When choosing the earring to get pierced with, make sure you are choosing sterile, surgical grade stainless steel, plastic, titanium, or 14k gold. We suggest avoiding white gold for initial piercings (or freshly pierced ears) as they may contain traces of nickel.
Stick with either the solid gold or 100% implant grade titanium or biocompatible stainless steel to prevent irritation on your fresh piercing. Any plated jewelry or other materials should be introduced only after your piercing has fully healed.
Surgical-grade titanium, 14-karat gold, 18-karat gold, niobium, and surgical-grade stainless steel are commonly recommended for starter earrings and new piercings due to their hypoallergenic properties and compatibility with healing piercings.
Another term you may hear to describe piercing earrings is “starter earrings” since these stud style earrings are kept in the ear while the new piercing heals.
In general, studs are recommended for healing piercings. Hoops and dangling jewellery pieces do not always stay in place and can complicate the healing process. You can change to a different piece after 2 to 4 months if your piercing is in the lobe and after 6 to 12 months for cartilage piercings.
Not recommended for initial piercings: Although 925 sterling silver is hypoallergenic, it is generally not recommended for use in initial piercings because it can prolong the healing process and increase the risk of complications.
Lobe piercing
Lobe piercings are the most common ear piercing — they are situated in the soft and fleshy region of the ear called the lobule. Depending on the size and shape of your lobes — everyone's are different! — you can get one or multiple piercings in this zone.
“For an earlobe piercing, most of the healing takes place within six weeks, at which time the starter earring can be changed out to another nickel-free piece of jewelry,” Sarah Lacy, RN, senior manager of piercing research and innovation at the piercing studio Rowan, tells SELF.
For ear piercings, it is recommended to wait 6-8 weeks before attempting to change your earring. This is recommended as 6-8 weeks is the length of time that it takes for a piercing to heal.
Don't touch a new piercing or twist the jewelry unless you're cleaning it. Keep clothing away from the piercing, too. Excessive rubbing or friction can irritate your skin and delay healing. Keep the jewelry in place.
Once your healing period has ended, it's time to change your starter earrings! For earlobe piercings, we recommend you continue wearing light stud-style earrings for at least six months. For cartilage pierces, we recommend stud style earrings for 12 months.
One of the most common metals used in body jewellery, surgical stainless steel Jewellery is ideal for first piercings, as it's particularly durable and doesn't tend to react with bodily fluids - which is what causes infections.
And the first pair of earrings should be 18K or 14K yellow gold, surgical steel or platinum posts with screw-on backs rather than the more common push-on backs. It's too easy for a push-on back to loosen in the crib, and then both it and the earring itself become choking hazards.
Some earrings are called hypoallergenic because the nickel in their posts are coated with another material, but over time, the coating can come off, and repeated wear may still irritate your ears. The best earrings for sensitive ears are generally made with gold, platinum, or silver.
But according to Faris, solid 14K and 18K gold jewelry works well for first-time piercings. "Unlike lower-end gold-plated options, these materials won't degrade over time, [even] when introduced to moisture from sweat or showering," explains Faris.
Light, Small Hoops
We're seeing lots of huge hoop earrings these days, but you will want to hold off on those for at least 6 months after your healing period. Thankfully, small hoops are always in style and recommended for newly-pierced ears.
If you change your earring before six weeks, it can cause the hole to close up. This is because the earring keeps the hole open, and when you remove it, it will start healing. Therefore, waiting at least six weeks before changing your earring is important, so the hole does not close.
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. With this type of infection, jewelry generally does not have to be taken out.
While you shouldn't feel more than a pinch when the needle goes through your ear with lobe piercings, the sensation from a cartilage piercings are known to be a little stronger, initially feeling a sharp shock before experiencing a duller throbbing pain. Albeit mild and over in a flash.
The standard lobe placement is most individuals' first piercing. These piercings arguably rate the lowest on the pain scale compared to other common placements. Because there is no cartilage on the earlobe, these piercings will heal fairly quickly – within approximately six to eight weeks after your session.
The ideal age for ear piercing varies depending on cultural and individual preferences. Some families pierce their newborn's ears as a cultural tradition. Others prefer to wait until their child expresses an interest in ear piercing, which usually occurs around the age of 7-10 years.