Following the right ear piercing care instructions can help prevent serious infection and pain from developing down the line. There are several steps you can take, both immediately after getting your piercing and for ongoing proper maintenance. Keep reading to learn how to take the best care of your piercings.

Pierce With a Needle
Oftentimes, facilities will use piercing guns on ear cartilage or lobes. Piercing in this method often leads to higher rates of infection because the plastic material of the guns is tougher to sanitize. Furthermore, a needle is far more exact and prevents scar tissue from forming at the piercing site.

Be Gentle While Caring for Cartilage
A piercing in the cartilage of your ear as opposed to the lobe will require more attention and specific cartilage piercing care. Because cartilage receives less blood flow than the earlobe, a piercing in this area takes longer to heal. The average time fluctuates from as short as six months to as long as 10 months.

When to Turn
Turning the earring when it's dry while in your ears is thought to be detrimental to the piercing site. To follow proper ear piercing care, make sure to only turn the earring when it is wet. Doing so will clean it as opposed to causing further ear irritation.

Do Not Clean With Rubbing Alcohol
When you first got your piercing, you may have been told to clean the site with rubbing alcohol. While it may serve to sanitize the area, this will only lead to dry and cracked skin that's painful. Instead, use a saline solution or simple soap-and-water combination to clean for the best ear piercing care. For an effective saline solution, try Arm & Hammer's Simply Saline Wound Wash.

Never Panic
Part of good ear piercing care is to not panic. Oftentimes, piercings become inflamed, red and super sore. You may think that it's infected, but it usually is a harmless irritation that will go away within a week. If you still fear something may be wrong, simply consult the piercer you paid for the procedure. They will likely tell you it's only irritated. At worst, they'll take the piercing out to let an infection heal.

Help the Healing Process
The process of healing takes some time. All you have to do as part of proper ear piercing care is help it along during this process. Clean with a nonalcoholic solution, monitor for infection and ice if there is excessive swelling.

Don't Remove Earrings for Six Weeks
The last tip on the pierced ear care list is to not remove piercings for at least six weeks. The earlier you remove them, the more likely you'll be to develop an infection at the piercing site. There is also an increased risk that the holes will seal up if earrings are removed for extended periods before six weeks have passed.