aftercare guide

Piercing Aftercare: Ear and Face

Version 1

Issued 22/10/2026

Draft. Not yet approved by the studio's qualified practitioner. Do not issue to clients.

Healing times vary: earlobes often take six to eight weeks, cartilage and most facial piercings several months to a year. Be patient and keep it simple.

Cleaning

Wash your hands before you touch the piercing.
Clean once or twice a day with sterile saline wound wash (0.9% sodium chloride) from a sealed can or sachet. Spray or soak, then gently rinse away any crust.
Pat dry with clean disposable paper towel or allow to air dry.
Do not use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil, ointments or anything not recommended by your piercer.
Do not make up your own salt solution. The strength matters and home mixes are not sterile.

Leave it alone

Do not twist, turn or spin the jewellery. Movement damages healing tissue and pulls in bacteria.
Avoid sleeping on the piercing. A travel pillow with a hole can help with ear piercings.
Keep hair products, make-up, phones, face masks, glasses and headphones away from the area where you can. Snagging is a common cause of setbacks.
Keep the jewellery in. Taking it out early can cause the hole to close or trap infection.
Showers are fine. Avoid swimming pools, hot tubs, the sea and lakes while healing.

Downsizing

Initial jewellery is longer to allow for swelling. Book a downsize check with your piercer when the swelling settles (often four to eight weeks). Jewellery that is too long catches and prolongs healing.

What is normal

Some swelling, tenderness, redness and a whitish or pale yellow crust around the jewellery are normal in the early weeks. A small bump can appear later, often from irritation. Tell your piercer rather than treating it yourself.

Important: Signs that need medical advice: spreading redness, increasing pain or swelling, heat, thick yellow or green discharge, bleeding that will not stop, or feeling feverish or unwell. Contact your GP or NHS 111. Do not remove the jewellery for a suspected infection unless a clinician tells you to, as the hole can close over and trap infection. Call 999 if you feel seriously ill.

Contact the studio if you are unsure, if jewellery embeds or sinks, or if it is uncomfortable. We will always look and refer you on if needed.

Practitioner to confirm: the healing times quoted for the piercings the studio offers, and the point at which the studio recommends the first downsize.

Questions? Email thedesk@rebelliousink.tattoo. For anything medical, contact NHS 111 or your GP. In an emergency, call 999.