✨ Piercing Aftercare Guide
By Rachel Jade | Curated Ear & Nose Piercing Specialist – Worthing
So, you’ve just had your new piercing done—yay! Whether it’s a lobe, cartilage, or nose piercing, proper aftercare is everything. Taking care of your new piercing ensures it heals beautifully and reduces the chance of irritation or complications. Here's exactly what you need to know…
💧 What should I use to clean my piercing?
We always recommend sterile saline solution—simple, skin-safe, and effective. Your saline should list 0.9% sodium chloride as the only ingredient. Avoid creams, oils, tea tree, witch hazel, or anything that promises fast healing—these can actually cause more harm than good.
🧼 Daily Cleaning Routine
To keep your new piercing happy and healing, follow these steps once or twice a day:
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Wash your hands thoroughly before touching your piercing.
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Spray sterile saline directly onto the piercing or onto a piece of sterile gauze.
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Do not twist or turn your jewellery, as this can cause trauma and delay healing.
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Dry the area gently with clean, disposable gauze or a tissue. Avoid towels, this is because they trap bacteria and can catch on jewellery.
Less is more when it comes to cleaning. Being gentle is key.
🩸 What’s normal during healing?
Don’t panic—some things are totally normal, especially in the early days:
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Mild swelling or tenderness
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Localised redness
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Light bleeding or bruising
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A clear-yellowish fluid that dries into crust (this is part of the healing process)
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A tight feeling around the jewellery as the skin repairs
Your piercing may look healed on the outside after a few weeks, but internally it’s still delicate. Keep up your aftercare for the full healing time—even if it feels fine.
❌ What to avoid while healing
Healing piercings are sensitive. Here’s what to steer clear of:
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🚫 Over-cleaning – once or twice daily is enough. Too much can dry out and irritate the skin.
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🚫 Touching or playing with your jewellery (even with clean hands).
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🚫 Sleeping on the piercing, especially cartilage. Use a travel pillow to reduce pressure.
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🚫 Swimming in pools, oceans, lakes, or hot tubs—these can introduce bacteria.
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🚫 Makeup, skincare, fake tan, or perfume near the piercing area.
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🚫 Scrubbing or removing crusts—they act like a scab and help protect your skin.
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🚫 Headphones, hats, or tight clothing that rub or press on the piercing.
⏳ Healing Times
Each piercing heals at its own pace. Here’s a general guide:
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Lobes: 8–12 weeks
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Cartilage (Helix, Conch, Tragus, etc.): 6–12 months
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Nose: 6–9 months
Remember, healing is unique to you. Some piercings take longer, especially if they’re knocked or irritated.
🔄 Downsizing Your Jewellery
After 6 weeks, we’ll need to downsize your jewellery if you’ve had a cartilage piercing. Why?
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It shortens the bar to fit your healed tissue
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Reduces movement, friction, and snagging
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Prevents irritation, bumps, and long-term discomfort
This appointment must be done by us in the studio using sterile equipment. If you’re unsure whether you’re ready to downsize, just send us a message or a photo and we’ll guide you.
🚨 Something doesn’t feel right?
If your piercing becomes very swollen, red, hot to touch, or painful, please get in touch as soon as possible. It might be a sign the bar is too short, or the area is irritated. We can usually fix the issue by upsizing your bar or reviewing your aftercare steps.
📍 By Rachel Jade | Luxury Ear Styling & Aesthetic Piercing in Worthing
📩 DM us on Instagram @byracheljade
🌐 Book or message us directly via www.byracheljade.co.uk