When you get a new piercing, its important to keep the stud in so that the new hole doesnt close up. If it looks like you might be allergic to your new earring and youve never had this reaction to jewelry before, its worth calling a dermatologist (if you have access to one) to see if they recommend doing a patch test to figure out if youre allergic to nickel or another material in the earring, Dr. Farber suggests. This may involve: 1. this site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Avoid contact with your piercing while you wash, dry, or style your hair. Editors notes: Its not always a good idea to sleep with silicon plugs as soon as you get your ears pierced. If its specifically a cartilage piercing that appears to be infected, youll definitely want to call a doctor sooner rather than later. Something that can also ease the pain and discomfort when going to sleep is cleaning your ears with alcohol as well as other ointments before going to bed and after waking up. If you read up to this point, you see that sleeping with new ear piercings can be quite difficult in the first few days and weeks following your piercing procedure. Remember to tighten your piercing before bed so it does not come out and start to heal over during the night. You can sleep on your back and the opposite side, but sleeping on the affected side can lead to pain and swelling, as well as other aforementioned side effects. One very basic thing that you don't want to do with your new piercing, especially an industrial, is to play with it excessively. You should not put your earrings on until your ears have healed completely. Ask your piercer to recommend a sea salt-based cleanser to care for your newly pierced ears. Some people may be able to sleep on their side comfortably after a few days, while others may need to wait a week or longer. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Heres How Long You Should Wait to Brush Your Teeth After Your Morning Coffee, 58 Actually Useful Gifts All Practical People Will Appreciate, 37 Unique Gifts for the Person Whos Impossible to Shop For. Rook Piercing. That may cause the piercing holes to stretch out of shape and not hug the jewelry. In any case, there is no doubt that babies and toddlers will become quite fussy after their ears are pierced. It is also important to take note of when sleeping with your new ear piercings, as this is when you may accidentally knock them or snag, resulting in swelling. During sleep, your earrings can get caught on your bedding or hair. A piercing may appear healed on the outside, but it may not be fully healed on the inside. However, using silicone plugs will reduce that firm and hard feeling, allowing your skin to get some breathing. Or you can just grab this one Amazon bestseller with over 20000 positive reviews. Nickel is also found in certain types of earrings, so sleeping in them can increase your chances of becoming allergic. As a result, the affected skin is swollen, soft, and prone to tearing. Or teach yourself to sleep in a new position for a week or so before the big day will ensure you have plenty of sleep while your new piercing heals. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. Soak a cotton ball in the solution and dab the piercing gently with the earring still in. As you sleep, it will help to numb the area while also assisting in healing. If you wear this during the night, you will not be able to move around and cause further pain. Here's how to endure these days easier with the best tips and tricks on sleeping with new ear piercings. Our posts may contain affiliate links and we may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to the buyer for products purchased through the links on our site or other applicable pages. You will find one here to suit you. When it comes to taking care of your ear piercings, one of the most important things to keep in mind is how to protect them when you are sleeping. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Need more information about body piercing cleaners? Sleep on a soft surface, such as a mattress or futon, to avoid irritating your piercing. Luckily, I hadnt, and my ear was fine. It is always exciting when we get a new piercing. It is critical to get your ears pierced by someone who understands how to do it correctly. You also want to avoid any infections, aggravation or pain that could occur from sleeping on the new piercing. It was a bit painful and I was a bit worried that I had done some damage. But dont worry, with a little bit of adjusting, you can find a comfortable position to sleep in without damaging your new piercing. If your baby is having trouble sleeping after getting their ears pierced, you may want to try placing a pillow under their head to prop them up slightly. If your earrings are new and you recently got your ears pierced, itd be good to wear a silicone plug under the metal plug that normally comes with your earrings. The bottom line when it comes to taking good care of your new ear piercing? I eventually managed to drift off, but I woke up to find that I had been sleeping on my new ear piercing. Its of paramount importance to sleep with earrings on at least for the first month. It can prevent the redness and swelling from going away as theyre constantly under the pressure. After sleeping on your piercing, I recommend it to be comfortable in the morning for a few months. Liang H, et al. However, for some other people, it can take up to a few weeks. You might want to combat bad breath right awaybut tweaking your routine could be worth it. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Make sure your piercing is thoroughly cleaned after showering. Just know that over time when the piercings heal you will be able to sleep on them. It is not uncommon for infants to experience some pain after the piercing, but it is usually mild and should go away in a few days. This can cause infection and delay healing. How to avoid sleeping on ear piercing? Studs may not pose as much risk as other types of earrings, but its still possible that hair, clothing, and fabrics from your bedding could wrap around these earrings and cause issues. January 20th, 2023 // By Jamie // Hearing Protection. After getting your ears pierced, its not recommended to sleep on the side. This will help keep your piercings clean and will also prevent you from accidentally scratching or bumping them during the night. Such care also includes knowing when to take out your earrings. When can I sleep on my earlobe piercing? Its never recommended to sleep with your ear over the pillow for the first few days. Please read our fulldisclosure pageto learn more about it. Use a pillow protector under your pillow sham and change your sham every couple of days. Are you the owner of a shiny new ear piercing? It is critical to keep earrings in good condition at all times, whether they are new or old. Just be sure to take care of your piercing and follow your piercers aftercare instructions to avoid any complications. In addition to waiting until the right time to take out your earrings, you should also follow your piercers aftercare instructions. Bedding FAQ Use a travel pillow when sleeping with a new lobe piercing 5. Having new ear piercings necessitates the development of a sleeping pattern. If the problem is mainly the posts poking you in the side of the head at night, then a flat-backed labret might help. Since you must leave studs in if you have new ear piercings, you can try sleeping on your back instead to help ease your headaches. This can additionally get worse when you head to bed. Cartilage piercing has an inherent risk of infection because of the risk of open wounds. Also, avoid using hair products, makeup, or lotions near the piercing. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. It will numb the area while helping to heal as you sleep. 1. Nickel is commonly used in costume jewelry. The following tips will take assist you in remaining pain-free while your piercing heals. But, all this will do is add trauma to the wound. 2. Additionally, earrings should be changed regularly and kept clean to prevent any further irritation or infection. If youre getting your ears pierced in a legal ear-piercing place with certified workers youll likely be given special medical earrings, which are also known as hypoallergenic earrings made either from medical-grade stainless steel or gold. Copyright 2023 Terry Cralle | Wisteria on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, Terry Cralle is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Worlds Best Feather Soft Microfiber Pillow. Some piercings can take up to a year for their healing process to be complete. Read on for in-depth easy to follow simple tips to help you get the most sleep you can without enduring pain from your new piercing or piercings. By Mayo Clinic Staff Ears. Avoiding sleeping on the piercing if it flares up or causes problems on a regular basis should be your best bet. If you can, rotate or turn the piercing 3 times to keep skin from sticking to the post. But if its disrupting your life, you may want to see a doctor. Ear piercing may lead to a variety of infections, including mild and superficial infections as well as the formation of an abscess requiring drainage. How To Sleep With New Piercings On Both Ears, Avoid A Piercing Pain: Sleep Comfortably With New Ear Piercings, Healing Your Ear Piercings: An Essential Guide, Chiropractic Care And Hearing Tests: What You Need To Know, Detecting And Treating Bacterial Meningitis: A Guide To Hearing Loss And Fever Tests, How Long Does A Sedated Hearing Test Take? When you wake up after a new ear piercing, it is generally best to sleep on the opposite side of the piercing. Whether you decided to pierce your lobes for the first time or added a second, third, or even fourth hole, know that different ear piercings heal at different rates (more on the exact timing in a bit). It is also important to wash your hands before and after piercings to prevent possible infection. Some babies may be perfectly fine sleeping on their side after having their ears pierced, while others may prefer to sleep on their back or stomach. Types of Jewelry Pieces 7. The piercing of a babys ear is a personal preference or, in some cultures, a family or cultural custom. But if you have older piercings, its best to avoid sleeping in your earrings. One of them is placing a pillow protector under your head or the pillow sham. It is possible that sleeping directly on your ears or side will prolong the tenderness caused by the pressure on the earlobe. Aside from your daily soap and water cleanse, youll also want to further clean the area 2 to 3 times daily for the first 6 or 12 weeks (again, depending on whether its an earlobe or cartilage piercing) using an antibacterial solution to reduce your chances of infection. People frequently wonder how they will sleep after piercing their ears. Two benzalkonium chloride products to consider: Rowans Ear Cleansing Solution ($8, Rowan) and Inverness After Piercing Solution ($8, Amazon). If the skin around your piercing is feeling a bit dry and/or itchy, you can add a dab of a petrolatum-based product like Vaseline or Aquaphor to keep the skin moisturized and protected, suggests Dr. Gohara. If an earring becomes lodged in your ear, its a good idea to seek professional help. With the right tips and tricks, you can protect your ear piercings while you sleep and ensure that they stay healthy and safe. by Summer | Oct 12, 2022 | Sleeping FAQ's. If you're having your hair cut or styled, let the barber or stylist know about your piercing. Cleaning your new piercing every night before bed and repeat in the morning as it assists in stopping any infection taking hold. Causing the jewelry to move around pushing and pulling at the incision. Whether youre looking for a subtle and classic look, a daring and bold statement, or something in between, theres a new ear piercing that is sure to make a statement. 3. Discover new workout ideas, healthy-eating recipes, makeup looks, skin-care advice, the best beauty products and tips, trends, and more from SELF. Make sure your earlobes are properly cleaned before you go to bed. Particularly, a lot of people get their helix pierced and are concerned about whether they can sleep with it or not. Your healing process is widely influenced by the aftercare routine you take after getting your piercing done. We know the feeling. If you notice that your wound and swelling are taking too long to swell, avoid sleeping near your piercing for the first week or so. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. You must sleep with new ear piercings, because if you dont, its possible that the holes could heal, or begin the healing process that can make inserting earrings into the ears too painful, not to mention piercings on other parts of the earlobe which heal much faster, but actual healing of the hole takes a long time and can lead to infections. 4. Earring material matters 8. Since you must leave studs in if you have new ear piercings, you can try sleeping on your back instead to help ease your headaches. If youre going to have your piercing, its a good idea to sleep in a different position for a few days before the big day to ensure you have plenty of time to sleep. If you are an active sleeper and move a lot while sleeping, you should use silicon backings to avoid losing earrings at night. To avoid contracting an infection, it is critical to take extreme precautions when coming into contact with the area. This will numb the area while also assisting in healing. Cartilage piercings heal from the outside in, which means that they may look healed on the outside long before the process is truly done. Youll also want to repeat the cleaning process listed above any time you swap out your studs after that initial 6- or 12-week healing period. See thearticle about the benefits of sleeping with a pillow between your legs. Extreme care will need to be taken when touching the area so you do not end up with infections. Why should we insist patients remove all jewellery? When it comes to new piercings, you can't do better than titanium jewelry. 2. These earrings may be worn for weeks or months at a time. Only touch the jewelry when youre cleaning the area, and make sure you wash your hands first. And with cartilage piercings youll also want to make sure the skin isnt growing around the earringso if it looks like your earring is embedded in the cartilage, she says, that could mean you have an infection and is a reason to get in touch with your doctor. Lips. 4. You have put the hard work in to stay off them at night for months. A rook piercing goes through the cartilage fold between your ear canal and the top rim of your ear. Sometimes they can heal up overnight. New piercings are made with professional-grade materials that are hypoallergenic, so you can safely leave them in for several weeks as the piercing heals. Saline wash: Prepare a saline solution with 1/2 teaspoon of salt to one cup of water. If you dont have a pillow protector, you can always place a soft piece of cloth made out of cotton, silk, sateen, or some other material. 1. SELF may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. redness thats accompanied by a rash that doesnt improve, swelling that grows and continues to worsen, headaches or ear irritation that doesnt go away. Right after your ear piercing, its common for the area to be a bit swollen and sore, but this typically goes away after a few days, Dr. Farber says. Piercings: How to prevent complications Piercings might be more common than ever, but don't take piercing lightly. Infections can be just as painful as persevering with the metal, wood or glass piercing staying intact. Try sleeping without earrings to see if your headaches improve. Instead, you can use a simple saline solution like Arm & Hammer Simply Saline Wound Wash ($12, Amazon) or a post-piercing product containing benzalkonium chloride, which arms you with antimicrobial protection, Lacy says. This is a tough one, especially because the helix piercing can take many months and sometimes even more than a year to heal. A pierced skin will tear and your piercing will fail. Basically, youre creating a tiny cut in your ear and your skin, which has to regenerate around your new earringwhich is why youll need to take good care of the area to help it heal. But if your piercings are older, avoid wearing earrings made with nickel overnight, as well as large hoops and dangle or drop-style earrings. Slight bleeding is considered normal with new piercings, but these symptoms shouldnt last for more than a few days. Everyone is different for some they may be able to sleep on the piercings the same day. If you have pierced nipples, it is recommended that you wear a soft sports bra to bed to support them. Don't Play With it Excessively. Editors notes: There are plenty of ointments and creams you can use before sleep to keep your ears moist. Be aware that the next day or throughout the night they may feel a little sensitive. If you follow the aftercare instructions recommend by your piercer, sleeping in new ear piercings shouldnt cause any issues. Posted on Published: March 21, 2022- Last updated: January 9, 2023, Why Do I Sleep Better On The Couch? I have also included the average healing time for piercings remember this time will differ with different people. It is against the law to remove or sleep with your piercing. When you pierce your ears with hypoallergenic materials in new piercing earrings, you will not experience an overnight nickel reaction. 9. 1. Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions. Alternatively, you can place a towel or cloth over your pillow while sleeping. Trying to push through attacks can lead to a vicious cycle of more headachesand more sick days. Certain factorslike genetics and substance useaffect your risk, no matter your age. Youll also want to avoid twisting and playing with the jewelry to reduce your risk of irritation and infection. Depending on how quickly your body heals, you might be able to resume your normal activity within three days to two months. As a result, their reactions to the piercing will be much less severe than those of an older child or adult. If you are a restless sleeper they will be pulled this way and that during the night. A quick test is to press your piercing quite firmly into your pillow and if it is not tender or does not hurt, I would sleep on it that night if you are ready. Cartilage piercings are different, thoughyou should just clean the piercing front and back two to three times a day without twisting the earring and generally avoid touching the area when youre not cleaning it to avoid additional irritation. It can easily become entangled into the earrings and cause the tearing of your skin when you pull the hair. Some of the wounds will bleed profusely in the first few nights. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. How to Fix Ripped Earlobes or Stretched Ear Piercings, 5 Types of Belly Button Infections You Can Get, Getting a Nipple Piercing Can Make You Feel Powerful. earlobes should heal for 6-8 weeks, whereas cartilage piercings can take anywhere from 4 months to a year. Always clean your piercing before you go to bed. Wearing earrings while sleeping is a common practice. Gently rub any part of the jewelry that's exposed, plus the skin surrounding it. Medical complications of cartilage and ear piercing. We break down what you can and can't do (safely), Unless youre intentionally stretching your earring holes with gauges, most people dont want stretched earlobes and nobody wants their earring. When cleaning your ears with alcohol and other ointments, you can relieve your ears of any discomfort or pain while you sleep. If you intend to keep these small stud earrings for more than 6 weeks, your piercer must approve your retention. by Summer | Oct 15, 2022 | Sleeping FAQ's. The only time its safe to purposely sleep in your earrings is if youre wearing the studs from a new piercing. Use Silicone Plugs The sharp earrings may be a cause for your discomfort in sleep. You shouldnt take out new piercings even at night because the holes can close up. Also if you have the room in your bed a pillow or rolled-up clothes either side of the top of your arms. The piercing hole is still fresh and the pressure from your head can cause the bar to move and extend the hole. We all know that sleeping and a healthy sleep cycle, in general, are crucial for the normal functioning of your nervous system and brain during the day. Always remove tops carefully when you have earrings in and avoid pairing long earrings with materials such as knits or lace. Alternatively, there are many handmade piercing pillows shaped like donuts that can ease your sleep times. A sudden, red, inflamed, or crusty appearance one week after your ears are inflamed or crusty is usually an indication of infection. The protectors are made out of cool and hypoallergenic materials that will cool down the area around your piercing wound until it heals up. Usually, its safe to sleep after 3 to 4 months. What to Know About the Link Between Gel Manicures and Skin Cancer. Soak a cotton ball in the salt water and place it on the infected area. As a result, ear piercings are among the most painful. One of the best ways to stay on your back throughout the night is to put a pillow under your slightly elevated knees. Ear piercings can cause contact dermatitis in the area as well as sensitized body parts. I know that when I get nervous or am just bored, I'll often try to play with it. Our posts may contain affiliate links and we may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to the buyer for products purchased through the links on our site or other applicable pages. 7. These earrings are hypoallergenic in terms of hypoallergenicness, whether they are made of stainless steel or gold. A little pre-planning before you get your first or next piercing. After having your tragus pierced, it is important to clean the area 2-3 times a day with a saline solution or mild soap. Nickel-based jewelry can cause rashes, red bumps, and itchiness around your ears if you sleep with it overnight, making these earrings more likely to cause eczema. First things first: You need to wash your hands with soap and water every time before touching your ear or ear piercing to avoid adding potentially harmful bacteria to the area, says Dr. Farber. All rights reserved. With these simple tips, you can ensure a safe and comfortable sleep with your new piercings. We mentioned it earlier, but its of utmost importance to highlight once again that sleeping on the affected side is not only uncomfortable and painful, it can completely ruin the healing process of your new piercing. If you must remove the piercing, make sure to re-insert the jewelry or use a silicone filler to keep the hole open. Conch piercings can take 4-12 months to heal. Try silicone plugs and put them over the earrings. Are your earrings or body piercings causing a nickel allergy? 6. You can also try a u-shaped travel pillow you can angle it around your neck to suit yourself. The piercing cannot be removed or left to sleep. It works in much the same way as the numbing agents we rub on babies gums when they are teething. Here are a few tips on how to sleep on your side with a new piercing: 1. Don't remove the earring. Tips for Singers: How to Look After Your Voice. If someone recommended cocoa butter for tattoo aftercare, you might want a second opinion. In severe cases, you may have to let the piercing close up and redo at a later date. During the initial stages of healingthe first 6 weeks for a lobe piercing and 12 weeks for a cartilage piercingexperts say you should follow the steps listed below to keep the area clean and infection-free. How long do ear piercings take to heal? (A starter earring is usually a basic stud thats the first earring you wear with a new piercing, Lacy explains. They take the sharpness of the earrings away and stop your new piercing from closing up while you sleep. Our general recommendation, however, is Recuren Plus Piercing Aftercare Spray. Im a teacher and graduate in acoustics & music. Soaking the pierced area for at least five minutes with saline is required. It could also leave scaring so you are not able to remove and insert jewelry easily. Repeated wear of nickel-based jewelry can cause red, itchy rashes, and sleeping in these earrings overnight could also increase your risk of developing eczema around your ears.