Piercing Aftercare Guide
Piercing Aftercare Guide
Looking after a new piercing is mostly about consistency and patience. Follow the simple routine below, keep the area clean, and leave your jewellery alone while it heals.
How to clean a new piercing
Clean your piercing once or twice a day — morning and evening is plenty. Over-cleaning can irritate the skin and slow healing, so resist the urge to do more.
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1Wash your hands. Use soap and warm water and dry them on a clean paper towel before you touch the piercing. Never touch a healing piercing with unwashed hands.
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2Prepare sterile saline. Use a ready-made sterile saline solution (0.9% sodium chloride) — the same kind sold for wound and piercing aftercare.
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3Apply the saline. Soak the area for 2–3 minutes, or hold saline-soaked clean gauze or paper towel against it.
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4Gently loosen any crust. Once softened, wipe away crusting with clean gauze. Don’t pick at it with your nails and don’t force the jewellery to move.
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5Pat dry. Dry the area gently with a clean, disposable paper towel. Avoid cloth towels — they harbour bacteria and can snag jewellery.
The golden rules
Do
- Wash your hands before touching the piercing — every time.
- Clean once or twice daily with sterile saline.
- Leave the original jewellery in until fully healed.
- Keep bedding, pillowcases, hats and phones clean, and sleep off the piercing.
- Look after yourself — good sleep, hydration and nutrition all help.
Don’t
- Twist, turn or play with the jewellery — leave it still.
- Use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, TCP, Dettol or tea tree oil.
- Over-clean — more than twice a day can do harm.
- Submerge it in pools, hot tubs, lakes or baths while healing.
- Change or remove the jewellery early.
- Apply make-up, lotions or sprays near the piercing.
How long does a piercing take to heal?
Healing times vary from person to person and depend on placement, aftercare and your general health. A piercing can feel healed on the surface long before it’s healed internally, so stick with your routine for the full period.
| Piercing | Typical healing time |
|---|---|
| Earlobe | 6–8 weeks |
| Ear cartilage (helix, tragus, conch, daith, rook, snug) | 4–12 months |
| Nostril | 4–6 months |
| Septum | 6–8 weeks |
| Eyebrow | 6–8 weeks |
| Lip, labret, Medusa, Monroe | 2–3 months |
| Tongue | 4–6 weeks |
| Navel (belly) | 6–12 months |
| Nipple | 6–12 months |
Swelling and downsizing
New piercings are usually fitted with a slightly longer bar to allow for swelling. Once the initial swelling settles — often after a few weeks — it’s worth seeing your piercer about downsizing to a shorter post. A correctly sized bar reduces snagging and the risk of irritation bumps, and helps the piercing heal in a good position.
What’s normal, and when to seek help
Normal during early healing
Some redness or pinkness, mild swelling, tenderness or warmth, a little clear or whitish fluid that dries to a crust, slight itching, and minor bruising. This usually settles over the first few weeks.
Seek advice if you notice
Redness that spreads or worsens, significant swelling, heat and throbbing pain, thick yellow or green discharge, a bad smell, a fever, or red streaks from the site. If you think a piercing may be infected, don’t remove the jewellery yourself — it can trap the infection. Get it looked at instead.
Best jewellery for a healing piercing
For fresh and healing piercings, implant-grade titanium (ASTM F-136) is the gold standard — biocompatible, nickel-safe and hypoallergenic, so it’s far less likely to irritate sensitive skin. Every piece of Camden Body Jewellery is implant-grade titanium, supplied sterilised in sealed pouches.
Shop implant-grade titanium →Aftercare FAQ
How often should I clean my piercing?
Once or twice a day with sterile saline is ideal. Cleaning more often can irritate the skin and slow healing.
What should I clean my piercing with?
Sterile saline solution (0.9% sodium chloride) only. Avoid alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, TCP, Dettol and tea tree oil, which are too harsh for healing tissue.
Should I twist or rotate my jewellery?
No. Current best practice is to leave the jewellery completely still. Moving it disturbs healing and can introduce bacteria.
Can I swim with a new piercing?
Avoid swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes and baths while the piercing is healing, as they can expose it to bacteria. Showers are fine.
When can I change my jewellery?
Only once the piercing is fully healed. For the first change it is best to have a professional piercer do it or guide you.
How do I know if my piercing is infected?
Warning signs include spreading redness, significant swelling, heat, throbbing pain, thick yellow or green discharge, a bad smell, or feeling feverish. If worried, see your piercer or a healthcare professional and leave the jewellery in until advised otherwise.
What jewellery is best for a new piercing?
Implant-grade titanium. It is hypoallergenic and biocompatible, making it the safest choice for fresh and sensitive piercings.
Related guides
This guide is general information and not a substitute for professional advice. If a piercing isn’t healing well or you have any concerns, please consult your piercer or a healthcare professional.