Q&A for How to Heal Piercings

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Question

My cartilage piercing is still sore after two months! What can I do?

Community Answer

Cartilage piercings take a long time to heal, this is not unusual. Continue doing proper aftercare.

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Question

What is the fastest way I can heal a normal ear piercing? How do I keep it open without having to put an earring in it so it won't close up?

Community Answer

You have to have an earing in. There is no way to "keep it open" without having jewelry in to keep it open.

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Question

Helix piercings take up to 9 months to heal, but how long does it take for soreness to go away?

Community Answer

Usually within 8 - 12 weeks. Soreness should persist, as this is usually the end of the initial healing process.

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Question

What is the clear fluid coming from my ear piercing, and is that normal in healing?

Community Answer

If it is a clear and odorless fluid which tends to crystallize and form a thin crust, it is most likely lymph, a liquid that is similar to blood plasma and contains white blood cells. This is a normal part of the healing process, and you shouldn't remove it outside of your daily cleaning regimen.

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Question

What should I do if my ear still bleeds after being pierced several years ago?

Community Answer

You should buy a saline solution or make a salt water soak. Soak your ear for 15 to 20 minutes and the rinse and pat dry. Repeat until the piercing is completely healed.

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Question

If I got a new cartilage piercing on my ear can I straighten my hair? I have heard not to expose a new piercing to that much amount of heat.

Community Answer

You can straighten your hair, just make sure to either hold out the hair behind you or pin it up/over.

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Question

Can I change my earring after my ear cartilage piercing?

Community Answer

Piercings in general shouldn't be moved when they're new. By moving them you risk irritating the wound and increase the chances of infection and/or hole closure. So it's best to keep a fresh piercing in place for a while.

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Question

If you take your cartalige piercing out a week after you get it, what would happen?

Community Answer

It will close and heal, but might be hard to re-pierce. Also, if it is already infected, the infection will seal inside the ear and you won't be able to re-pierce the area.

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Question

How do I heal a nose piercing?

Community Answer

Same as any other piercing. Soak the piercing in a saline solution, piercing after care, or maybe even sea salt spray if you can find it.

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Question

If my earring made a small tear in my ear, how do I make sure it heals properly, and how long will it take?

Community Answer

Leave the earring in, keep it clean and dry and see a doctor if it looks infected. It should heal in about six weeks.

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Question

How long does it take to heal ear piercings?

Community Answer

A lobe piercing takes 4-6 weeks to heal. A cartilage piercing may take 2-6 months to heal.

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Question

Should I be concerned if one of my ears is still sore from the piercing several days after getting it?

Community Answer

No, that's normal. Just keep an eye out for any redness or pus in the area, and if it's still sore after a week or so, consult your piercer and/or your doctor.

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Question

How can I heal an industrial piercing?

Community Answer

Keep it clean, use a saline solution/sea salt mix 3 times a day. Make sure you keep your hair out of the way, long hair can get wrapped around the barbell, and if you don't notice and go to flip your hair, it will pull on the barbell and irritate the piercing.

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Question

Should I take out my new daith earring?

Community Answer

Unless you have a health concern (such as skin irritation around the area), you should not take out a new piercing. You can change the jewelry at around 6 months but talk to your piercer to be sure.

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Question

How long does it take a forward helix piercing to heal?

Community Answer

I should take 3-4 months, although it can take up to a year to completely heal.

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Question

How can I hide my eyebrow piercing from my parents?

Community Answer

Maybe wear a hat that covers it, or a hood from a sweater. If your hair is long enough, cover it with your hair.

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Question

What should I do if wearing long earrings has increased the size of the holes in my ears?

Community Answer

Take the long ones out -- they are clearly too heavy for your ears. Wear some light studs from now on.

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Question

How do I close a regular ear piercing?

Community Answer

To close a regular piercing, the best bet is to keep it clean with rubbing alcohol and wait for it to close on its own, without interfering. It may take a while, so be patient!

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Question

How do I treat my hurting piercings?

Community Answer

Keep turning them frequently. Make sure to clean them with saline solution twice a day. Do this treatment regularly for 2-3 months, depending on how much they hurt. Do not sleep on the same side as this piercing as it may cause it to be more painful for longer.

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Question

I got my ears pierced again and they are infected. What should I do?

Community Answer

One way to fix this is to soak your ear and earring in Hydrogen peroxide.

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Question

I have an earlobe piercing, and it's already been 6 weeks but it's still bleeding every time I remove my earring. How can I heal this?

Community Answer

Continue cleaning the piercing twice a day as normal until the symptoms stop. Try to avoid touching the piercing. If you worry that it is infected, contact your doctor.

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Question

One of my lobe piercings was causing me pain, so I removed it. Now I'm feeling pain in the other lobe. What should I do?

Community Answer

Unless you are past the healing stage of 6 weeks, do not remove the piercing. Soak it in saline solution and if the symptoms persist, contact your doctor.

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Question

One of the two (decades-old) holes in my earlobe has torn slightly, downward, not through. How is this fixed, if it can be?

Community Answer

If it bothers you, tears in ear piercings can usually be easily repaired surgically, dependent on the individual circumstances. Talk to your doctor about this.

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Question

Can I go swimming 7 days after getting my piercing?

Community Answer

You could, although it really isn’t recommended. If you choose to, clean around your piercing especially carefully afterwards, but avoid swimming if you can because it could cause irritation or infection.

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Question

How long will a finger piercing take to heal?

Community Answer

About to 9-12 months. Make sure to take care of it. Wash with saline solution about 2-3 times a day.

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Question

Is it normal for redness to appear on the top of a piercing a few days after being pierced?

Community Answer

Yes, this is normal. A piercing is a wound, it's bound to be red and sore for a few days. If it hurts a lot and you have redness, swelling, and/or pus for longer than a week or so, consult your doctor.

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Question

What are some home-based ingredients I can use to clean it with?

Community Answer

You can use anti-bacterial soap, saltwater, and Vaseline. (The Vaseline must be used in small amounts because it could block the oxygen from getting to your piercing.)

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Question

How long after getting a piercing can I go swimming?

Community Answer

Minimum 24 hours after getting your piercing, avoid showers or just water generally.

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