Welcome to How to Clean a New Ear Piercing 101
How should you clean your ear piercing?
· CosmopolitanI got my ears pierced for the first time when I was 10 years old and never looked back. It wasn't until 20+ years later that I finally got a second ear piercing, and while the ear piercing process itself has remained the same, how to clean an ear piercing has not. In fact, it's changed a lot.
Back in my day, they told us to rotate our shiny new earrings a few times a day, which would sometimes end in a crusty, slightly bloody mess! No more. In fact, the piercer I went to told me that all I had to do was avoid touching or sleeping on my new piercing and wash it twice a day with warm water. I was skeptical, but after chatting with Dr. Dornechia Carter, a dermatologist, and Sam Isaacs, Associate Director of Brand Management of the piercing studio Studs, I've learned that cleaning an ear piercing is really all about doing the least and letting your body do the work.
The most important thing to remember when cleaning a new ear piercing is that less is more. Your piercing will heal best if you avoid touching it at all—that means no twisting or scratching at scabs. If you need to touch your piercing for cleaning, do so with clean, freshly-washed hands only.
Both Dr. Carter and Sam recommend cleaning a new piercing two to three times a day with minimal friction. (Do not scrub the area; this might cause irritation and disrupt your skin's healing process.) Sam recommends "using sterile saline solution and rinsing your piercing with water." Dr. Carter also suggests spraying your new piercing with a diluted solution of water and soap and finishing with a saline solution to remove any excess soap from the area. If you don't love the idea of spraying a liquid directly onto your ear, it's best to apply it using gauze or a cotton applicator that doesn't shed to avoid getting fibers stuck in your piercing. (Personally, I did saline spray twice a day for about a month, and it's healed beautifully.)
NeilMed Neilcleanse Piercing Aftercare
Amazon Basic Care Gauze Pads
Kitsch Satin Scrunchies
BLISSBURY Ear Pillow
You should also try not to sleep on a fresh piercing—yes, even if it is on your sleeping side. And try to avoid getting your hair caught in your new piercing by using a bonnet or scrunchie. Finally, even if your piercing appears to be healing nicely, try to stick to a cleaning regimen for at least a month. After four weeks, Dr. Carter says, "you can decrease the frequency [of cleaning] to 1-2 times a day."
What is the best piercing jewelry?
Cleaning your new ear piercing is crucial to the healing process, but so is your jewelry. Sam says it's always best to use jewelry meant for your piercing (a conch piercing might need different jewelry than a daith piercing, for example). You should also make sure that your piercer is using a hypoallergenic metal, like surgical titanium or 14K gold, to avoid any allergic reactions. It also helps if you use jewelry specifically made for new piercings, known simply as piercing jewelry. "Some of these have a sharp post to aid with the piercing itself," Dr. Carter explains. A lot of modern piercing jewelry are flat-back earrings that won't poke or prod your neck and will help limit the odds of your hair getting wrapped around the post.
How long do ear piercings take to heal?
According to Sam, lobe piercings take around 4-6 months to heal completely (though it is recommended to wait around 2 months before changing your jewelry), while upper or inner ear piercings (like a helix piercing) can take 6 months to a year to heal. That said, it's completely dependent on your body and will vary from person to person. "You'll know your ear is healed once any discharge, swelling, redness, flaking, or soreness stops," Sam tells Cosmo.
What are signs your ear piercing is infected?
A little discharge or irritation on a new piercing is normal, but swelling, pus, and oozing are signs that it's time to go to a piercer or doctor. "Having a professional take a look and treat early is key," says Dr. Carter. Unfortunately, if your piercing does get infected, you're probably going to have to remove the piercing and let it heal up.
Meet the experts:
- Sam Isaacs is the Associate Director of Brand Management at Studs, a piercing studio chain.
- Dornechia George Carter, MD is a board-certified dermatologist based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas. As the founder of Affinity Dermatology, she specializes in preventative skincare and the treatment of common skin conditions, like sun damage, acne, and eczema.
Why trust Cosmo?
Olivia Truffaut-Wong is an editor at Cosmopolitan with over 10 years of experience writing about culture and beauty. She is a makeup lover who can be found writing about everything from the best sandalwood perfumes to hydrating face masks. She loves trying out new beauty and body care products and has a not-so-secret addiction to moisturizer.
Olivia Truffaut-WongEditor
Olivia Truffaut-Wong is an editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers beauty, entertainment, and lifestyle. She loves finding and testing the best skincare products to recommend, like the best tinted sunscreens, and is always researching the best cat accessories for her fur baby. She has over 10 years of experience as an entertainment and culture writer and editor, and her work has been featured in The Cut, Refinery29, Teen Vogue, Polygon, Bustle, and more.