Key Advice
The aftercare of body piercing is important to promote good healing and prevent the risk of infection.
Healing times for piercing will vary with the type and position of the piercing and vary from person to person.
For the first few weeks it is normal for the area to be red, tender and swollen:
Approximate healing times for the various piercings are:
Ear lobe piercing - 6 to 8 weeks
Ear cartilage piercing - 6 to 8 weeks
Cheek piercing - 2 to 3 months
Eyebrow piercing - 2 to 4 months
Nose piercing - up to 6 months
Remember these times are approximate and will depend on how healthy you are and whether you look after the piercing properly until healed.
As with all body art, infection is a risk. To reduce these risks take advice from your practitioner regarding aftercare.
The risk of infection can be greatly reduced by good general hygiene including:
Ear and face piercing aftercare
Hand washing
Note: Cartilage piercings occasionally form
Hand washing is the single most important
lumps commonly known as granulomas.
method of reducing infection. Hands must
This is just trapped fluid and can easily be
be washed prior to touching the affected
resolved using the heat and pressure from a
area, therefore reducing the risk of infection.
warm water compress once a day, replacing one of your daily cleanings.
Wash your hands in warm water and liquid soap, always dry your hands thoroughly
Expect some swelling and soreness from
with a clean towel or paper towel. This
your new piercing. Any knock or bang can
should remove most germs and prevent
cause swelling or soreness to flare up again
them being transferred to the affected area.
throughout the healing phase.
A new piercing can be tender, itchy and
Do not use cotton wool to clean the
slightly red and can remain so for a
piercing as the fibres in the cotton wool
few weeks. A pale, odourless fluid may
may get caught in the piercing.
sometimes discharge from the piercing and
Do not pick at any discharge and do not twist or move your piercing in any way
If any secreted discharge has hardened then turning jewellery may cause the discharge to tear the piercing, allowing bacteria to enter the wound and prolonging the healing time.
Ear piercing aftercare
Including Lobes/ Tragus/ Anti Tragus/ Conch/ Helix/ Snug/ Diath/ Industrial/ Rook/ Translobal/ Transverse Lobe.
Do not use sunbeds for the first two weeks
Facial piercing aftercare
Including Eyebrow, Bridge, Jestum, Vertical Labret, Septum/ Nostril.
Soak the piercing for a few minutes by submerging the area of skin containing the piercing in a clean jug or bowl containing a warm water solution (1/4 level teaspoon of preferably sea salt to an egg cup/shot glass of warm water). Alternatively wet a clean cloth or gauze in the solution and apply as a warm compress. This will soften any discharge and allow you to clean the entry and exit points of the piercing with a cotton bud or gauze. Once the discharge is removed or softened then jewellery can be gently moved so as to work a little warm water through the piercing. When cleaning always tighten the ball on any bars by screwing the ball to the right.
Do this twice each day, preferably after washing or bathing.
You can also use mild antibacterial solutions and soaps to wash the wound site of an ear piercing. Ask your local pharmacist to advise you and always follow the manufacturers' instructions. If irritation, redness or drying occurs discontinue use. Antibacterial wash is NOT suitable for nostrils, septum or vertical lips due to the tissue's delicate nature.
Dry the piercing using ONLY fresh disposable paper towel/kitchen roll. A communal hand/bath towel should never be used
Do not swim for the first 24 hours following a piercing.
If appropriate aftercare is not followed infection may occur. The signs of infection are:
Speak to your practitioner or seek medical attention immediately if you suffer from any of the above or have any concerns regarding infection in your piercing or if there are any signs of an allergic reaction to any of the products used