Ear piercing aftercare: how to look after a new piercing

Health advice ·Published 17 October 2026 ·Reviewed 17 October 2026

Written by the Priceline Pharmacy Pacific Fair team. Reviewed by Jason Markey, BPharmSci, MPharm, Owner and Pharmacist, Ahpra registration PHA0001976405.

General health information from a registered pharmacist. It doesn’t replace advice from your own pharmacist or doctor. How we write and check our articles.

Clean a new ear piercing twice a day with saline or the aftercare spray you were given, and wash your hands before you touch it. Leave the starter studs in for at least 6 weeks for earlobes and around 12 weeks for cartilage, and stay out of pools, the ocean and spas until it has healed. Earlobe piercings usually settle within a few weeks but take 1 to 3 months to heal fully, while cartilage can take 6 to 12 months.

This guide covers the daily routine, what’s normal, and the signs that mean you should see a doctor. If you were pierced with us, our team is happy to check how it’s healing. Just pop in. You can read about our service on the ear piercing at Pacific Fair page.

How long does a new ear piercing take to heal?

Some soreness, redness and swelling is normal at first, and can take from a few days to a few weeks to settle. The skin around the piercing can also look discoloured for a few weeks. A piercing keeps healing on the inside for months after the outside looks fine, which is why the early weeks matter so much.

How do I clean a new piercing?

1. Wash your hands first. Wash and dry them well every time you touch or clean the piercing.
2. Clean twice a day. Use saline, or the aftercare spray we gave you. Always read the label and follow the directions for use.
3. Leave the studs in. Clean around them without taking them out.
4. Soften crusts, don’t pick them. A little warm salty water helps loosen crusting. Picking or scratching can cause infection and slow healing.
5. Pat it dry. Use a clean tissue, not a towel or face washer.

What to avoid on a new piercing:

• alcohol, tea tree oil and hydrogen peroxide;
• creams, ointments and oils, which can trap dirt and germs;
• hair products, make-up and perfume near the area;
• playing with, twisting or fiddling with the studs.

What’s normal, and what’s a sign of infection?

In the first few weeks, a healing piercing can be tender, itchy and slightly red, and it may produce a pale fluid that dries into a crust. That’s all part of normal healing.

See a GP if you notice:

• swelling, pain or heat that’s getting worse;
• redness or darkening that spreads;
• thick yellow, green or grey discharge, or a bad smell;
• bleeding that won’t stop;
• feeling hot, cold, shivery or generally unwell.

If you think your piercing is infected, don’t take the earring out yourself. Leave it in and see a doctor, who may prescribe treatment and will tell you whether it needs to come out. Infections in the upper ear cartilage can become serious, so see a GP promptly if a cartilage piercing becomes painful, red or swollen. Help Medical, an independent general practice located inside our store, can see you.

Can I swim with a new piercing?

Not until it has healed. Pools, the ocean and spas can carry germs into a fresh piercing, and pool chemicals can dry out and irritate the skin. On the Gold Coast that’s worth planning around: if you have a beach holiday or swimming season coming up, get your ears pierced afterwards, or allow plenty of healing time before you go.

Sleeping, sport and everyday life

• Sleeping. Try not to sleep on the new piercing. Pointed posts can press into the skin behind your ear, and some people find a plaster over the area helps at night.
• Sport and exercise. Cover the piercing with a plaster if you need to, and clean it afterwards if you get sweaty.
• Hair. Keep hair spray, dry shampoo and styling products away from your ears while they heal.
• Hats, helmets and headphones. Put them on and take them off gently so they don’t catch the studs.

When can I change my earrings?

Wait at least 6 weeks for earlobes and around 12 weeks for cartilage before you take your starter studs out. When you do, wash your hands, clean the new earrings, and put them in straight away. Keep wearing earrings most of the time for the first few months, while the piercing is still healing on the inside.

We sell sleepers and other earrings for when your piercing has healed. Ask our team which suit healed piercings.

What if I react to my earrings?

An itchy, red or weepy rash around the piercing can be an allergy to the metal, most often nickel. If you have eczema, dermatitis or have reacted to jewellery before, tell us before you’re pierced so we can help you choose studs for sensitive ears. If you have a reaction, see your doctor.

Other problems to look out for

• Earring backs sinking in. If the back is pushed on too tight, or the earlobe swells, skin can start to grow over the stud. Don’t try to dig it out. See a GP.
• Lumps. A small lump can form around a cartilage piercing. A firm lump on the earlobe that keeps growing may be a keloid, a type of raised scar that’s more common in teenagers. See a GP about any lump that doesn’t settle.

When to see a pharmacist or GP

Talk to our pharmacists if you’re not sure whether your piercing is healing normally, or if you’d like advice on aftercare products.

See a GP if you notice signs of infection, if a cartilage piercing becomes painful, red or swollen, if an earring back has sunk into the skin, or if a lump keeps growing. Go to an emergency department or call 000 if you feel very unwell, with a high fever, or redness spreading quickly.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take my studs out to clean them?

No. Clean around them twice a day while they’re in. Taking them out before the piercing has healed can damage it.

Is salt water or aftercare spray better?

Use what we recommended when you were pierced. Saline is the standard choice, and if you use the aftercare spray we gave you, follow the directions on the label. Avoid alcohol, tea tree oil and hydrogen peroxide.

When can I wear sleepers?

After at least 6 weeks for earlobes, and around 12 weeks for cartilage. We sell sleepers in store.

How old do you have to be to get your ears pierced at Pacific Fair?

We pierce ears for ages 8 and over. Under-16s need a parent or guardian with them to give consent. Walk in any day we’re open.

My child’s piercing looks red. Should I worry?

A little redness and tenderness is normal in the first few weeks. See a GP if it’s getting worse, there’s yellow or green discharge, or your child feels unwell.

Thinking about getting your ears pierced? Walk in to ear piercing at Pacific Fair, and we’ll go through aftercare with you before you leave.

This article is general information only and isn’t a substitute for personal advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist or you’re worried, talk to your pharmacist or GP. In an emergency, call 000.