March 27, 2025 A-Z Guide

New Piercing Aftercare Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Getting a new piercing is exciting, but looking after it properly is just as important as choosing the jewellery itself. Good aftercare helps create the right environment for your piercing to heal, reducing unnecessary irritation and allowing your body to recover naturally.

The good news is that caring for a new piercing doesn't need to be complicated. A simple, consistent routine is often far more effective than using multiple products or cleaning the area too often.

Whether you've had your ears, nose or another piercing done, this guide explains everything you need to know about caring for a healing piercing, including how to clean it, what to avoid, when you can change your jewellery, and signs that your piercing is healing normally.

Why Aftercare Matters

A piercing creates a small opening in the skin that needs time to heal. Over the coming weeks and months, your body gradually forms new tissue around the jewellery until the piercing becomes stable. During this time, your jewellery acts as a placeholder while healing takes place.

Proper aftercare helps:

Support your body's natural healing process.
Reduce unnecessary irritation.
Prevent debris from building up around the piercing.
Keep the jewellery stable while new tissue forms.

It's important to remember that healing takes time. Even if your piercing feels comfortable after a few weeks, it may still be healing internally.

With Bling Tip: Feeling better doesn't always mean your piercing has fully healed. Continue following your aftercare routine until your piercer advises otherwise.

The First 24 Hours

The first day after getting pierced is often when your piercing feels its most tender.

During this time, it's completely normal to experience:

Mild swelling.
Slight redness.
Tenderness when touched.
A small amount of spotting or light bleeding.
Warmth around the piercing.

Try to leave the jewellery alone and allow your body to begin healing naturally. Avoid unnecessary touching, sleeping directly on the piercing, or changing the jewellery.

New Piercing Aftercare Tips

Clean your piercing twice a day using a pre-made sterile saline solution containing only sterile water and 0.9% sodium chloride. Gently spray or soak the area, then pat it dry with clean gauze or a lint-free paper towel. There's no need to scrub or over-clean the piercing.

As tempting as it might be, avoid touching, twisting or rotating your jewellery. Unwashed hands can introduce bacteria and unnecessary movement can irritate healing tissue. Only touch your piercing when cleaning it, and always wash your hands first.

Avoid alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil and fragranced soaps, as these can dry out or irritate healing skin. A simple saline solution is usually all that's needed for routine aftercare.

Try not to sleep directly on a healing piercing, particularly cartilage piercings such as the helix, conch or tragus. If you're a side sleeper, a travel pillow or piercing pillow can help reduce pressure while you sleep.

Avoid swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes and the sea during the early stages of healing where possible, as they can expose your piercing to bacteria and other contaminants.

Even if your piercing feels comfortable, it may still be healing inside. Avoid changing your jewellery until it's sufficiently healed or your professional piercer advises it's safe to do so. Some piercings may also need a bar downsizing during healing.

Mild redness, swelling, tenderness and small amounts of pale yellow or whitish dried discharge are all common during healing. If you experience severe pain, rapidly worsening swelling, spreading redness, fever, or other symptoms that concern you, seek advice from your piercer or an appropriate healthcare professional.

Things to Avoid During Healing

Many piercing problems happen because of irritation rather than poor cleaning. Giving your piercing time to settle without constant disturbance is one of the best things you can do.

Try to avoid:

When Can You Change Your Jewellery?

One of the biggest mistakes people make is changing jewellery too early. Although your piercing may feel comfortable on the outside, the tissue inside may still be healing.

For most piercings, it's best to wait until they're sufficiently healed before changing the jewellery yourself.

Some piercings also require bar downsizing during healing. This is usually carried out by a professional piercer and involves replacing the initial longer bar with a shorter one once the initial swelling has settled. Downsizing can help reduce movement, improve comfort, and support the healing process.

If you'd like to learn more about when a piercing should be downsized and why it's an important step, read our guide: Piercing Bar Downsizing: Why It Matters and When to Do It.

When to See a Professional

FAQs

How often should I clean a new piercing?

For most new piercings, professional piercers recommend cleaning with a pre-made sterile saline solution twice a day, unless you've been advised otherwise. Cleaning more frequently isn't usually necessary and may irritate the piercing.

Should I twist or rotate my jewellery?

No. Twisting or rotating the jewellery can damage healing tissue and increase irritation. Leave the jewellery in place and only touch it when cleaning your piercing with clean hands.

Is crusting around a piercing normal?

Yes. Small amounts of pale yellow or whitish dried discharge, often called "crusties", are a normal part of the healing process. Soften the area with sterile saline and gently remove any loosened residue if needed. Avoid picking at dried crusts with your fingernails.

Can I shower with a new piercing?

Yes. Showering is generally fine while your piercing heals. Rinse away any shampoo, conditioner or body wash thoroughly, then continue with your normal aftercare routine if recommended by your piercer.

Can I go swimming with a new piercing?

It's generally best to avoid swimming during the early stages of healing. Swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes and the sea can expose your piercing to bacteria and other contaminants, which may increase the risk of irritation.

When can I change my piercing jewellery?

Wait until your piercing has healed sufficiently before changing your jewellery yourself. Some piercings also require a professional bar downsizing before they're fully healed. If you're unsure, ask your piercer for advice before changing your jewellery.

How do I know if my piercing is healing normally?

Mild redness, swelling, tenderness and small amounts of dried discharge are all common while a piercing heals. These symptoms should gradually improve over time. If you experience severe pain, rapidly worsening swelling, spreading redness, fever, or other symptoms that concern you, seek advice from your piercer or an appropriate healthcare professional.

Can I use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or tea tree oil to clean my piercing?

These products aren't generally recommended for routine piercing aftercare, as they may dry out or irritate healing skin. Most professional piercers recommend using a pre-made sterile saline solution containing only sterile water and 0.9% sodium chloride.

Do I need to remove my jewellery when cleaning my piercing?

No. Leave the jewellery in place while cleaning. Removing it too early can disrupt healing and, depending on how new the piercing is, the hole may begin to close surprisingly quickly.