Other than to clean your piercing, avoid touching it as much as possible—do NOT rotate or twist. Spray the front and back of your piercing with sterile saline solution, 2 to 3 times a day. For certain piercings, it may be easier to apply using a clean non-woven gauze saturated with saline solution.
After the 1st day rotate earrings one full turn at least 3-5 times per day, for the next 2 weeks only, as this promotes healing. Always wash your hands with antibacterial soap before touching your ears or earrings during the healing process.
The idea of twisting/moving your new piercing daily & doing this frequently throughout the day is outdated & rarely helps the area to heal nicely, in most cases it causes soreness, redness or swelling which leads to longer healing times & can lead to infection.
Don't fiddle with your piercings.
Don't touch a new piercing or twist the jewelry unless you're cleaning it. Keep clothing away from the piercing, too. Excessive rubbing or friction can irritate your skin and delay healing.
It can be bad to wear earrings 24/7. It is advisable to take your favourite earrings off from time to time to let your ears “breathe”. The reason behind this is that your earrings could trap dirt and bacteria (or shampoo) if you leave them on 24/7, which can lead to infections.
In the past, rotating the jewelry was recommended, but it has been found to cause damage that can lead to infection and scarring. For happy healing, NEVER rotate your body jewelry. Always be sure your bedding and the clothes you sleep in are clean.
AVOID beer, alcohol, yogurt, cheese and spicy or citrus foods for the first 2 weeks. AFTER 3 WEEKS we recommend that you come back to the studio to purchase a shorter barbell for your new piercing. REMEMBER your new piercing is considered an open wound. Be extremely mindful of any oral contact for 6 weeks.
To avoid all these potential irritants, here are a few tips: Don't touch, move, turn, or twist your jewelry at all during the initial healing time. Don't wear tight-fitting clothing over the jewelry, and try to avoid anything that will rub.
Staying away from food such as: nuts, dairy, eggs, beef, and seafood while your ear is healing will help decrease the probability of any food-related allergic reactions. If you're already aware of your own allergies, then you'll know exactly what to avoid during your healing period!
Over cleaning is also just as bad as under cleaning. If you over clean you will remove any good bacteria trying to help your new piercing heal. Also, don't play with or touch your new piercing!
It is important to note that your piercing may be tender or painful for up to 3-5 days after the procedure was performed. This is normal. Sleeping directly on your ears or side may prolong the tenderness due to the pressure on the piercing site.
With any threaded jewelry (straight, curved or circular barbells), you should tighten both balls daily. Always remember: “Righty-tighty; lefty-loosey.” Do not move the jewelry. There is no need to move or rotate your jewelry, as this can cause irritation and may damage healing tissue.
"After years, it is likely that the hole will remain open, however, this varies based on how long you've had the piercing and also on your body's healing abilities," said Frances Miranda, Studex corporate trainer and business development manager.
Avoid all oral contact, rough play, and contact with others' bodily fluids on or near your piercing during healing. Avoid stress and recreational drug use, including excessive caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. Avoid submerging the piercing in unhygienic bodies of water such as lakes, pools, hot tubs, etc.
On average, most piercings will need to be cleaned over the next 3-4 months (unless otherwise stated by your piercer). It is vital that you do not over-clean the piercing. If it has been longer than four months, do not clean the piercing anymore.
Rinse with clean water after your salt soak to prevent salt crystals forming, which can cause irritation and slow the healing process. 3) It is normal for dried blood or serous fluid (yellow crust) to form around the edges of your piercing. DO NOT pick it away while it is dry.
These discharges mixed with dirt from lack of cleaning can also oxidize, leaving a black or grey gunk. This gunk can be pushed out with a clean earring or washed out with warm soap and water. You can enter a clean earring into the hole from the front or back to try and budge the gunk.
Flaky, dry skin around a new piercing site is usually a result of the body becoming accustomed to the recent change. The area could be experiencing moisture loss, either because of the body's own healing process or due to your newfound sensitivity in that area.
Wait at least 2 months, while following the proper after-care protocols, to start sleeping on the side of a tragus piercing. Avoid using earphones or earbuds during the first 1-2 months after getting your tragus pierced. They can irritate the area and potentially cause an infection.
If your earrings are always in, that skin can build up around the earring, and it can allow that skin slough to stay caked on your skin and earring." It's unlikely that this will cause an infection, though she notes that the dead tissue can begin to look goopy, which, gross.
It is generally recommended that you take your earrings out when you are sleeping. If you don't want to take your earrings out, there are some ways to be more comfortable sleeping with them.