How to Take Care of an Eyebrow Piercing

The hardest thing about keeping an eyebrow piercing clean is how exposed it is. Your hair, as well as sweat and dust from your face can easily get into it. People can bump into it. You can rub it against your pillow while you sleep. This means that your eyebrow piercing will require constant care. The better you are at stopping it from rubbing against things, the more quickly it will heal and the less likely it will be to become infected.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Piercing aftercare gel
• Tissues
• Saline solution
• Clean washcloth
• Clean towel
• Antibacterial soap
• Hot water
• Cotton swabs

General Care

1. Only touch the piercing with clean hands. Before you touch the piercing, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap.

2. Keep the piercing as undisturbed as possible. Touch it only when you are cleaning it, and don't let other people touch it. Sleep on your other side and make sure that your blankets and sheets don't rub against the piercing. They can easily get dust and lint on it, which can irritate the wound.

3. Keep everything that is going to touch the piercing clean. You will need clean bedding, clean hair and a clean face. Plan to wash your face a few times a day--particularly if you work somewhere dusty.

4. Keep the piercing clean. Clean it at least twice a day, and be sure to remove any crusting from the piercing. If something gets on the piercing, throughly clean it immediately.

Cleaning the Piercing

5. Clean the piercing in the shower with saline solution. Squirt some saline solution on a cotton ball and hold it against the piercing for 2 to 3 minutes. This should lower swelling and dissolve any crust that builds up.

6. Rinse the piercing off with water and a bit of antibacterial soap. Be gentle, as some soaps can be irritating if they get in the piercing.

7. Rinse off the soap thoroughly. Gently dry the piercing with a soft towel or a piece of tissue.

8. Apply a piercing aftercare gel with a cotton swab. Remove any remaining crust with the tip of the cotton swab and gently rub the gel into the edges of the piercing.

9. Look for any swelling around the piercing. If it is red or irritated, you might be getting an infection.

10. If you seem to be getting an infection, wet a clean wash cloth with hot water. Get it as hot as you can stand to touch.

11. Hold the hot wash cloth against the piercing until it cools.

12. Clean the piercing with a saline solution, as in step 1.

13. Repeat steps twice a day until the infection clears up.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep a separate clean cloth or towel for drying the piercing, or use tissues. Bath towels tend to harbor bacteria, which can spread infection to the piercing.
• If you develop a bad infection, be sure to go to the doctor. When serious infections occur, they may need to be treated with antibiotics.
• Don't go swimming for at least five months after getting your piercing.