Keep things simple!
Clean your piercing twice a day using sterile saline spray provided to you during your appointment. Spray directly onto the area and let it air dry; no need to twist, turn, or move the jewelry. You can also use a hairdryer on the cool setting, or a clean tissue to dab off excess moisture.

Do:

• Wash your hands before touching your piercing.

• Use sterile saline spray or a wound wash labeled “0.9% sodium chloride.” Hypochlorus acid is also a fantastic choice!

• Gently rinse off any crusties in the shower with warm water. The steam will soften them and they should just wipe away!

• Pat dry with clean paper towels or let it air dry.

Don’t:

• Don’t twist or rotate your jewelry.

• Don’t use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or Neosporin. They’re too harsh and delay healing!

• Don’t sleep directly on your new piercing (especially cartilage!). Use a piercing pillow or a travel pillow if you’re a side sleeper!

• Avoid swimming, submerging, or hot tubs until fully healed. However, the first 2 weeks are when it is most prone to infection. If you do end up going in any unsanitary water, be sure to wait until after the 2 week period, and clean well after swimming.

What’s Normal:

A little redness, swelling, light bruising, or tenderness for the first few days is totally normal. You may also notice a small amount of clear or pale yellow fluid. That’s part of the healing process!

Your piercing may go through “ups and downs” as it heals. Some days it looks perfect, and others it’s a bit irritated or mildly swollen. Stay consistent with cleaning, and it will settle over time!

What’s Not Normal:

If you notice intense pain, spreading redness, green or foul-smelling discharge, or a sudden bump that grows quickly, please reach out or see a healthcare provider. You can also message me directly for advice! I’m always happy to take a look!

Downsizing your jewelry is one of the most important (and often overlooked!) steps in your healing journey!

When a piercing is fresh, the initial post or bar is placed a little longer to allow room for swelling. Once that swelling goes down (usually after 6–8 weeks for cartilage), that extra length can start to cause problems if it isn’t changed.

How to Know Your Piercing Is Ready to Downsize

• The swelling has fully gone down. Your jewelry no longer feels tight or pressed into the skin.

• The piercing looks calm. No redness, tenderness, or irritation.

• You can move the jewelry slightly and it feels smooth, not sore or sticky.

• It’s been around 6–10 weeks for cartilage, depending on how you’re healing.

If you’re unsure, don’t worry! I can always take a look and let you know when the timing is right!

Here’s Why Downsizing Is So Important

• Better comfort: A long post can snag on hair, clothing, or bedding and cause micro-movement that irritates your piercing.

• Prevents bumps: Extra movement from long jewelry is one of the biggest causes of irritation bumps.

• Cleaner healing: Shorter posts sit more snugly and keep your piercing stable so the tissue can finish healing properly.

• Looks daintier: Downsized jewelry sits closer to the ear and looks more polished once healing is well underway!

When your piercing feels ready, book a Jewelry Change Appointment and I’ll safely swap your post for a shorter one that fits perfectly!

It’s a quick, simple step, but it makes a huge difference in how your piercing heals long-term!

Every piercing is different, but here is a general idea of how quickly different. placements heal!

Times can vary depending on anatomy, lifestyle, and aftercare consistency.

• Earlobes: 3–4 months

• Helix / Flat / Upper Cartilage: 6–12 months

• Forward Helix / Tragus / Rook / Daith: 9–12+ months

• Conch: 9–12 months

• Nostril: 4–6 months

Keep in mind: your piercing might look healed on the outside before it’s healed on the inside, so keep taking care of it the entire time! You’ll know it’s fully healed when you can tap or tug on it with no pain or tenderness.

Let’s talk about those little bumps that can pop up during healing!

It’s super common for piercings (especially cartilage piercings) to develop small bumps during the healing process. These are usually irritation bumps, not keloids.

What’s the Difference?

Piercing Bumps are small, soft or slightly firm, pinkish spots that form from irritation or pressure. They’re usually very tender! They can come and go depending on how your piercing is healing. Common causes include:

• Sleeping on your piercing

• Snagging or bumping it

• Jewelry that’s too tight or too long

• Inconsistent cleaning or over-cleaning

• Using harsh products like alcohol or peroxide

Keloids, on the other hand, are rare. They are genetic scar tissue growths that extend far beyond the piercing area and usually continue to grow over time. They don’t disappear on their own and should be evaluated by a doctor or dermatologist.

So don’t panic if you see a bump! Most of the time, it’s just your body’s way of saying, “hey, this is irritated.”

How to Care for a Piercing Bump

• Stick with sterile saline or hypochlorus acid spray twice a day. Nothing harsh!

• Avoid touching, twisting, or removing the jewelry.

• Check your jewelry fit. Too tight or too loose can cause irritation!

• Avoid sleeping on that side.

• Be patient; bumps can take a few weeks (sometimes months) to fully go away.

Try a warm saline soak (optional).
If the bump is stubborn, try this once a day for 5–10 minutes:

• Mix ¼ teaspoon of non-iodized sea salt (or fine pink Himalayan salt) with 1 cup of warm distilled water.

• Soak a clean paper towel or gauze pad in the solution and hold it gently over your piercing.

• Rinse with plain water afterward and let it air dry.
  Tip: make it warm, not hot! Just cozy enough to increase circulation and help draw out fluid.

If your bump becomes painful, very red, swollen, or starts producing yellow/green fluid, reach out to me or a healthcare provider; that may be more than irritation. Otherwise, slow and steady care usually clears things up beautifully!

Healing takes patience! Be gentle with yourself and your body. Consistency and care make all the difference, and I’m always here if you need help or reassurance along the way!

Xoxo, Sariah | Studio Poppy Piercings