How to Clean a Daith Piercing

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A daith piercing passes through the ear’s innermost cartilage fold, and is an interesting form of body art. Like other cartilage piercings , it’s particularly prone to infection. However, taking good care of your new daith piercing can help ensure it heals properly. Clean it twice a day with saline solution, and don’t touch the area except when you’re cleaning it. Healing can take 6 months. During that time, leave the earring in place, and avoid exposing the area to sources of infection.

The Best Way to Clean a Daith Piercing

Clean your daith piercing twice a day with saline solution. Wash your hands and soak a clean piece of lint-free medical gauze with saline solution. Then, place the gauze on your piercing for 5 minutes.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning Your New Piercing Daily

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  1. Cleaning the piercing more than twice a day can cause irritation. Use a store-bought saline solution or the cleanser your piercer provided. Alternatively, make your own saline solution by mixing 1/8 teaspoon of non-iodized salt with 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water.
    • Don’t clean the piercing with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, as these can delay the healing process.
  2. Wash your hands before touching your piercing. Wash up with hot water and soap for at least 20 seconds before you clean the piercing. After washing your hands, dry them with a disposable paper towel.
    • Only touch the area around the piercing when you clean it.
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  3. Use clean, lint-free medical gauze to apply saline to your piercing. Squirt bottled saline onto the gauze pad to saturate it, or dip the pad into a cup of a homemade solution. [1]
    • Don’t use cotton balls or cotton wool; the fibers could get caught in the piercing. [2]
  4. Keep the gauze in place to allow the saline to work its way into the piercing. Don’t move the piercing as you clean it. If there’s any crusted buildup around the piercing, allow the saline to soften it, then gently wipe it away when you’ve finished soaking. [3]
    • White or pale yellow buildup is normal. Don’t pick at it; just soften with the saline, then wipe it away.
  5. Dry the area with a disposable paper towel instead of a cloth. Leaving it wet could promote bacterial growth.
    • A cloth can harbor bacteria and snag on the piercing, so go with a paper towel.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Keeping Your Piercing Clean

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  1. Playing with the earring could irritate the piercing and prevent healing. Additionally, germs from your hands could lead to infection. [4]
    • Remember not to pick at any crusty residue that builds up around the piercing.
    • It can take up to 6 months for a daith piercing to heal.
  2. Do your best not to get shampoo into the piercing when you wash your hair. If you have long hair, wear it up as much as possible to keep hair products out of the piercing. Avoid using hairspray; if you do, don’t spray it near the piercing.
    • Beauty and cosmetic products can cause irritation and block air circulation, which can interfere with the healing process.
  3. It’s especially important to avoid submerging the piercing in pools, lakes, and hot tubs. Bacteria in these bodies of water can lead to infection.
    • Bathtubs can also harbor bacteria, so take showers instead of baths while the piercing is healing.
    • If you do go swimming, cover the piercing with a wound-sealing waterproof bandage, which you can purchase at your local pharmacy.
  4. Wipe your phone, earphones, and other objects that come into contact with your ear daily with sanitizing pads. Try to limit your use of earphones, and hold your phone to your other ear whenever possible.
    • If you wear glasses, clean the parts that slip over your ears at least daily.
  5. It’s also wise to cover your pillow with a clean tee shirt. That way, if you do sleep on the piercing, it’ll be touching a clean surface.
    • If you can’t get comfortable in any position other than on your side, try sleeping on a neck pillow. Sleep on your side with your ear in the neck pillow’s opening to protect the piercing from pressure and friction.
    • Additionally, wash your bedding weekly. Dirty sheets and pillowcases can lead to infection.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Spotting Signs of Infection

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  1. Some discomfort, bleeding, and swelling during the first few days is common in daith and other cartilage piercings. However, persistent or worsening symptoms could be a sign that something’s wrong. [5]
    • Contact your piercer or see a doctor if bleeding, swelling, or pain don’t improve within a few days after getting your ear pierced.
  2. Note that an odorless white or light yellow discharge that dries into a crusty residue isn’t pus. This is a normal part of the healing process. Pus, or foul-smelling, darker yellow or green discharge, is a sign of infection. [6]
    • If you see pus, carefully clean the piercing with saline, and don’t remove the earring. The ring helps allow the wound to drain.
  3. Contact your piercer, see your doctor, or head to a health clinic if your piercing is infected. Without proper treatment, infected daith piercings can lead to serious complications, such as abscesses and deformed ears.
    • An reputable piercer can recommend a doctor or clinic experienced with treating infected cartilage piercings. Treatment may include topical or oral antibiotics. If you’re prescribed medication, take it according to your doctor’s instructions.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    When should I be cleaning my daith piercing?
    Karissa Sanford
    Body Piercing Specialist
    Karissa Sanford is the Co-owner of Make Me Holey Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area that specializes in safe and friendly body piercing. Karissa has over 10 years of piercing experience and is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP).
    Karissa Sanford
    Body Piercing Specialist
    Expert Answer
    A good time to clean your piercing is right after taking a shower since you will have washed off anything that had built up around the piercing already. Just make sure that all of the soap has been washed away, too.
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  • Question
    What happens if it falls out and takes a chunk of ear with it? Should I be worried?
    Sapphia
    Community Answer
    If part of your ear cartilage falls out, you should go to urgent care or to your doctor. This could cause serious and/or permanent damage. I recommend seeking medical care immediately.
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  • Question
    When cleaning do you take the earring out?
    Ruby
    Top Answerer
    No, this is not necessary. You also should not take the earring out before it is healed, or the hole may close up.
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      • Daith piercings are sometimes used to manage migraines. However, there’s no scientific evidence that they actually reduce pain due to migraines or migraine frequency. [7]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/body-piercing/
      2. ↑ https://www.cieh.org/media/1974/tattoo-toolkit_part-c_02-ear-and-face-piercing-aftercare.pdf?id=47226
      3. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/body-piercing/
      4. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/body-piercing/
      5. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/body-piercing/
      6. ↑ https://www.cieh.org/media/1974/tattoo-toolkit_part-c_02-ear-and-face-piercing-aftercare.pdf?id=47226
      7. ↑ https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/understanding-migraine/daith-piercings-101/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Before cleaning your daith piercing, make sure you wash your hands to avoid transferring bacteria to it. To clean the piercing, use a store-bought saline solution, or make your own by dissolving 1/8 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of warm water. Soak a clean gauze pad in the saline solution so it’s saturated. Then, hold the pad to your piercing for 5 minutes, which will help disinfect it. After 5 minutes, pat your ear dry with a clean paper towel to reduce the chance of bacteria growing. Some discomfort, bleeding, and swelling is normal in the first few days. However, if you notice yellow or green discharge coming from your piercing, or bleeding or swelling that doesn’t go away, visit your doctor for treatment. For more tips, including how to keep your piercing away from irritants and bacteria, read on!

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