Help with piercings!

Jul 16, 2015

Brittany T.

I got my 2nd ear lobe piercing a few days ago and I'm wondering what I can use to clean it? The piercer recommended spectro gel but I find that makes it difficult to clean without having to move the earrings too much. Also, I'm interested in getting my helix pierced - how much do they hurt and how is the healing process with them?

Jul 16, 2015

Shaye M.

As for the cleaning, I always recommend buying your own 100% rock salt, not table salt and make your own saline solution to clean piercings with. I've cleaned all my piercings making my own saline solution and have never had an infection. And I've got my helix pierced, the pain is like any other cartilage piercing, it'll sting for a while after they pierce it and it may be tender for a week or two afterwards, that's normal however take into consideration which side you sleep on when you get pierced cause it hurts to sleep on for a while haha, it takes about a year for a helix piercing to fully heal because it's cartilage however you can change the jewellery around the 3-6 month range if you feel as though it's healed enough for that. I still haven't changed my bar in my helix lol :)

Jul 16, 2015

Brittany T.

Thank you both so much! How do you use make the saline solution?

Jul 16, 2015

Shaye M.

I like to take one teaspoon of the rock salt and add it to a cup of boiled or warm enough water to dissolve the salt. :)

Jul 16, 2015

Alex W.

Yes! Only use saline solution to clean piercings

Jul 16, 2015

Brittany T.

Thanks so much! And you can reuse it after you make it? (Sorry I haven't dealt with a piercing since I was a kid). Also how do you apply it? With a spray bottle?

Jul 16, 2015

Shaye M.

I personally have reused it but only when I haven't had any direct contact with the water with what I'm cleaning it with, like if I use a q-tip to clean a piercing and use each end of a seperate q-tip instead of using the same one and "double dipping" if that makes any sense at all lol :) you can always remake it though, I suppose putting it in a spray bottle would be a good idea too :)

Jul 16, 2015

Brittany T.

Thank you!! :)

Jul 16, 2015

Jada M.

Whenever I get my piercings I'm always told to use contact solution. Any brand will work. Just squeeze a few drops onto a q tip and you'll be fine. Or the sea salt method works too

Jul 19, 2015

Katie G.

After getting my helix pierced I used to clean it with fine salt and hot water.
I would boil water in the kettle (to get rid of bacteria), pour a little bit into a jug/cup and add a pinch of salt (only a pinch - too much will dry the area you're applying the salt water too which could aggravate the new piercing). I would then let the water cool down to a comfortable heat/coolness and use a cotton bud to clean the skin around the area of my piercing.
The pain of the helix piercing didn't hurt much at all (and I hate pain!) - I don't know whether it was because the piercer was amazing at what she was doing or the place of the piercing but the only pain that I had was about ten minutes after my ear had been pierced which was more of a throbbing pain that kind of stung a little bit, but bearable!
The pain may differ to you but that was my experience :) my helix piercing is also near the top but before the curve at the top of my ear if that helps!