How to Pierce Your Ears Yourself

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While the results are amazing, the process of getting an ear piercing can be tricky and can be a bit risky. If you really want to get your own piercing instead of going to a professional, follow the steps below to do it safely. Ask your parents to help you if you are young.

Table of Contents

Getting ready to pierce your ears

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Use a prepackaged 70% isopropyl alcohol swab to clean the ear. You need to take this step to completely eliminate bacteria that may have entered the piercing. Wait for the ears to dry before piercing. ^{[1] X Research Source}

You can also use hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol to disinfect your ears.

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Mark the spot where you will get the piercing. It is very important to plan in advance where you want your piercing to be; otherwise, your piercing may be misaligned, positioned too high or too low. If you want to have both ears pierced, look in the mirror and mark them with a star.

If you already have a piercing and want to add a second or third, make sure you leave enough space between the holes so that the earrings can be worn in both holes without overlapping. You should also not pierce the ears too far apart, or it will look weird.

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Disinfect ear piercing needles. An earring needle is a needle with a hollow core so that you can easily insert the earring into the newly pierced hole. Do not share needles with others to avoid the risk of infection. Ear piercing needles are widely available online and in piercing shops for relatively low prices. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Use a needle one size larger than the earring you intend to wear. With a pair of 1.3mm earrings, you should use a 1.4mm needle.
You can also choose to purchase a set of ear piercings, which include two sterilized screw-pin earrings, available at beauty stores. Be sure to follow the instructions on the product packaging.

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Take out the earrings. Whether you are piercing through the earlobe or through the cartilage in the ear, the most suitable type of piercing to wear in the newly pierced ear is the beaded earring. Earrings with a diameter of 1.3mm and a length of 10mm are suitable; The length of such piercings is sufficient except when the ear is swollen and thickened to twice as much as normal.

Some jewelry stores sell piercing earrings that have a point that is almost as sharp as a needle. This type of earring has the advantage that it will go through the ear again when you put it in the newly pierced hole with the needle.
If possible, you should buy earrings with a high-quality metal material such as silver or titanium. High-grade metal poses little risk of infection or allergy. Note that some people are allergic to lesser quality metals, such as gilded metals.

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Sterilize the needle on fire. Do not reuse someone else’s needle; You need to use sterile needles that are still in the original packaging. Heat the needle over the flame until the tip is red. You should wear gloves when sterilizing the needle to ensure that any bacteria on your hands will not be transferred to the needle. Make sure the needle is free of soot or dirt. Clean the needle with 10% alcohol + or hydrogen peroxide. Note that this is only a relative sterilization method and will not kill all germs on the needle. The only way to completely disinfect piercings is to use an autoclave. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

You can also disinfect by boiling the needle. Drop the needles into the pot of boiling water and boil for about 5-10 minutes. Remove the needle with forceps and hold the needle only when sterile latex gloves are on. Wipe the needle tip with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Wash hands with soap and water. This step helps reduce the risk of spreading bacteria. Wear sterile latex gloves after washing your hands. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Tuck your hair back so it doesn’t get stuck in your ears. Hair can get caught between the ear and the earring or it can be pushed into the piercing when you thread the needle through the ear. If possible, keep your hair up and away from your ears.

Ear piercing

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Find a hard object to insert behind the ear. You need to have something against your ear to prevent the needle from grazing your neck as you push the needle through your ear. A cold bar of soap or a clean cork are both good choices. Avoid using apples or potatoes, even though you’ll often see them used in movies. Apples, potatoes, or any other food can carry bacteria that cause piercing infections. ^{[6] X Research Source}

You can ask someone to help you with the piercing. Have them hold the cork behind your ear, or if you absolutely trust them, ask them to put a needle through your ear. The piercing process will be much easier if you have a support person.

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Place the needle in the correct position. The piercing needle should be positioned perpendicular to the earlobe, meaning it should form a 90-degree angle with the point you marked on the ear. When you place the needle like this, it will be easier for you to get the needle through your ear.

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Take a deep breath and insert the piercing needle through your ear with a smooth motion. Make sure to pierce through the exact spot you marked. You’ll probably hear a “click” when the needle goes through your ear, but don’t panic! You just move the needle and continue to pierce at the right angle. If you are using a piercing needle with a hollow core, you can insert the earrings through the hole in the center of the needle. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Wear earrings. Once you have your ear pierced and the needle is still in place, you will place the pin of the earring in the hole in the center of the needle, and then push it through the ear. The earrings will fit in the newly pierced hole.

Ear care after piercing

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Leave the earrings in place for 6 weeks. You should not remove your earrings at any time. After 6 weeks, you can remove the earrings, but new earrings must be put in right away. Piercings usually take 6 months to a year to fully shape and not become blocked when you have not worn earrings for a long time. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

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Wash your piercing daily. Use warm salt water to wash your ears. You should use sea salt or Epsom salt instead of regular table salt. Salt will help clean the piercing and prevent infection. Wash the piercing until it is completely healed (in about 6 weeks). Do not use alcohol when you have pierced your ears. ^{[9] X Research Source}

A simple way to wash your ears is to find a small cup about the size of your ear and pour the saline solution into the cup. Line the bottom of the cup with a towel (to catch any spills). Lie on the sofa and slowly dip your ear into the warm salt water in the cup. Just soak for 5 minutes like that and you will feel comfortable ears right away! The “250ml measuring cup” is suitable for this.
You can also dip the tip of a cotton swab in salt water to rub around and close to the piercing.
There are also some antibacterial solutions specifically designed for cleaning newly pierced ears that you can buy at beauty stores. You will also use a cotton swab dipped in the solution to rub around and close to the piercing once a day.

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Rotate the earrings while washing. Hold the earring face (face in front of the ear) and twist so that the earring pin rotates in the ear piercing. This will widen the ear canal and prevent the earrings from sticking. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Remove the old piercing to put on the new one. You should only change new earrings 6 weeks after piercing your ears. Put on a new earring immediately after removing the old one and washing the piercing.

It is best to wear earrings made of 100% surgical steel, titanium or niobium, as these materials are not as prone to infection as cheaper materials.

Advice

Make sure your sleeping pillow isn’t cracked. Earrings can get entangled in the threads and will cause you a lot of pain.
Take Advil or another pain reliever about half an hour before your piercing to reduce pain afterward. It has been suggested that a pain reliever taken before an ear piercing reduces the likelihood of blood clots forming at the piercing site. Consider this risk.
There is some controversy about whether to rotate earrings regularly. If not rotated, the earring can get stuck in the piercing and cause discomfort when you try to remove it. However, rotating earrings can also delay healing or push dirt into the piercing, posing a risk of infection. If you decide to rotate your earrings, be careful when doing so, and only rotate when washing your ears.
Don’t think about the piercing, because the more you think about it, the more painful it will be.
Anesthetize the ear with ice 5 minutes before the piercing. This will give you much less pain.
To clean your ears more thoroughly, you should use a cotton swab to easily wipe around the earring and reach hard-to-reach places.
Do not take aspirin or similar medications, as they thin the blood and may interfere with the formation of blood clots.
Try not to rub, but just dab the solution in your ears when rinsing.
Salt water is the best solution for cleaning ear piercings. Other products like witch hazel, rubbing alcohol, and Claire’s solution will kill both harmful and beneficial bacteria. You can also use Dove soap, as this soap is for sensitive skin.

Warning

Professional piercing usually takes a lot less effort than piercing yourself at home.
Unless you know how to do it, go to a professional piercing salon. Also, don’t pierce your own ears with a piercing gun, a pin, or an old earring. Needles do not have suitable (or safe) materials for piercing. Piercing guns cannot be properly disinfected, and old earrings inserted into the ear with strong pressure can destroy ear tissue.
Don’t let your piercing get infected! If you accidentally get an infection, don’t remove your earrings! If you do, the infection will get stuck in the earlobe and lead to other problems, such as an abscess. Continue rinsing your ears with warm salt water. If the infection persists, you should see your doctor.

Steps

Getting ready to pierce your ears

Ear piercing

Ear care after piercing

Advice

Warning

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