How to Reduce Piercing Pain: Maintaining Good Aftercare & Preventing Infection

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Everything you need to know about limiting pain before and after your appointment
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You love the look of your brand new piercing, but ouch! It sure can be tender for a few days afterwards. A little pain, redness, or swelling is totally normal for a few days, but the good news is that it’s easy to reduce piercing pain at home with a few simple remedies. In this article, we’ll show you safe ways to treat pain from a new piercing, plus show you the best ways to make your appointment less painful and care for your new metal to prevent worse pain and infection (and if it does get infected, we’ve got you covered there, too). Pretty soon you'll be rocking your piercings pain free!

What to Do When Your New Piercing Still Hurts

  • Use a cool chamomile tea compress and NSAIDs or acetaminophen to treat pain after your appointment. Consume cold foods and drinks to soothe oral piercings.
  • Keep your piercing clean with saltwater or saline and avoid touching or removing it as much as possible while it heals to promote healing and prevent infection.
  • Wash the piercing 3 times a day and apply antibacterial ointment after each cleaning if it’s infected. Mild infections usually last 1-2 weeks.
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Pain Relief

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  1. Steep a bag of chamomile tea in boiled water for 10 minutes, then dab a clean cotton pad or piece of gauze in the water once it’s cooled. Squeeze out the excess liquid and hold it to your piercing for a few minutes. [1]
    • Use the tea compress up to 3 times per day.
    • If you run out of cotton pads or gauze, try squeezing the water out of the tea bag itself and holding it to your piercing.
    • Chamomile penetrates deeper layers of skin to fight inflammation, kills germs because it’s antimicrobial, and feels soothing on skin. [2]
  2. Use an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), or aspirin to treat both pain and inflammation. If the site is just painful and isn’t swollen, try acetaminophen (Tylenol). [3]
    • Read the instructions of the medication to make sure you’re taking the correct dosage.
    • Make sure you aren't allergic to any ingredients and check with your doctor to see if any painkillers will interact poorly with your existing prescriptions.
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  3. Try sucking on ice cubes or popsicles, especially within the first 24-48 hours after a lip, tongue, or cheek piercing. Drink lots of ice water and other cold beverages and eat cold foods like ice cream, frozen yogurt, or pieces of frozen fruit. [4]
    • Avoid warm beverages, hot or spicy foods, tobacco, alcohol, or anything that irritates your mouth.
    • Non-oral piercings shouldn’t swell much, so skip icing them for pain relief. The extra pressure from an ice pack could actually make the piercing swell or hurt more.
  4. Double check how long your piercer recommends leaving your jewelry in before removing or swapping it out. Leave the piercing in until you heal it fully—removing the piercing can delay the healing process, and putting it back into an unhealed hole can be painful. [5]
    • Most piercings take 6-8 weeks to heal, but it depends on the exact location and is different for every individual. [6]
    • Some piercings, like belly button or nipple piercings, can take up to 12 months or more to fully heal.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Aftercare

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  1. Make sure to chat with your piercer about keeping the piercing clean and healthy, and ask for a pamphlet or printout so you can remember the details (reputable piercers should give one to you automatically). If you don’t have specific instructions, clean the piercing twice a day with sterile saline or a piercing aftercare solution . [7]
    • Don’t use a cotton swab to wipe the piercing, since this could irritate the area and ultimately slow down healing or even lead to scarring.
  2. Only touch your piercing as necessary to clean it while it heals. Twisting or tugging on your piercing will cause more pain and irritate the piercing site. Germs from dirty hands are also the main cause of infections, so follow the old rule of “look, don’t touch!” [8]
    • The less you mess with your fresh piercing, the faster it will heal up.
  3. Scrub your hands with clean, hot water and antibacterial soap for at least 20 seconds. Get all areas of your hands, especially your fingertips and underneath your nails. Touching the piercing with dirty hands is the most common cause of infection. [9]
  4. These mixtures keep the area clean without irritation or killing new cells. Avoid chemicals like hydrogen peroxide, iodine, or rubbing alcohol during healing. They’re harsh and will irritate the site, plus they’ll kill any new, healthy cells and delay healing. [10]
    • Unless there’s an infection, avoid using any ointments. They attempt to heal the skin and might block oxygen from reaching deeper tissue.
    • To do a saltwater soak, submerge the piercing in a small bowl full of saltwater spray or sterile saline solution or hold a dampened cloth to it for 5-6 minutes. [11]
      • Make saline with ¼ tsp (1.5 g) of sea salt dissolved in 8  fl oz (240 mL) of boiled water. If the solution is too salty, it will irritate your skin.
  5. Outside of cleaning the site and showering, do your best to avoid soaking your piercing in any kind of water while it heals (6-8 weeks for most piercings). Avoid swimming in pools, rivers, lakes, or oceans, as well as soaks in a hot tub or a bath. [12]
    • Chlorine in pools or contaminants in open water can irritate or infect a fresh piercing. The older the piercing, the better it will hold up in water.
  6. If possible, try to keep anything from touching the piercing while it heals, including clothes, hair, your hands, or bedding. This isn’t always practical, so make sure to wear clean clothes, wash your bedding, and try not to sleep on your pierced side since germs from sheets or pillow cases can cause infection. [13]
    • If you have long hair, pull it back to keep it out of ear, eyebrow, or lip piercings.
    • Talk to your piercer about protecting piercings in places like your navel or nipple. You may have to wear gauze or loose-fitting clothing for several weeks.
  7. A healthy body and immune system heal piercings faster and reduce pain, so make sure to drink plenty of water (and limit your alcohol intake), eat lots of fruits and veggies, and try to get a good night’s sleep every night while your piercing heals. Try taking a multivitamin or adding more vitamin C to your diet, too. [14]
    • Diet and sleep don’t reduce pain right away like NSAIDs or a chamomile tea compress, but they limit pain in the long run during healing.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Treating an Infection

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  1. Ignore mild redness or tenderness during the first few days after getting a new piercing since this is a normal part of healing. Notice if your piercing isn’t improving day-to-day or if it seems fine for a week or two and then suddenly becomes red, swollen, or crusty. [15] Look for common infection symptoms like:
    • Swelling or inflammation
    • Redness
    • Pain or tenderness around the piercing site
    • Discharge that may form crust around the piercing
  2. Wash your hands before touching the piercing and then dip a cotton swab in sterile saline or piercing care solution. Gently rub any part of the jewelry that’s exposed, plus the skin surrounding it. If you can, rotate or turn the piercing 3 times to keep skin from sticking to the post. [16]
    • Gently pat the site dry with a clean paper towel or let it air dry. Do not use a cloth or towel since these are more likely to spread germs.
    • If the piercing is old and fully healed, use rubbing alcohol in place of saline or piercing solution.
  3. Apply over-the-counter antibacterial ointment after each cleaning. Rub a small amount of ointment onto the skin around the piercing to kill germs and prevent the infection from worsening or spreading. Use any ointment you might have on hand in a first aid kit like Neosporin or Polysporin . [17]
    • Wait until the piercing is dry after cleaning it to apply any ointments.
  4. With proper care, most piercing infections will clear up in 1 to 2 weeks. Once the infection is gone, keep cleaning your piercing daily until it’s fully healed to prevent the infection from coming back. [18]
  5. Look at your piercing daily and check the infection’s redness, swelling, discharge, and pain. If symptoms haven’t improved after a few days of treatment, visit your healthcare provider for an antibiotic or other treatment. [19] Signs of a severe infection include:
    • Losing feeling or getting a tingly sensation in the piercing area
    • The skin near the piercing turns pale or cool
    • The piercing starts to bleed enough to soak through a bandage (a small amount of blood oozing from a new piercing is normal)
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Minimizing Needle Pain

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  1. Research the piercing studio’s website and their piercers’ biographies or social media to get a sense of how legitimate they are. Read reviews to see if the studio and equipment are clean, and make sure the piercer is transparent with you when you ask questions or voice concerns. [20]
    • Visiting an experienced piercer who works in a clean environment limits the chance of a super painful or rough piercing and infection.
    • Professionals know exactly where to insert new piercings and can give you detailed instructions on aftercare to prevent pain and infection. [21]
  2. Apply a numbing cream or spray to the site 30 minutes beforehand. Try an over-the-counter numbing agent with ingredients like lidocaine or prilocaine and spray or rub it into the skin you want pierced before your appointment. Read the ingredients to make sure you’re not allergic to anything in it, since this can make the piercing more painful. [22]
    • The numbing effect will probably last for about 30-60 minutes.
    • Numbing creams and sprays only affect the top layers of skin. You’ll still feel the needle, but it will hurt less than without the cream.
  3. Read the instructions on the packaging of pain relief pills containing acetaminophen, like Tylenol or Excedrin, and take only the recommended dose. Avoid aspirin or ibuprofen, as these can thin your blood slightly and increase your chance of bleeding. [23]
  4. Try some deep breathing exercises to slow your heart rate, relax your body, and mentally prepare yourself for brief pain. Alternatively, try meditating before your appointment while focusing on how excited you are to have a new piercing and how great it will look! [24]
    • Try out this simple breathing exercise: plant both feet on the ground and slowly inhale for 5 counts through your nose, then exhale for 5 through your mouth. [25]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I reduce the soreness of my smiley piercing?
    Community Answer
    Gargle and swish salt water/alcohol free mouth wash twice a day, try to avoid playing with it with your tongue, avoid tugging it with your top lip and gently brush around it when brushing.
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  • Question
    I got a cartilage piercing a few days ago, and it is swollen. What can I do?
    Community Answer
    You can try heat/ice, or taking pain relievers like ibuprofen/aspirin. Make sure you're rinsing it with salt water or washing it with antibacterial soap and warm water. Clean it at least two times a day. If it doesn't start healing and getting better, contact the piercer who did it and/or contact a doctor. If you believe it is infected at any point, don't take the jewelry out.
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  • Question
    What can I use to reduce pain while gauging my ears?
    Community Answer
    Gently hold something cold against your ear lobe, like an ice cube wrapped in a towel or some frozen peas. You might also want to take some pain reliever as well.
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      Tips

      • Follow your piercer’s instructions about changing out jewelry for the first time. Often, you can downsize to a smaller piece of jewelry after the initial swelling is gone.
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      • Never hesitate to call your piercer with questions or concerns about caring for your new piercing.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • Never ever take the piercing out, because this can be extremely dangerous and can cause infection. Wait 6 months to be on the safe side; for some, it might be better to wait up to a year.
      • I recently had a double helix piercing and my piercer recommended Band-Aid First Aid Antiseptic/Pain Relieving Liquid to clean it with, and it's been great.
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      Warnings

      • All piercings, new or old, can get infected from handling them with unclean hands. Make sure to always wash them before touching or removing your jewelry. [26]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/tattoos/caring-for-pierced-ears
      2. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/
      3. ↑ https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=abk1292
      4. ↑ https://uhs.berkeley.edu/health-topics/body-piercings
      5. ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/body-piercing-safe.html
      6. ↑ https://uhs.berkeley.edu/health-topics/body-piercings
      7. ↑ https://www.safepiercing.org.au/aftercare/
      8. ↑ https://youngwomenshealth.org/guides/body-piercing/
      9. ↑ https://www.cieh.org/media/1974/tattoo-toolkit_part-c_02-ear-and-face-piercing-aftercare.pdf
      1. ↑ https://www.commonspirit.org/conditions-treatments/body-piercing-problems
      2. ↑ https://med.umich.edu/1libr/OTO/EarPiercing.pdf
      3. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/can-i-go-swimming-after-a-piercing/
      4. ↑ https://emd.saccounty.gov/EH/Documents/BodyArt_SamplePiercingAftercareNotice.pdf
      5. ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/what-makes-good-night-sleep
      6. ↑ https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/its-easy-for-piercings-to-become-infected
      7. ↑ https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/ear-piercing-symptoms/
      8. ↑ https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/files/sharedassets/public/v/1/health-dept/environmental/body-art/aftercare4yourpiercing.pdf
      9. ↑ https://www.mcla.edu/Assets/MCLA-Files/Wellness/HealthServices/Infected%20piercing%20and%20body%20art.pdf
      10. ↑ https://blog.ochsner.org/articles/ear-infection-from-piercings
      11. ↑ https://health.students.vcu.edu/media/student-affairs-sites/ushs/docs/BODYPIERCINGS.pdf
      12. ↑ https://forestparkpediatrics.wustl.edu/app/uploads/2019/03/Ear-Piercing-FPP.pdf
      13. ↑ https://bchp.childrenshospital.org/practices/ridgefield-pediatric-associates/ear-piercings
      14. ↑ https://www.bradford.gov.uk/media/4810/advice-and-safe-practice-for-body-piercing.pdf
      15. ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/meditation
      16. ↑ https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/wellness/breathing-exercises
      17. ↑ https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2005/1115/p2029.html

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      While it’s normal for a new piercing to be sore, swell, or even bleed for a few days, there are several easy ways to reduce your pain at home. A chamomile tea compress can soothe the pain and prevent scarring. Simply boil some water and steep the teabag for a few minutes. After it cools, apply it anywhere you feel pain. You can also use an over-the-counter painkiller, like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, if the pain or swelling is getting worse. For lip piercings, eat or drink something cool to ease the pain, but avoid icing non-oral piercings since this could irritate the area. To learn how to encourage your piercing to heal, keep reading!

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