How to Care for Your Ear Piercing Hole

Wash your hands with antibacterial soap. This will help prevent bacteria or dirt from contaminating the ear during the cleaning process.

• Carry a hand sanitizer with you. If you can't wash your hands, you can use sanitizer to clean your hands before touching the piercing hole.

Dip a cotton ball or swab into the cleaning solution. You can use isopropyl alcohol or saline solution. Many professional piercers will provide you with a saline solution mixed with sea salt to clean the piercing hole. If not, you can mix ⅛ teaspoon of sea salt with 250 ml of saline solution to create a cleaning solution.

Clean the ear area with a cotton ball or swab. Clean the ear twice a day to ensure the skin around the piercing stays clean and free of bacteria.

• First, dip the cotton ball or swab into the cleaning solution or alcohol. Hold the cotton ball against the bottle mouth, quickly tilt the bottle to soak the cotton.
• Wipe around the piercing area to remove any dirt and bacteria.
• Use a separate cotton swab to clean behind the ear in the same way.
• Always use a new cotton ball or swab to clean behind the ear. Do not reuse the same one.

Rotate the earring. Rotate the earring both clockwise and counterclockwise for half a turn each way. Gently grip the earring with your fingers and rotate it in both directions. This helps prevent the skin from sticking to the jewelry.

Apply antibiotic ointment. Use a clean cotton swab to apply antibiotic ointment to the earring, then continue rotating the earring. Rotate it half a turn in each direction, on both sides, to ensure the ointment is absorbed into the skin.

Clean the piercing hole daily. You can clean your piercing hole once or twice a day, as long as you don't forget. Ideally, do this in the morning after waking up and in the evening before bed to make it part of your daily routine. The cleaning process only takes a few minutes but can significantly reduce the risk of infection.

Do not remove the earring from your ear. If you leave the earring out for too long, the piercing hole will close up. You can remove the earring after about 6 weeks of getting the piercing. However, do not leave it out for too long, as even fully healed holes can still close up, though the speed varies depending on your body's healing rate. Some people may find the hole takes longer to heal, such as up to 4 months instead of 2. Be patient and don’t rush to take the earring out too soon.

Take the earring out every night. Only do this once the piercing has completely healed. Removing the earring while you sleep will prevent it from getting caught, and it also allows air to reach the area, which helps keep your ear healthy.

Clean the earring with rubbing alcohol. Dip a cotton swab in alcohol and use it to clean the earring when you remove it at night. Doing this regularly helps remove bacteria that could cause infection on the earring.

Clean the ear with a cotton swab, alcohol, and apply antibiotic ointment. Do this once a month or when the earring starts feeling tight. Regular cleaning of the piercing hole helps minimize the risk of infection.

Remove and clean the earring with rubbing alcohol. Germs and bacteria can accumulate on the earring, so make sure to clean it 2-3 times a day until the infection clears up.

Soak the piercing hole with rubbing alcohol. Dip a cotton ball or swab into the rubbing alcohol, then gently press it around the area of the piercing. Afterward, repeat the process on the back of the ear.

Apply antibiotic ointment to the earring. After cleaning the earring, apply a small amount of antibiotic ointment before putting it back in. You don’t need much, but it will help reduce inflammation and speed up the healing process.

See a doctor if the infection symptoms persist. In most cases, infected piercings can be treated at home with proper cleaning and antibiotic ointment. However, if the symptoms don’t improve after a few days, it’s best to consult a doctor to avoid complications.

• Only touch your ears when necessary. Your hands carry more bacteria than you might think!
• If you start wearing long earrings, you might want to use plastic earring backs for extra protection. Modern long earrings are also designed to be quite light.
• Avoid wearing long earrings until your piercing hole has fully healed and can support the weight of the earring.
• Take out your earrings before playing sports or swimming.
• Don’t use a piercing gun sold at stores. Visit a professional piercing studio. A professional piercer will help you choose the right size, style, and ensure the piercing is done correctly.
• Wear gloves when cleaning your ears to ensure proper hygiene.
• Change/wash your pillowcases regularly.

• Don’t forget to clean your ears to avoid infections!
• The piercing hole will close if you remove the earring too early.
• If your piercing becomes infected (red, swollen, or painful), see a doctor quickly.
• Do not twist or rotate the piercing. This will delay healing and increase the risk of infection.