Q&A for How to Care for Newly Pierced Ears

The best way to take care of a piercing is to make sure you're hydrated, eating well, and cleaning your piercing regularly with a wound wash or saline solution. You can usually buy these at a piercing studio. Generally, these will either be a mist or spray that you put on your piercing. The solution will loosen any debris that you have in the piercing and it will make it naturally fall off.

On average, it takes about six to eight weeks for an ear lobe piercing to heal. Piercings on the cartilage, including your upper ear and your nose, can take anywhere from three to six months. For these piercings, it depends on the amount of work that you're doing to keep them clean and how many piercings you're getting.

Make sure to get your piercing done at a reputable studio. You should also be aware of the materials you are using, which can include antegrade steel and antigrade titanium.

You may sleep on your side if it does not cause you discomfort. If it hurts, avoid sleeping on your side for a few days as your ears heal.

Sure! Just be careful and rinse very well if you shampoo and condition your hair. Also, lightly dab with the towel, don't rub and take care not to catch towel or clothing threads on the piercings. You can rip your nose ring or earrings out that way.

The pain should last about an hour. By then, you should have gotten used to the earring. That said, don't worry if it's still slightly red or sensitive. The piercing will take time to heal.

This is normal if you got them pierced recently. However, if they're still red and swollen in about a week, you should see a doctor to find out if you have an ear infection.

One of the best things to do is wear a ponytail to prevent it from getting caught. if it does get caught, then carefully untangle your hair from the earring or cut the strands, and make sure that your ear isn't hurt. Remember, hair grows back but a torn ear is likely to stay torn.

You should do it 2-4 times a day for about 6-9 weeks.

Not until the six weeks are up. If you take them out too early you risk infection, the holes closing and even tissue damage. It is very important to keep the earrings in overnight and during the day.

Yes.

Clean it using the saline solution given to you; make sure your hands are clean too. The "water" is most likely puss, and it means the piercing isn't healed yet or has been irritated. Clean the piercing, leave the earring inside, and don't fuss with it. If it gets worse, seek medical attention.

You can buy earrings whenever you want. If you want to buy earrings for your newly pierced ear, it is best to choose small, light earrings.

The six weeks is to make absolutely sure that your ears are healed, so there is nothing to worry about after that time minimum is over. Six weeks is enough time for anyone's ears to heal — yours might be ready sooner, but will certainly be ready by six weeks. Your ears will probably no longer be sore by that time, but even if they are, they are healed well enough for you to take the earrings out.

Although you can choose to remove a starter earring after 6 week (keeping in mind that your hands must be clean before doing so), starter earrings can remain in the ears indefinitely.

If they are newly pierced, you should leave them in your ears. If you keep taking them in and out of your ear, you are increasing your chances of complications. Your piercings could close up during the time you have them out, or you could get an infection. If you haven't yet gotten your ears pierced, I would suggest waiting until the season is over to do so.

Unless you've had your tongue pierced, you may eat whatever you like after getting a piercing. As you've had your ears pierced, you shouldn't need any dietary restrictions. If you want to be fussy, make sure you eat a varied diet and avoid excess junk food.

Yes! It's better to keep on cleaning it for a couple of weeks even after the six weeks (for pierced lobes), and 8 to 12 weeks for cartilage ones. Maybe it isn't 100 percent healed yet. It might be infected. To avoid this, keep on doing the same routine. It's recommended to use gold/platinum earrings or sterling silver. Clean the earrings, too.

You do not need to rotate the piercing on the first day of the piercing. Start rotating the piercing on the second day.

It ranges from person to person. It may take a few days, or up to a few weeks.

Only when cleaning the piercing. Avoid touching the piercing during the day unless you are cleaning it.

No, you should clean them. This avoids any further infections and helps the ear holes heal.

Leave the earrings in for at least six weeks while cleaning your ear to prevent them from closing up.

You can, but it is not recommended. Alcohol tends to be a harsh astringent and is often too strong for cleaning a new piercing. It can interfere with cell regrowth, thereby prolonging the healing process.

Usually, but your options will be limited to a small selection of piercing studs.

The piercing is getting irritated and could get infected if you keep doing that. Try to stop touching it and clean it twice daily until the redness and swelling go away.

You should visit a doctor as this could be a sign of infection. You can try removing the earring yourself, but the infected area might get blocked immediately.

Everyone's pain is a bit different with piercings. If your jewelry is loose enough so your ear has room to swell, you have no signs of infection (including hot to the touch), and haven't been playing too much with your ear, chances are you have nothing to worry about. If your jewelry is too tight, talk to your piercer. If there is an infection, treat the infection, keep it clean and don't take out your jewelry. (You could trap the infection under the skin.)

You can do it after you take it out, and it closes. However it would be preferable to wait a week or 2.

No. You should not use rubbing alcohol to clean your piercing as it could affect the skin's ability to heal.