like the jewelry moving from its original spot, the tissue thinning and becoming see-through, the hole getting bigger, prolonged redness/irritation, or the jewelry hanging differently. Key indicators are the skin between the entrance and exit holes shrinking, the jewelry becoming more visible under the skin, and the skin looking shiny, dry, or flaky, meaning your body perceives the jewelry as a foreign object.
The "3-2 piercing rule" is a popular guideline for creating a balanced ear piercing arrangement, suggesting three piercings on the lobe and two on the upper cartilage for a harmonious, curated look, or applying a 2:3 ratio of piercings to space for overall balance, often pairing small studs with statement pieces for a chic, "undone" style that avoids overcrowding and emphasizes personal anatomy.
Starter earrings are the first earrings worn in the initial healing period of fresh ear piercings. While the fancy dangle earrings and statement earrings can wait, it's crucial to take proper care and opt for skin-safe and lightweight starter earrings, considering the sore and sensitive condition of newly-pierced ears.
Avoid all oral contact, rough play, and contact with others' bodily fluids on or near your piercing during healing. Avoiding things like excessive stress, drug use, excessive caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are suggested as they can prolong the healing process.
Excessively picking your piercing crust can cause irritation to your new piercing and also transfer bacteria… Did you see how perfectly healed the skin underneath the crust was because it had been left?! Crusties should wash away on their own in the shower or with your daily piercing clean without the need to pick!
Clean Twice Daily: Use saline solution to clean the area gently. Spray directly or use a cotton pad soaked in saline. Protect the Area: Avoid bumping or snagging your piercing on clothes or bedding. Avoid Makeup and Skincare Products: Keep lotions, creams, and makeup away from the piercing.
Your piercing might be infected if: