Ear Piercing Care for a New Piercing

When you get your ears pierced, you need to consistently maintain follow-up care, because if you do not, you may be increasing your risk of infection. Ear piercing care is not a difficult process, but it must be done on a consistent basis so that the sites heal well and do not become infected.

• Don't handle your piercings more than necessary. Although you may be required to occasionally "turn" or "rotate" your earring studs so that the holes stay open, never handle your piercings unnecessarily. In addition, if you do need to manipulate your piercings, make sure that you have washed your hands. Ear piercing care for a new piercing includes keeping the sites as bacteria-free as possible, and by maintaining good hand washing techniques when handling your newly pierced ears, you're less likely to introduce harmful organisms into the holes.


• Clean your piercings. Ear piercing care for a new piercing includes cleaning your new piercings with an antiseptic solution. Most likely, you will be given a bottle of cleanser when you leave the piercing establishment, but if not, use hydrogen peroxide to clean your piercings instead. Clean your piercings and around your earrings up to three times per day, making sure that you're handling the area in a gentle manner. 


• Do not remove your earrings. After a new ear piercing, leave your earrings in place for at least six weeks. If you remove your earrings, you may have a difficult time putting them back in. In addition, the longer you leave your earrings out, the more likely your holes will close.


• Watch for signs of infection. Proper ear piercing care includes monitoring the sites for signs of infection. If you notice an increase in pain, bleeding or drainage from your piercings, call your doctor. These symptoms may indicate a soft tissue infection and may need to be treated with an antibiotic.