The days of basic piercings are long gone and more is more when it comes to ear piercings. Getting two or three studs on one of your ears is no longer as daring as it was before. This decade is all about layers studs, industrial piercings, multiple hoops, and threads all the way from the lobe of your ears to the rim.

We recommend that you wear any of the following materials: 316l Surgical Steel, 14k Gold, or Implant Grade Titanium at least during the first year of the piercing as they are  highly non-reactive metals that will keep your piercing healthy and long-lasting.

Steer clear of these 3 common mistakes and keep your ear piercings free of infection!

From the overcrowded earlobes to the edgy septum, women are obsessing over flaunting stunning pieces of jewelry all over their ears. But as much as we like to look trendy, we often neglect the aftercare that goes with ear piercings.

We’ve all heard about the horror stories of ear piercings that went wrong. But, these can be easily avoided taking note of a few ear piercing mistakes and taking some aftercare measures for long-term results.

Here, we’re listing down the 3 biggest mistakes with ear piercings that are easily avoidable.

1. Touching the Piercing with Dirty Hands

If you’re going to touch your fresh piercing with dirty hands, you will inevitably transfer the germs from your fingertips to your unhealed wound. This will expose the wound to harmful microorganisms and put you at risk of getting an infection. Even though this is such an obvious thing to be wary of, countless people often take it lightly.

So, it’s imperative that you wash your hands with soap if you have to touch your newly pierced ear. That said, we recommend that you don’t touch it at all until it’s fully healed.

A great ear piercing is one that’s only admired by looking at it and is seldom touched. You should also take care while you’re sleeping as to not sleep over the piercing. If this is difficult for you, use a travel pillow instead or a regular one.

2. Using the Wrong Cleaning Solution

You might get confused with everyone’s suggestions of what to use to clean your new piercing. The best choice is to use normal saline.

Take two small pieces of a cotton ball and dip them in the saline solution. Use each piece to clean the front and back of the piercing without applying too much pressure. Twist the earring a few times until the piercing is wet.

Make sure that the cotton balls are of good quality and are not the ones that leave residues of cotton on the wound, leading to infection.

Another option could be rubbing alcohol but be careful as it may sting a little when you apply it to the wound. It can also be a bit harsh if your skin is very dry.

3. Wearing Poor Quality Earrings

If you’ve been so patient with your piercing and given it its due time to heal, don’t ruin all your efforts by switching to some cheap pair of earrings that you got for $2!