Can I clean an ear piercing with regular salt?

Question

Can you clean an ear piercing with regular salt, or does it have to be sea salt? I 've had my ear piercing in for 6 weeks and it hasn't healed yet. I think it was because I used rubbing alcohol to clean my ears for the past weeks. Why hasn;t it healed yet? How much longer do I have to wait? I need the fastest way to heal my ear.

Answer 1

try peroxide

Answer 2

Oh my god. Who are these people?! Disregard most of the answers already on this thread.

Do NOT clean your ears with rubbing alcohol, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or regular table salt.

All of these things only irritate it and make it susceptible to infections. Go to the grocery store and buy a bag of sea salt--it's pretty cheap, and throw a pinch into a small cup or shot glass and mix with warm water (1 part sea salt to 4 parts water works well). Since your ear is hard to dip into a cup, take a cotton ball, soak it in the solution, and then hold it against the piercing. Do this two to three times a day. Remember to wash your hands with antibacterial (preferably unscented) soap.

Also, when you're in the shower, tilt your head and let the warm water run over it for about a minute. This will cleanse the piercing without the irritation of someone touching it.

As for cleaning earrings before you put them in, the best thing to do that with (I've found) is an aftercare solution like Claire's After Piercing solution (cheap, at any Claire's store). H20 Ocean is also a good aftercare solution. But, if it's a standard ear piercing you should be fine as long as you a) wash your hands before touching it, b) do NOT clean it with rubbing alcohol, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or regular table salt, and do NOT do anything to further irritate it (change the piercing, touch it often, sleep on it). You should be all healed up in a couple of weeks.

Answer 3

Most people are unfamiliar of what to do when and after they get piercings. First of all, you are NOT supposed to use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on your piercings because they are very harsh on wounds; they will kill tissue and all bacteria including good bacteria which you need for the hole to heal. You can soak the piercings in NON-IODIZED salt with some warm water for about 15 minutes to help clean the wound a few times per week. Don't use neosporin or any of that ointment stuff either because ointments are thick and they will trap in the crust/blood/whatever else right next to the open wound and you will get an infection. Not everyone's bodies heal exactly at 6 weeks, so you have to use your own judgement when you should change or remove the piercing. I've known people who had to keep their earring posts in for 6 months until they healed (and those were just the ear lobe piercing!) Take your time, once the holes heal completely, you can enjoy switching jewelry but for now, I think you should just sit tight and keep cleaning it with ear piercing solution (or plain unscented soap and water). Hope this helps

Answer 4

Yes, part of the reason that it hasn't healed is that you've been irritating it with rubbing alcohol. The other reason is that ear piercings do not heal in 6 weeks, they take much longer to fully heal.

You need to use actual sea salt. It has a different chemical make up than regular table salt, and is generally non-iodized. You can get it at most grocery stores for about $1/lb

Answer 5

Yes, You just have to dissolve the salt in water. Also, try not to use alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. The reason being is that the flesh is exposed and alive. The chemicals eat away at the living flesh and make the piercing (hole) even bigger. I would suggest you stop the alcohol, it leaves the piercing raw. You also have to let the air hit the hole since it needs air to properly heal. Also, if you want, you can use Bactine. Just keep it dry and clean with salts and Bactince. It should heal in about 2-6 weeks if you stop using the alcohol.

Answer 6

alcohol=bad.

do the sea salt soak or you can get a solution made just for pierced ears. also twist your stub a couple times daily and don't change your earrings until you are fully healed unless you are having a reaction to them. that should speed up the healing process.

good luck and happy healing

Answer 7

You clean pierced ears with rubbing alcohol, and always clean your earrings with rubbing alcohol. When you first get your ears pierced, you are to clean them 3-4 times a day, with alcohol. After they've healed, then you should soak your earrings in rubbing alcohol regularly to clean them.

Answer 8

regular salt will work as well. you want to soak it, it might feel awkward to soak your ear, but it will help. fill a cup/bowl with warm water with some salt in it, stir the salt a bit, and soak your ear for about 5-10 minutes. if possible try to do it about twice a day. oh also, don't use alcohol or peroxide. when i got one of my piercings the guy told me that, the peroxide is bad for the metal of the earing (and i can't remember why not the alcohol, sorry)

Answer 9

Healing can up to a year or longer. I got my ear pierce and they said mine would take up to two years. But you can go to places and get piercing cleaning stuff for like seven dollars.


Hope this kindof helps ;)

Chantelle,

xoxo

Answer 10

Ive never heard of using salt....sounds like it would hurt! I would clean it with peroxide and then dab some neosporin (as long as you are not allergic to it) on the front and back of ear. I've used this method with my girls and it works great....I've found that the alcohol and peroxide dries it out which is great but you still need some lubrication. The skin dries on the earring and when it's turned it rips it all over again. Try the neosporin....It really works.

Answer 11

Apply Bacitracin ointment 1-2 times a day and 'twirl' the earring after you do, so it goes all around the piercing.