Guides
Aftercare
Piercing aftercare guides: how to look after a new piercing, what to clean it with, what to avoid, when to downsize, and routines for ears and noses.
What to buy, at a glance
| Best for | What to look for | Link |
|---|---|---|
| The one you need | Sterile saline wound wash sprayThe APP advises sterile saline. The label should list 0.9% sodium chloride, and water at most.
| Check price |
| For drying | Non-woven sterile gauzeThe APP says cloth towels can harbor bacteria and snag on jewelry, so dry with disposable gauze.
| Check price |
| Ear cartilage | U-shaped travel pillowThe APP suggests putting your ear in the opening so nothing presses on it.
| Check price |
Each button opens an Amazon search, not one product we have tested. Check that the listing states the gauge, size and material, such as ASTM F136 titanium. Amazon shows the current price. As an Amazon Associate, Best Piercing earns from qualifying purchases.
Aftercare is simpler than the internet makes it look. Sterile saline twice a day, hands off, and do not change the jewelry early. That is most of it.
Almost everything that goes wrong with a piercing comes from one of four causes:
- Too much cleaning, or cleaning with the wrong thing.
- Pressure or movement, usually sleeping on it.
- A jewelry change made too early.
- Poor-quality jewelry.
None of those are bacterial, which is why more aggressive cleaning products make things worse rather than better.
Start with the complete aftercare guide, then use the per-piercing routines below for the practical details that differ: what to do about earbuds and pillows on an ear, and about makeup and nose-blowing on a nostril.
If something has already gone wrong, go to piercing problems instead, and check healing times before you judge whether your piercing is behind schedule. Three shorter guides cover common questions: what to buy and what to skip, when to downsize and whether you can swim. When to change an earlobe piercing covers earrings. How to clean a belly button piercing and piercing pillow cover two common questions.
Aftercare guides
How to clean a belly button piercing: what to use, how often, and where sources disagree
How to clean a belly button piercing: sterile saline spray and gauze. WebMD, Healthline, the Cleveland Clinic and the APP compared on soap, creams and swimming.
How to clean a nose piercing
How to clean a nose piercing: the two-minute daily routine for a nostril or septum, what to use instead of alcohol and tea tree oil, and working around makeup.
How to clean an ear piercing
How to clean an ear piercing: the daily routine for lobes and cartilage, why butterfly backs cause problems, and how to stop headphones and pillows setting you back.
Piercing aftercare products: what to buy, what to skip and how to read the label
Piercing aftercare products worth buying: sterile saline spray, how to read the label, NeilMed, and why cleaners, ointments and sea salt soaks are out.
Piercing aftercare: the complete guide
Piercing aftercare: what to clean a new piercing with, what to avoid, how often, and how to shower, sleep, swim and exercise without setting healing back.
Piercing downsizing: what it is, when to do it and why it matters
Piercing downsizing swaps the long starter post for a shorter one once swelling has gone. When it is due for every piercing, what skipping it risks, and who does it.
Piercing pillow: do you need one, and what to use instead
Piercing pillow: what it is, why the APP says not to sleep directly on a healing cartilage piercing, how to use a travel pillow, and how long to keep doing it.
Saline spray for piercings: NeilMed, H2Ocean and wound wash compared by label
Saline spray for piercings compared: what NeilMed, H2Ocean, Steri-Wash and store wound wash list on the label, and which ones pass the APP's ingredient test.
Swimming with a new piercing: pools, the sea, hot tubs and baths
Swimming with a new piercing: not until it has healed, say the APP and Cleveland Clinic. What the CDC says about the sea and hot tubs, baths, and covering it.
When can I change my cartilage piercing?
When can I change my cartilage piercing? The timeline for helix, conch, tragus, rook and daith jewelry, the four readiness tests, and if it will not go back in.
When can I change my earlobe piercing? Not before six weeks, and often eight
When can I change my earlobe piercing? Six to eight weeks at the earliest, how to tell it has healed, why not to take earrings out at night, and what to switch to.
When can I change my nose piercing?
When can I change my nose piercing? The honest timeline for nostril and septum jewelry, the four tests that say you are ready, and if it will not go back in.
Frequently asked questions
What is the single most important aftercare rule?
Leave it alone. The APP's advice is sterile saline, no twisting, spinning or rotating, no playing with the jewelry, and no jewelry changes until the piercing has healed apart from a downsize by a piercer.
Do I need a special piercing aftercare product?
No. Sterile saline wound wash, 0.9% sodium chloride with no other ingredients, is what professional piercers recommend. Most branded piercing sprays are the same thing at a higher price, and some contain additives you do not want.
Can I shower with a new piercing?
Yes, from day one. Showers are good for piercings because warm water softens crust. Baths, pools, hot tubs and open water are not, until it is fully healed.
Sources
- Association of Professional Piercers - Suggested aftercare for body piercingshttps://safepiercing.org/aftercare/
- Association of Professional Piercers - Oral aftercarehttps://safepiercing.org/oral-aftercare/
- American Academy of Dermatology - Caring for pierced earshttps://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/tattoos/caring-for-pierced-ears