Good aftercare is mostly about keeping the piercing clean, leaving it alone, and giving your body the conditions it needs to heal.

The Core Principle

A fresh piercing is a healing wound. Your body does the work, and your job is to support that process without getting in the way. More is not more when it comes to piercing aftercare. Over-cleaning, over-touching, and over-treating are some of the most common reasons piercings struggle to heal.

What to Use

Sterile saline wound wash is the only thing you need to clean your piercing. Look for a product labeled "sterile saline" with 0.9% sodium chloride and no additives. A simple spray bottle makes application easy.

Do not use:

• Hydrogen peroxide

• Rubbing alcohol

• Antibacterial soap

• Tea tree oil or other essential oils

• Bactine

• Anything "natural" or "antiseptic" that isn't plain saline

These products are too harsh for healing tissue and will slow your healing down, not speed it up. The goal of cleaning is to rinse away debris, not to kill everything in sight. Your body's own healing process is doing the hard work there.

Daily Cleaning Routine

Rinse your piercing once or twice a day with sterile saline spray. Spray directly onto the piercing site, let it sit for a moment, and then gently rinse with clean water. Do not wipe or scrub. Pat dry with a clean paper towel, as cloth towels can harbor bacteria and snag jewelry.

That's it. Twice a day, no more. You don't need to clean it every time you touch it or every time it gets slightly sweaty. Consistent, gentle cleaning is better than frequent, aggressive cleaning.

Hands Off

Do not touch your piercing unless you're cleaning it, and even then, touch as little as possible. Your hands carry bacteria. More importantly: do not rotate, twist, or move the jewelry during healing. The idea that you need to "spin" a piercing to keep it from sticking is outdated. Movement disrupts the healing tissue and slows the process down.

Downsizing

Your initial jewelry was placed with extra length to accommodate swelling. Once swelling has settled, typically 6–10 weeks depending on the placement, you'll need to come back for a downsize, where we replace the longer post with one that fits your anatomy. This step is important. Leaving long jewelry in place increases the chance of snagging, pressure, and irritation bumps. We'll let you know your target downsize timeline at your appointment.

What's Normal

• Tenderness and redness in the first few days

• Clear to white-yellow discharge that dries to a light crust around the jewelry. This is lymph fluid, not infection

• Some swelling, particularly in the first 1–2 weeks

• Piercings going through stages of looking great, then looking irritated, then improving again. Healing is not always linear

What's Not Normal

See your piercer if you notice:

• Increasing redness, warmth, or swelling beyond the first week

• Green or yellow discharge with an odor

• Fever

• The jewelry appearing to sink into or grow out through the skin

If you're unsure whether something is normal, contact us before going to urgent care. Many issues that look like infection are actually irritation, and removing healthy jewelry is sometimes the wrong call. Let us take a look first.

Common Causes of Trouble

Sleeping on your piercing is one of the most consistent causes of irritation bumps and prolonged healing, especially with ear cartilage. Travel pillows (worn like a neck pillow while side-sleeping) and donut pillows can help. Fresh pillowcases regularly also make a big difference.

Snagging: hairbrushes, clothing, towels, headphones, glasses, and pets are frequent offenders. Be mindful of what's coming near a fresh piercing.

Submerging in water: wait at least 8 weeks before swimming in pools, lakes, the ocean, or hot tubs. Showers are fine.

Makeup, spray, and lotion near the piercing: keep these products away from healing tissue.

Stress and poor sleep: your immune system is doing the healing. When you're run down, healing slows down. Drink water, eat food, get sleep.

Placement-Specific Notes

Ear cartilage (helix, flat, tragus, conch, daith)

Cartilage piercings are among the slowest to heal. Plan for 6–12 months. Sleeping on them is the most common issue. Try to protect the piercing during sleep from the start, before it becomes uncomfortable. Irritation bumps are common and usually resolve once the source of irritation is removed.

Nostril

Nostril piercings are sensitive to over-cleaning and harsh products. Stick to saline only. Changing your jewelry too early is one of the main reasons nostril piercings fail. Healing time is typically 4–6 months.

Septum

Septum piercings are relatively comfortable to heal because the jewelry sits in a soft spot of tissue rather than through cartilage. With good care, most people heal in 2–3 months.

Navel

Navel piercings can be deceptive. They often look healed long before they are. Clothing friction and waistband pressure are the main irritants. Expect 6–12 months. High-waisted pants and tight waistbands should be avoided or kept loose over the area.

Nipple

Nipple piercings need time. Plan for 9–12 months. Bras with smooth interiors are better than lace or textured fabric. Sleeping on your stomach puts pressure on them, so it's worth being mindful of that early on.

VCH (Vertical Clitoral Hood)

VCH piercings heal faster than most, often in 4–8 weeks with clean, consistent care. Avoid irritants in the area, including soaps, bath products, and tight clothing during initial healing.

When Can I Change My Jewelry?

It's best to wait until the piercing is fully healed, and healed means healed all the way through, not just surface-level. Check the healing times in our Piercing FAQ, and err on the side of waiting a little longer if you're not certain. We're always happy to do jewelry changes for you in-shop to make sure the process is clean and safe.

Questions During Healing

If something looks off, reach out. We're happy to assess a photo or have you come in. Catching an issue early, whether it's an irritation bump, a sizing problem, or something that needs a doctor's attention, is always better than waiting.

Contact us or stop by the shop during open hours.

Looking for answers to other common piercing questions? Visit our Piercing FAQ page.

Thinking about a new piercing? Book your appointment here.