Q&A for How to Clean Your Ear Piercing

The most important thing, no matter what piercing you want, is the quality of the jewelry you get. Make sure you are aware of the materials you are using, which can include antegrade steel and antigrade titanium. Be sure to get your piercing done at a reputable studio.

Ear piercings heal very quickly. 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.

To keep your piercing healthy, it's best to clean the skin around the piercing and the earring posts monthly. Take out the earrings, wipe down the pierced area with a cotton ball soaked in saline solution. Then, wipe down the posts of your earrings with alcohol to disinfect them and pop them back into your ears. You're good to go!

Avoid using hydrogen peroxide if you have a new piercing since it can affect the healing process. It's best to use saline solution for cleaning new piercings and healed piercings.

Alcohol is definitely drying on the skin and you don't need to use it at all if your piercing isn't infected. Instead, soak a cotton ball with saline solution and use that to clean the area around your piercing.

Clean around the pierced area with a cotton ball soaked in saline solution. Then, wipe down the earring posts with rubbing alcohol before reinserting them. If your piercing holes are irritated or painful, coat the sterilized posts with antibacterial ointment before putting the earrings back in.

Use contact solution or mix salt in warm water until it dissolves. Clean at least once daily.

No, that would most likely kill healing skin cells. It's better to keep harsh chemicals away from your ear, and use something gentler.

Yes, it is pretty normal to have some sort of reaction to a piercing. If the swelling or redness does not go away after a few days, contact a physician.

You should use sea salt; you can buy sea salt at any grocery store.

Usually four to six weeks, but always check with a doctor if you are uncertain. If you take them out too early, the piercing could close up and you would have to do the whole process all over again.

Clean them at least twice a day with antibacterial soap and water or earring solution. Typically, it's okay to change earrings after six weeks, but you should wait around six months to take them out completely. If you take them out and leave them out early, the holes can grow back.

As long as the puncture doesn't get infected, you will be fine. Do not use it as another piercing as it may be too close to the first.

Clean around your piercings with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol twice a day.

Yes, you can sleep with earrings in although it is not very comfortable. It can also result in your ear being torn, so be careful.

First, go see a doctor to see if her ear needs treatment. To find earrings, go to a local accessory or jewelry shop.

Buy a cleaner made specifically for your piercing, such as Claire's ear cleaner. This is usually sold by the piercer or in stores that do piercings. The instructions will be on the bottle.

See your doctor. You might also try switching to a different type of earring, as you may be allergic to whatever your current pair are made out of.

You need to turn the earrings so the skin does not grow over them.

You need to get alcohol. It shouldn't cost more than $5. If they are already infected, go to the doctor. They will probably give you rubbing alcohol, and possibly antibiotics as well.

If you are using a cotton swab, yes. You might be going a bit harsh on your ears. Be a little more gentle. If that doesn't help, you might want to use something a little less harsh for cleaning, like a mild soap and water.

Yes, you can use rubbing alcohol to clean off your earrings. You can soak the earrings in the alcohol or use cotton swabs.

Soap and water isn’t the best option, but if you have nothing else, it will still clean your ears. However, you should try to get some rubbing alcohol or a cleaner.

It is normal for that to happen if the piercing is new and still healing. If it is not new, you should see a doctor.

See How to Pierce Your Ear for guidelines on how to pierce your own ears.

Clean your earring holes with cotton swabs and rubbing alcohol and then do the same to your earring, because bacteria can collect on the posts. Then cover your ear and the posts with antibiotic ointment.

Yes, some piercers use it beforehand, so it should be fine to use afterwards.

Try to scrape any off outside the hole with your fingers and then put the earrings back in. You should be fine.

No, using alcohol will only dry out your ear, making the healing process take longer.

It is not recommended that you take your earrings out when you first get them pierced. Wait a couple of weeks (at least 3-6) for your ears to heal. You may have to change your sleeping position if your earrings get in the way.