Piercing Aftercare Guide
Why Piercing Aftercare Matters
A new piercing needs time and care to heal properly. Following appropriate aftercare can help:
- Support clean, healthy healing
- Reduce unnecessary irritation
- Minimise the risk of piercing bumps and complications
- Protect your jewellery and piercing while the tissue heals
You have invested in quality jewellery — now give your body the support it needs to heal around it.
1. Clean Twice Daily with Packaged Sterile Saline
We recommend using a packaged sterile saline solution containing 0.9% sodium chloride, such as NeilMed Piercing Aftercare or Piercemed Piercing Aftercare.
Avoid making your own salt-water solution, as it can be difficult to achieve the correct concentration and the solution will not be sterile.
Spray the saline directly onto the piercing or apply using sterile gauze.
There is no need to twist or rotate the jewellery. Unnecessary movement can irritate the piercing and disturb the healing tissue.
2. Hands Off — Unless Cleaning
Always wash your hands thoroughly before touching your piercing.
Avoid touching, twisting, picking or playing with your jewellery unnecessarily. The less disruption the piercing experiences while healing, the better.
3. Keep It Clean and Let It Breathe
Avoid covering your piercing with tight or occlusive dressings unless specifically advised to do so.
When showering, make sure any soap, shampoo or other products are thoroughly rinsed away from the piercing.
For ear piercings, try to avoid sleeping directly on the healing area. A piercing or travel pillow with a central opening can help reduce pressure while you sleep.
4. Avoid Harsh Products
Avoid using products such as:
- Alcohol
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Tea tree oil
- Iodine
- Harsh antibacterial soaps
- Ointments not specifically recommended for your piercing
These products may irritate or damage healing tissue.
Remember that even when a piercing looks healed on the surface, the tissue underneath may still be recovering.
5. Downsizing Matters
Many new piercings are initially fitted with a longer bar or post to allow room for swelling.
Once the initial swelling has reduced, your piercer may recommend replacing this with appropriately sized jewellery.
Downsizing can help:
- Reduce unnecessary movement
- Prevent jewellery from catching
- Reduce irritation and pressure
- Help prevent the piercing angle from changing
We generally recommend having your first piercing check-up at around the six-week mark, although the appropriate timing will depend on the piercing and how it is healing.
Your piercer can assess the area and advise whether your jewellery is ready to be downsized.
6. Know When to Ask for Help
Contact your piercer for advice if you are concerned about how your piercing is healing, particularly if you experience:
- Increasing redness, swelling, heat or pain
- Unusual or worsening discharge
- Sudden or persistent bleeding
- Sharp or shooting pain
- Jewellery becoming embedded or putting excessive pressure on the skin
- A significant change in the appearance of the piercing
If you are concerned about a possible infection or feel unwell, seek appropriate medical advice.
7. Support Your Healing
Your general wellbeing can also affect how your body heals.
Try to:
- Stay well hydrated
- Eat a balanced and nourishing diet
- Avoid swimming in pools, hot tubs, lakes or other bodies of water during the early healing period
- Keep makeup, skincare, hair products and sprays away from the piercing where possible
- Protect the piercing from unnecessary pressure, friction and snagging