General Aftercare For Eyebrow Piercings

After you get your eyebrow pierced, you should care for it by cleaning the area twice a day using a sea salt soak or compress placed directly onto the piercing. Continue this regimen for the piercing’s full healing time, which generally lasts 2-3 months. 

It’s important to continue your aftercare regimen for the full healing time, even if your eyebrow piercing appears to look better before then, as the deeper, hidden layers of skin may still be healing.

Stopping your aftercare regimen too soon or not caring for the wound as well as you should, will increase your chances of contracting an infection, which can result in lasting damage to the area.

What To Use To Clean Your Eyebrow Piercing

Once a day, gently clean the skin around your eyebrow piercing.

You can use a very mild soap to clean the area around your piercing; however, make sure it is fragrance-free and does not have antibacterial properties. Also, check that the soap does not contain chlorhexidine or triclosan as active ingredients. These are very harsh and may irritate your new piercing. Be very careful not to get soap in or on the piercing itself.

In addition to cleaning the skin around your eyebrow piercing, treat the piercing itself with sea salt soaks or compresses two times a day. For this, you can either use a home-made saline solution or store-bought spray.

The best aftercare product I’ve personally used is the After Inked Piercing Aftercare Spray. Not only is it vegan, but it’s also completely alcohol and additive-free. The solution works well on all skin types including sensitive skin, and it comes in a generously-sized mist-spraying bottle for easy application. When using it from the very start of the healing process, the spray helps to decrease healing times and aims to eliminate any lingering pain or soreness.​

You can make your own solution by mixing ¼ teaspoon of non-iodized sea salt into one cup of warm water. Do not use saline contact lense solutions or nasal saline products, as these contain additives not suited for healing piercings. 

Do not use hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, or any very strong antiseptic products or ointments on your piercing. These will slow the healing process by drying out and killing new skin cells. 

How To Clean Your Eyebrow Piercing 

Again, there are two steps to cleaning your eyebrow piercing: cleaning the skin around the piercing, which you should do once a day, and using a sea salt solution on the piercing itself, which you should do once or twice a day.

Cleaning Your Piercing Area 

1. Wash your hands using warm water and gentle, non-antibacterial soap for at least 20 seconds. Dry your hands completely after washing.
2. Work a small amount of either your piercing cleanser or gentle soap into a lather between your fingers. 
3. Carefully and gently use this lather to clean the area around your eyebrow piercing. Do not get the soap into the piercing itself. 
4. Rinse your piercing under warm running water for at least one minute. You can do this in the shower, under a faucet, or by using a shot glass or small cup of warm water. 
5. If there are any dry or crusty areas around your piercing, use a dry paper towel or non-woven gauze to brush them away gently. Do not use a cotton ball or swab, as the fibers can become trapped in your piercing and further irritate it. 

Sea Salt Soak

1. Wash your hands using warm water and gentle, non-antibacterial soap for at least 20 seconds. Dry your hands completely after washing.
2. Fill a clean shot glass or another small cup with your sea salt solution or spray (either pre-made or handmade).
3. Submerge your eyebrow piercing directly in the solution for 10 minutes. 
4. Thoroughly rinse your eyebrow piercing with warm water for at least one minute. You can do this in the shower, under a faucet, or by using another shot glass or a small cup of warm water.
5. If there are any dry or crusty areas around your piercing, use a dry paper towel or non-woven gauze to brush them away gently. Do not use a cotton ball or swab, as the fibers can become trapped in your piercing and further irritate it. 
6. Dispose of the used sea salt solution. 

Sea Salt Compress

If soaking your eyebrow piercing directly in the sea salt solution is too difficult, you can make a compress instead. 

1. Wash your hands using warm water and gentle, non-antibacterial soap for at least 20 seconds. Dry your hands completely after washing.
2. Use your sea salt solution or spray (either pre-made or handmade) to fully saturate a piece of paper towel or non-woven gauze. Do not use a cotton ball or swab. 
3. Gently compress the piercing for 5 minutes, making sure to apply the solution to all sides of the piercing. 
4. Discard the used compress.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 so that you compress your piercing for a total of 10 minutes. 
6. Rinse your eyebrow piercing with warm water, as described above. 

Conclusion

Eyebrow piercings are relatively simple to care for and clean. As long as you use gentle, expert-approved products and are consistent with your aftercare routine, you will be able to enjoy a clean and healthy piercing for many years.