How to Clean a Daith Piercing

A daith piercing passes through the ear’s innermost cartilage fold, and is an interesting form of body art. Like other cartilage piercings, it’s particularly prone to infection. However, taking good care of your new daith piercing can help ensure it heals properly. Clean it twice a day with saline solution, and don’t touch the area except when you’re cleaning it. Healing can take 6 months. During that time, leave the earring in place, and avoid exposing the area to sources of infection.

EditSteps

EditCleaning Your New Piercing Daily

1. Clean the piercing with saline solution twice daily. Cleaning the piercing more than twice a day can cause irritation. Use a store-bought saline solution or the cleanser your piercer provided. Alternatively, make your own saline solution by mixing 1/8 teaspoon of non-iodized salt with of warm water.^[1]
   
   • Don’t clean the piercing with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, as these can delay the healing process.
2. Wash your hands before touching your piercing. Wash up with hot water and soap for at least 20 seconds before you clean the piercing. After washing your hands, dry them with a disposable paper towel.^[2]
   
   • Only touch the area around the piercing when you clean it.
3. Soak a clean gauze pad in saline solution. Use clean, lint-free medical gauze to apply saline to your piercing. Squirt bottled saline onto the gauze pad to saturate it, or dip the pad into a cup of a homemade solution.^[3]
   
   • Don’t use cotton balls or cotton wool; the fibers could get caught in the piercing.^[4]
4. Hold the gauze pad to the piercing for 5 minutes. Keep the gauze in place to allow the saline to work its way into the piercing. Don’t move the piercing as you clean it. If there’s any crusted buildup around the piercing, allow the saline to soften it, then gently wipe it away when you’ve finished soaking.^[5]
   
   • White or pale yellow buildup is normal. Don’t pick at it; just soften with the saline, then wipe it away.
5. Pat the area dry with a clean paper towel. Dry the area with a disposable paper towel instead of a cloth. Leaving it wet could promote bacterial growth.^[6]
   
   • A cloth can harbor bacteria and snag on the piercing, so go with a paper towel.

EditKeeping Your Piercing Clean

1. Don’t twist or pick at the piercing while it’s healing. Playing with the earring could irritate the piercing and prevent healing. Additionally, germs from your hands could lead to infection.^[7]
   
   • Remember not to pick at any crusty residue that builds up around the piercing.
   • It can take up to 6 months for a daith piercing to heal.
2. Keep hairspray, lotion, and other products away from the piercing. Do your best not to get shampoo into the piercing when you wash your hair. If you have long hair, wear it up as much as possible to keep hair products out of the piercing. Avoid using hairspray; if you do, don’t spray it near the piercing.^[8]
   
   • Beauty and cosmetic products can cause irritation and block air circulation, which can interfere with the healing process.
3. Avoid swimming until the piercing has healed. It’s especially important to avoid submerging the piercing in pools, lakes, and hot tubs. Bacteria in these bodies of water can lead to infection.^[9]
   
   • Bathtubs can also harbor bacteria, so take showers instead of baths while the piercing is healing.
   • If you do go swimming, cover the piercing with a wound-sealing waterproof bandage, which you can purchase at your local pharmacy.
4. Clean your phone and any other objects that touch your ear. Wipe your phone, earphones, and other objects that come into contact with your ear daily with sanitizing pads. Try to limit your use of earphones, and hold your phone to your other ear whenever possible.^[10]
   
   • If you wear glasses, clean the parts that slip over your ears at least daily.
5. Try to avoid sleeping on the piercing. It’s also wise to cover your pillow with a clean tee shirt. That way, if you do sleep on the piercing, it’ll be touching a clean surface.^[11]
   
   • If you can’t get comfortable in any position other than on your side, try sleeping on a neck pillow. Sleep on your side with your ear in the neck pillow’s opening to protect the piercing from pressure and friction.
   • Additionally, wash your bedding weekly. Dirty sheets and pillowcases can lead to infection.^[12]

EditSpotting Signs of Infection

1. Note any worsening bleeding, pain, redness, and swelling. Some discomfort, bleeding, and swelling during the first few days is common in daith and other cartilage piercings. However, persistent or worsening symptoms could be a sign that something’s wrong.^[13]
   
   • Contact your piercer or see a doctor if bleeding, swelling, or pain don’t improve within a few days after getting your ear pierced.
2. Check for a yellow or green foul-smelling discharge. Note that an odorless white or light yellow discharge that dries into a crusty residue isn’t pus. This is a normal part of the healing process. Pus, or foul-smelling, darker yellow or green discharge, is a sign of infection.^[14]
   
   • If you see pus, carefully clean the piercing with saline, and don’t remove the earring. The ring helps allow the wound to drain.
3. See a doctor if you notice signs of infection. Contact your piercer, see your doctor, or head to a health clinic if your piercing is infected. Without proper treatment, infected daith piercings can lead to serious complications, such as abscesses and deformed ears.^[15]
   
   • An reputable piercer can recommend a doctor or clinic experienced with treating infected cartilage piercings. Treatment may include topical or oral antibiotics. If you’re prescribed medication, take it according to your doctor’s instructions.

EditTips

• Daith piercings are sometimes used to manage migraines. However, there’s no scientific evidence that they actually reduce pain due to migraines or migraine frequency.^[16]

EditSources and Citations

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