Can you use witch hazel to clean piercings?

What should you use instead?

For body piercings, saline rinsing twice a day is one cleaning option. For new ear piercings, gently washing with a mild, fragrance free cleanser and water at least once a day is another. Rinse the cleanser away thoroughly. Choose the cleaning method for the piercing site, rather than promoting a facial toner into a job it never applied for.12

Do not replace alcohol containing witch hazel with hydrogen peroxide or antibacterial soap: those products can damage healing skin. An alcohol free witch hazel is not the same product as saline or a mild cleanser, so use one of those cleaning options instead. Keep makeup, oils and other facial skincare off the healing area. A piercing care routine needs a suitable cleanser, not a supporting cast of skincare bottles.12

How do you clean a healing piercing?

1. 1Wash and dry your hands before touching or cleaning the piercing. Use warm water and liquid soap, then a clean towel or paper towel.
2. 2Clean gently using the method agreed for your piercing. A saline rinse can be used twice a day; a mild, fragrance free cleanser and water can be used at least once a day for new ear piercings.
3. 3Soften crusting with warm, salty water rather than picking it off. For genital piercings, a clean gauze warm compress can soften discharge before gentle cleaning.
4. 4Rinse away any cleanser thoroughly. Do not twist or turn jewellery when the piercing is dry, or pick, tug or rub the healing area.
5. 5Dry the piercing with a fresh disposable paper towel. Do not use a shared hand or bath towel.

Does the piercing location change the aftercare?

Yes. A mouth piercing needs different care from an ear piercing: gargle with salty water or an alcohol free mouthwash. For a genital piercing, follow the site's specific cleaning instructions and avoid sex until it has healed. Ask your piercer which method to follow rather than combining every aftercare routine.14

For new ear piercings, a thin coat of petroleum jelly around each opening can keep the wound moist and help healing. Use a squeeze tube rather than an open jar to reduce germ transfer. Do not automatically apply that step to every body piercing: some body piercing instructions advise against ointments.12

What is normal while a piercing heals?

During the first few weeks, mild tenderness, itching and slight redness or darkening can occur. Pale fluid that dries into a crust can also be normal. Healing time depends on the location and aftercare; some body piercings take around six months to heal fully. For a new ear piercing, leave starter jewellery in for six weeks or more, including overnight, because removing it too early can close the hole.124

When should you get medical help?

Get urgent medical help if the piercing becomes hot, increasingly swollen or painful, very red or dark, or starts releasing blood or pus. Feeling shivery, feverish or generally unwell is another warning sign. Leave the jewellery in unless a doctor tells you to remove it. An infected piercing can need antibiotics; changing the cleaning product is not a substitute for treatment.4