USE WARM SEA SALT WATER (SALINE) SOAKS – MORNING AND EVENING
Soaking your piercing with a warm, mild sea salt water solution will not only feel good, it will also help prevent infection, reduce the risk of scarring, and speed the healing of your piercing.
Moreover, how do you take care of a cartilage piercing?
To care for a fresh piercing, wash with soap and water or saline solution—not rubbing alcohol—twice a day. “I find alcohol dries the piercing out,” Smith explains, “If it gets too dry, it cracks and bleeds, causing the wound to remain open. I prefer oil-based soaps for this reason.
Correspondingly, how long does a cartilage piercing take to stop hurting?
It is normal for the skin around the piercing to swell, turn red, and be painful to touch for a few days. You may also notice a little bleeding. If the swelling, redness, and bleeding last longer than 2-3 days, contact your doctor. You should keep inspecting the pierced area for at least 3 months.
How long should I soak my piercing in salt water?
In a small bowl, combine a pinch of non-iodized fine-grain sea salt (about 1/8 teaspoon) and about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of very warm water. Soak the piercing in the mixture for five minutes. Galiano says to do a sea salt soak twice a day for the duration of the healing process, which differs depending on the piercing.
How do you know when your cartilage is healed?
During Healing: You may note some itching at the site. You may note whitish-yellow fluid that is not pus. This fluid coats jewelry and forms a crust when it dries. After Healing: Sometimes jewelry will not move freely within the piercing tract.
What can I clean my cartilage piercing with?
Aftercare for a helix piercing is as simple as washing it twice a day with saline solution (or antibacterial soap, says Earnest). The hardest part of the process isn’t the washing, though; it’s making sure to do everything in your power to avoid irritating your piercing.
Is my cartilage piercing infected or irritated?
According to Thompson, the telltale signs of an infection are simple: “The area around the piercing is warm to the touch, you notice extreme redness or red streaks protruding from it, and it has discolored pus, normally with a green or brown tint,” Thompson says.
How long do you have to let a cartilage piercing heal?
3-5 months
Do cartilage piercings get infected easily?
Cartilage piercings, which take place on the harder part of your ear, generally take longer to heal and can be more prone to infection.
Can I put Neosporin on my cartilage piercing?
NEVER USE: Bacitracin or Neosporin. Petroleum based ointments CLOG the piercing and make it difficult for your body to heal. … These products are too strong and will irritate your skin and piercing.
Why is my cartilage piercing swollen and throbbing?
As it heals, it may look swollen, lumpy, or like a bump. In the days immediately following a cartilage piercing, the body’s immune system triggers inflammation and swelling to heal the wound, sometimes leading to a cartilage bump. Over time, cartilage piercings may develop other bumps due to infections or scarring.
How can I make my piercings hurt less?
What helps cartilage piercing pain?
Apply a warm compress or do a sea salt soak
A warm compress can help the infection drain and relieve pain and swelling. Soaking the infection in a warm salt solution can also help the infection heal.
How do you sleep with a cartilage piercing in both ears?
If you have a new ear piercing, a thinner travel pillow works great to keep pressure off while you’re sleeping. If you don’t have a travel pillow you can roll a clean cotton T-shirt or sheet up and place it around the ear so that when you lay on your side, there’s no direct pressure on your ear.
