What to Expect

 

Initially, you may experience some bleeding, swelling, tenderness, or bruising. During the healing process, expect discolor, itching, and a whitish-yellow fluid that can crust around the jewelry. Remember, a piercing may feel healed on the outside while still being delicate inside, so maintain cleanliness and patience throughout the healing period. Once healed, avoid forcing the jewelry, and incorporate cleaning into your hygiene routine to prevent any accumulation of bumps or infections. Even those that have healed, can shrink or close quickly, so, it's essential to keep jewelry in place.

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Cleaning Options

 

You can wash your piercing with anti-bacterial soap and water, wound wash, or saline solution. Whichever you choose, you will first want to wash your hands thoroughly. It's important not to introduce any bacteria to the piercing because it's an open wound that is vulnerable to infection. So it's crucial to never touch your piercing or jewelry with dirty hands. We do not recommend using anti-bacterial soap consistently after the first week. Overuse of the product can cause blisters, dryness oor irritation.

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Heal Time

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It’s important to understand the healing process of ear piercings, as it varies depending on the type and location of the piercing. Earlobes typically heal in 6 to 8 weeks, while cartilage piercings can take anywhere from months to a year. Remember, while the outer part of the piercing may appear healed, the interior may still be, so patience is key. To care for your piercing, clean the area two to three times daily with a saline solution, wound wash, or a gentle, fragrance-free soap, ensuring to rinse and dry it properly with sterile.

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Concerns

 

A piercing makes an opening in a part of the body where you can wear jewelry. All piercings carry a risk of health problems developing afterward. Those risks include:

• Allergic reactions. Some jewelry used with a piercing can cause allergic reactions. That's especially true for jewelry made of nickel.

• Skin infections. An infection can cause redness, pain and swelling after a piercing. A fluid that looks like pus also may come out of the pierced hole when there's an infection.

• Other skin problems. Piercing can lead to keloids. Keloids are raised areas on the skin caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue.

• Mouth concerns. Jewelry worn in tongue piercings can chip and crack teeth. Jewelry also may damage the gums. Tongue swelling and inflammation after a piercing may affect chewing, swallowing and sometimes breathing.

• Diseases spread through blood. If piercing equipment has infected blood on it, you can get diseases that are spread through blood. Examples include hepatitis B, hepatitis C and tetanus.

• Tearing or trauma. Jewelry in piercings can get caught and torn out accidentally. Those injuries may need stitches or another type of repair.

You might need medicine or other treatment if you develop an allergic reaction, infection or other skin problems near the piercing.​

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Tips

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Follow these tips to help your piercing heal:

• Clean both the front and the back of the piercing twice a day.

• Wash your hands well before touching your piercing.

• Make sure the earring backing is secure, but not too tight.

• Avoid touching your piercing when you’re not cleaning it.

• Stay out of pools, hot tubs, beaches, etc., until it’s healed.

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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. You don't want to disrupt the healing process by constantly breaking the skin open and, possibly, causing more damage.

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