Just Got A New Piercing? Here's How To Take Care Of It, According To A Professional Piercer

So, you finally got that helix piercing you've been eyeing for months, or maybe you added another stud to your growing ear stack. Cute! Now comes the part that isn't quite as fun as choosing your jewelry: taking care of your new piercing while it heals.

Getting pierced doesn't end when you leave the studio. From then on, you'll need to be a little more mindful of your everyday habits, from how you clean the area to how you sleep at night.

We asked Santo Niña, a professional piercing artist and jewelry stylist from Guhitinta, to share the piercing aftercare tips you should know, including common mistakes to avoid and signs that your piercing might need a little extra attention. Keep on reading to learn more:

You don't need a complicated routine to care for a fresh piercing, but using the right products matters. Santo recommends NeilMed Piercing Aftercare Spray for routine aftercare and emphasizes choosing a properly sealed, sterile product rather than a repackaged saline solution with questionable handling.

"Keep it simple: use sterile saline, avoid unnecessary handling, and follow your piercer's aftercare instructions," Santo advises.

Skip rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and random ointments or creams that haven't been recommended for your piercing. These products can irritate healing tissue and interfere with recovery. Follow your piercer's instructions on how often to clean the area, too, since excessive cleaning can also cause dryness and unnecessary irritation.

Remember the old advice about twisting your earrings so they don't get stuck to your skin? Yeah, you can officially retire that one.

"Twisting or rotating your jewelry is not recommended during the healing process," Santo explains. "Unnecessary movement can irritate the healing tissue, disrupt the wound site, and contribute to swelling and prolonged healing."

Avoid touching your piercing unnecessarily, too. Be mindful when changing clothes, brushing your hair, putting on earphones (though I personally recommend using over-ear headphones, especially if you have cartilage piercings 🙂‍↕️), or doing anything that could snag your jewelry.

You'll also want to resist changing your jewelry too early. Many piercings take several months or longer to heal completely, even when they look fine on the outside. Leave jewelry changes to your piercer, who can assess when it's appropriate to downsize your jewelry once the initial swelling subsides.

Santo generally recommends avoiding swimming and putting direct pressure on a new piercing during the first month of healing. Pools, beaches, and other bodies of water can expose a fresh piercing to microorganisms, while sleeping directly on it can cause irritation and swelling.

You can generally continue working out, but keep an eye out for sweat, friction, accidental bumps, and equipment that might press against your piercing. If you have a new ear piercing, consider using a travel or donut pillow to avoid putting pressure on it while sleeping.

Santo also recommends returning to the studio for a follow-up assessment and jewelry downsizing when appropriate to avoid snagging. Your piercer can check your healing progress and advise you on when you can gradually resume activities such as swimming.

Remember: One month doesn't mean your piercing is fully healed, so don't rush back into your usual routine without checking first.

Some tenderness, mild swelling, redness, and occasional crusting can be normal during the early stages of healing. What matters is whether these symptoms gradually improve or start getting worse.

"One of the best ways to tell whether your piercing is healing normally is to pay attention to your body and recognize when something feels unusual," Santo explains.

Pay attention to increasing pain, excessive swelling, spreading redness, unusual discharge, or persistent discomfort. These symptoms may indicate irritation or a possible complication, especially when they suddenly worsen.

Reach out to your piercer if something feels off so they can assess your jewelry and the piercing site. However, seek medical attention promptly if you suspect an infection or experience worsening symptoms. Don't remove the jewelry on your own if you suspect an infection unless a healthcare professional advises you to do so.

There's plenty of piercing advice floating around online, but not all of it deserves a spot in your aftercare routine. Santo breaks down a few misconceptions worth leaving behind:

• Myth: You need to twist your piercing so it doesn't stick. Unnecessary movement can irritate healing tissue and disrupt the wound site.

• Myth: Alcohol is the best way to clean a piercing. Alcohol can be too harsh for healing tissue. Stick to sterile saline spray and your piercer's recommended routine.

• Myth: All piercings heal in one month. Healing times vary depending on the piercing's location and individual factors. In general, lobe piercings fully heal after six months, while cartilage piercings take anywhere from nine months to a year.

• Myth: Piercing guns are just as safe as needles. Piercing guns can cause blunt-force trauma to the tissue, and reusable devices may raise sterilization concerns. Professional piercers generally prefer sterile, single-use needles for appropriate body piercings.

Your aftercare responsibilities don't end when you leave the studio. Santo shares that Guhitinta guides clients through the essential dos and don'ts during their appointments and remains available for questions or concerns throughout the healing process.

"We also remain open to communication after the session, so clients can reach out whenever they have questions or concerns about their healing journey," she says.

So, whether you're unsure about a symptom, wondering when to change your jewelry, or figuring out when you can return to your usual activities, don't be afraid to check in with your piercer.