Basic tips on how to properly care for your ear piercing.

On our site we offer you the best possible conditions so that you can later enjoy your ear piercing. So that it stays that way, you have the responsibility to contribute to it yourself with the right aftercare.

All piercings go through a healing process:

starting with a short phase of swelling, which can vary depending on the body part, followed by a longer phase. In which damaged cells are replaced with new ones. During this time, the piercing may be somewhat encrusted.

After these two phases of healing have passed, the wound remains very sensitive for a long time and should be left alone to heal completely.

The faster or better a piercing heals, the more cleaning is needed to prevent bacteria from being “trapped” in the wound and causing an infection. However, if a piercing is expected to take several months to heal. Cleaning it too frequently would irritate the wound and make healing difficult. Your local piercer will explain exactly how this is to be handled.

In any case, good personal hygiene and care are important parameters for good healing.

It is also very important not to change the piercing yourself too early. We strongly advise you to consult your piercer before changing your jewelry or to have this done by your piercer. Jewelry that is exchanged too early, handling errors, the wrong shape or size, unsuitable materials, or poor surface quality can in most cases lead to problems or even the loss of the piercing!

The golden rule, here as well as with all open wounds (and that is your ear piercing first):  do not touch with unwashed hands, otherwise, you can provoke an infection. In general, little “playing around” with the piercing – regardless of whether it is a labret or genital piercing.

Furthermore:

• no contact with foreign bodily fluids (saliva, semen, sweat)
• never move the jewelry without first removing encrustations or other deposits (injury to the edges of the wound)
• no blood-thinning medication (aspirin, ASA, etc.) for about 1 week
• avoid unnecessary pressure/friction (through clothing, belts, etc.) on the pierced area –

No baths, saunas, swimming pools, or solarium for about 4-6 weeks

• the piercing that has not yet healed must not be treated with (pure) soap, shower gel, etc. come into contact
• Do not use make-up/powder, creams, peelings, etc. on the pierced area to avoid irritation.
• please never use several care products at the same time
• support the body in healing wounds: little stress, lots of sleep, and a healthy diet

Care and aids: 

The following products, among others, are very suitable for the care of your piercing:

– Saltwater (as a sterile spray, as a ready-to-use sterile saline solution from the pharmacy (NaCl 0.9%) or freshly prepared)

– Chamomile concentrate diluted according to the manufacturer’s instructions (for rinses or baths)

– Water with ice cubes to cool swollen oral piercings

– Bromelain tablets (pineapple enzymes, preventive against inflammation & swelling)

The following are suitable with restrictions:

– wound disinfectant

– Earhole antiseptic

– Mild painkillers

The active ingredient clonidine should not be used on intact, vital cartilage tissue and is therefore NOT suitable for the care of cartilage piercings on the ears or nose. In addition, prolonged treatment of sensitive areas can have a drying effect. However, it can also be used for less sensitive areas such as surfaces, dermal anchors, or navel piercings. The package leaflet must always be observed and the maximum duration of use is 14 days.

Not suitable for daily care are products such as:

– Wound and healing ointments

– Antibiotic gels

– Iodine ointments

– Hydrogen peroxide

– Other ointments or medicines

Some of these medicines can be used very effectively if a piercing causes problems, but they are completely unsuitable for the care of healthy piercings and should under no circumstances be used without prior consultation Your piercer and medical advice should be used.

Production of salt water for the care/cleaning of your ear-piercing

You need:

Sea salt (without iodine or fluoride additives) + boiled water, 8-15min time, compresses

9g of salt (about 2 teaspoons) is enough for 1l of boiled water – for a cup of about 250ml that is 1/2 teaspoon of salt. This corresponds to 0.9% isotonic saline solution and is therefore not something that the body perceives as foreign.

Dissolve the salt in the boiled water and let the solution cool down to the drinking temperature. Soak the pierced area in it for 5-10 minutes (either put the cup over it, hold the body part in it, or work with compresses which you repeatedly dip into the warm solution and place on the piercing). Then rinse with lukewarm water.

Sea salt has both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

Salt water also works beautifully in place of mouthwash for oral piercings.

When things have to go fast (during the week):

You need: 

One of the above-mentioned ready-made care products, (lint-free) is compresses/gauze/kitchen paper

Wash your hands thoroughly at the beginning and disinfect them with a suitable hand disinfectant.

After that, encrustations around the piercing should be slightly soaked with lukewarm water to be able to remove them with a compress/gauze bandage/kitchen paper (or simply under the water jet).

Now apply some care product to both puncture sites and do not move the jewelry – the capillary effect does most of the work.

Surface piercing & dermal anchor: 

The expected healing time is about 3-4 months, but for a dermal anchor, it is much shorter at 4-6 weeks.

It is important to wear flat heads throughout the healing process and never tip the jewelry back and forth. We generally recommend that you always have the jewelry or attachments changed in the studio. However, it is advisable to wait around 3 months before changing the Dermal Anchor for the first time so that the anchor is firmly seated.

Redness, small bruises, and swelling are normal but not a serious problem and will disappear soon. Anti-inflammatory and cold compresses help here.

Be careful not to snag or bump into it, otherwise, it will not heal and will have to be removed. Saltwater compresses are very good for removing dried scabs, but they are minimal.

You can carefully mask surface piercings during the first few nights to prevent them from getting caught.

Nipple piercing: 

Although there are differences between men and women, the aftercare of a nipple piercing is very easy as it doesn’t require any maintenance other than good personal hygiene and a little patience.

While males take up to 12 months or more to heal, females take far less at 3-4 months.

It is particularly important not to change the jewelry too early and to keep the piercing steady.

A tip if the piercing begins to itch while healing: stay a little longer in the shower with the water jet on the piercing so that the encrustations or deposits can loosen.

Belly Button Piercing:  

While this piercing is very popular, it takes around 6-8 months to heal, but in some cases much longer.

It is very important to wear tight clothes, high-waist pants, large belts, etc. to avoid a new piercing, as the irritation (which inevitably follows) could drastically delay the healing process, or worse, stop healing entirely.

Very often, navel piercings suffer from daily stresses:

Clothing seams, uniforms, a busy lifestyle, etc. are factors that can affect the healing process. Please also make sure that you thoroughly dab your navel dry with a cosmetic tissue after showering (alternatively, blow dry with cold air for 10 seconds). So that any moisture that may still be present cannot cause bacteria to multiply there. Sport can also irritate healing, so the piercing should be covered with a light bandage or large plaster with wound dressing and clothing should be loose.

Nostril (Nostril) and Septum: 

Both piercings heal in just a few months with minimal maintenance.

The mucous membrane that sits inside the nose is both a bane and a blessing for nose piercings: while it promotes rapid healing, it is also a real haven for bacteria.

Nostril piercings are particularly sensitive while they are healing, so they should be left alone and avoid changing jewelry too early or too often.

You should be particularly careful when washing your face so that no dirt or skin care products get into the piercing (facial tonic, cream, peeling, etc.). Or stick to it and thereby provoke irritation or even inflammation. The same applies, of course, to any decorative cosmetics.

Bridge and eyebrow: 

While there are no specific cleaning or healing instructions for these piercings, you must allow 2-3 months of healing before having the jewelry changed. Both are predestined to grow out with the wrong side of the jewelry.

Cartilage Piercings:

This region of the ear has a long and slow healing time, which can also be a challenge for some. It is important to keep the area clean, dry, and still (i.e. not subject to excessive mechanical impact). No bumping, nudging, or over-grooming.

Even the slight pressure of sleeping can cause problems during healing. It’s best to replace your pillow with a C-shaped travel pillow and sleep with your ear in the hollow to ensure the jewelry stays still throughout the night.

Crusts can form on piercings in the cartilage area, which should not be scraped off. It is best to soak the piercing when you are in the shower so that the deposit can either come off by itself under the water jet or dry. Even if there is no crust there, it is important to regularly treat the piercing with salt water or care products and then carefully dry or blow dry it to avoid unnecessary movement of the jewelry.

Lobe piercing/lobe cut/earlobe: 

The very short healing time of about 6-8 weeks. Daily salt water rinses are recommended for 10 days.

When fully healed, jewelry must still be worn day and night to prevent shrinkage or complete closure.

If you have had a lobe cut, you should wait at least 14 days before removing the jewelry for cleaning – the same applies here: soak crusts before moving the jewelry to avoid tearing the edges of the wound.

If you want to start stretching, you should wait at least 3 months and we strongly advise you to see your piercer for a check-up first.

Piercings in the mouth area:

For this, you need an alcohol-free mouthwash solution or salt water, lip balm, and a new, soft toothbrush. With most oral piercings, the larger initial jewelry can be swapped out for slightly smaller jewelry after just 2 weeks. It is advisable to do this to prevent tooth damage.

Crushed ice in the mouth can help reduce swelling, as can elevating your head above your heart while you sleep.

The tongue frenulum and lip frenulum (smileys) can cause a lot of plaque and need extra attention while brushing your teeth. Lip frenulum (smileys) cause little to no work but don’t like being pulled or played with.

Lip and Labret: 

The swelling here is short-lived and a shorter piece of jewelry can quickly replace the initial jewelry.

It’s important to be careful when eating because the jewelry will initially rub against your teeth and gums. But after a short time, a small indentation will form into which the jewelry will then sit more firmly.

Vertical labrets (Eskimo) can get a little crusty and tempting to pinch. Clean your lip with a soft toothbrush soaked in salt water or use salt water compresses to remove crusts.

Tongue piercing: 

Although a tongue piercing has been known to be swollen and uncomfortable for a few days initially. It can be quite manageable.

It’s perfectly normal for your tongue to feel and look a little odd at first, but this will subside quickly. The trick is to take it slow and pay attention to what you eat and what you do.

We recommend brushing your teeth 4 times a day and rinsing your mouth just as often (preferably with sparkling water) for 5 days. You can eat whatever you think you can eat, but cold, soft, non-spicy food is most comfortable.

Genital piercings: 

With a little standard care and common sense, genital piercings should not be a cause for concern while they heal.

As a rule, the more skin that has been pierced, the longer it will take to heal.

For example, foreskin piercings heal in about a month, while an Appadravya can take 4-6 months to fully heal.

As long as you wear comfortable cotton underwear, which does not slip but is permeable to air. Your piercing will be happy with just a warm shower every day.

Unless you have a busy lifestyle, an occasional salt water rinse or chamomile bath will help heal.

Bruising is possible and will disappear after a few days, as will the swelling. If you have many vessels, the bleeding can last up to 48 hours. It is advisable to put a pressure bandage on the piercing until the bleeding stops (it is best to let your piercer show you how) or to wear a bandage or panty liner. When you clean the area afterward, leave a little crust for the miracle to close.

Protected sex (using a condom or dental dam) is very important within the first 4 to 6 weeks to avoid infection (even in monogamous relationships and long-term partners). But normal sex life can return after a week or less to be resumed. But listen to your body – anything that hurts or is uncomfortable should be avoided in the beginning! A bit of caution is called for.

We recommend using a condom on Prince Albert who has been pierced with a ring so that the jewelry can only move minimally. Please check beforehand that all screwed balls are secure and tight. Jewelry can damage condoms or dental dams. If in doubt, alternative contraception should be considered.

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