Ear piercings: how to pick, care for, and avoid problems

Getting an ear pierced is common, but simple mistakes turn it into a week or months of trouble. Here’s plain advice you can use right away: choose a clean pro, pick the right metal, and follow a short aftercare routine. Do those three things and you cut the risk of infection, allergic reaction, and long healing times.

Choosing the right piercing and jewelry

Go to a professional piercer who uses single-use needles and sealed tools. Avoid gun piercings for cartilage — guns crush tissue and raise complications. Ask if the studio follows local health rules and uses a fresh pair of gloves.

Pick hypoallergenic metals: implant-grade titanium, niobium, or 14K+ gold are safest. Surgical stainless steel is fine for many people but can still contain nickel. If you’ve had a nickel allergy before, skip anything with nickel in it.

Think about placement: earlobes heal fastest (about 6–8 weeks). Cartilage takes longer — usually 3–12 months — and reacts more badly to pressure, bumps, or sleeping on it. Plan jewelry size and backing so there’s a little room for swelling at first.

Aftercare and spotting trouble early

Clean the area twice a day with a sterile saline spray or a salt-water soak (1/4 teaspoon non-iodized salt in 8 oz warm water). Don’t use hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, or strong antiseptics — they dry and delay healing.

Wash your hands before touching the piercing. Don’t rotate the earring unless your piercer told you to; moving it can irritate fresh tissue. Avoid pools, hot tubs, and heavy sweating for the first few weeks when possible.

Normal healing signs: mild redness, clear or slightly yellow fluid, and tenderness that improves each week. Warning signs that need a doctor: increasing pain, spreading redness, warmth, thick yellow/green pus, fever, or red streaks leading away from the ear. If you see these, get medical advice — some infections need prescription antibiotics.

For pain, use over-the-counter options like ibuprofen or acetaminophen per package directions unless your doctor says otherwise. For allergic swelling, antihistamines may help short term, but also switch to nickel-free jewelry and consult your piercer or doctor.

Scar bumps or keloids are best handled early. Don’t remove jewelry to treat a keloid without asking a clinician — that can make things worse. A dermatologist can suggest steroid injections or other treatments.

Final tip: keep a simple log of cleaning and any changes for the first month. If something seems off, call your piercer or a healthcare provider — early action prevents bigger problems. Want product picks or a week-by-week healing timeline? Check our guides for safe piercing choices and aftercare steps tailored to lobes and cartilage.