Aftercare Schedule Builder
Turn your piercing date and type into a dated aftercare timeline — soak cadence, when to ease off, a likely downsize, and an estimated fully-healed date.
Aftercare on a calendar you'll keep
Good aftercare is mostly consistency: clean gently, leave it alone, and know what each stage should look like. Putting the milestones on real dates — when to ease off soaking, when a downsize is usually due, when to expect it healed — makes the routine easy to stick to and harder to abandon halfway.
See the underlying ranges with the Piercing Healing Time Estimator, and get the shorter downsize bar right with the Jewelry Size Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I actually clean a new piercing?
The common approach is a sterile-saline soak or spray once or twice a day while a piercing is fresh, easing to once a day as the early soreness fades. More is not better — over-cleaning and harsh products irritate healing tissue and slow things down. The schedule marks when to start twice-daily and when most people ease off; always follow the specific routine your piercer gives you.
Should I use saline, sea-salt soaks, or soap?
Sterile wound-wash saline is the simplest and most widely recommended — no measuring, no additives. A home sea-salt soak (fine, non-iodized salt at the standard ratio) is a traditional alternative. Fragrance-free soap is for the occasional gentle clean, not daily scrubbing. Avoid alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and antibacterial ointments, which are too harsh for a healing piercing.
The tool says I should be healed but it still feels tender — what now?
The fully-healed date is the top of a typical range, not a guarantee. Some piercings, especially cartilage, navel, and nipple, run longer and are still healing normally. Keep up gentle aftercare and only stop once it consistently looks and feels settled. If it's getting worse — hot, swollen, painful, or discharging — that's a reason to see a professional rather than wait it out.
Is this a substitute for my piercer's instructions?
No. This builds a general timeline from typical healing ranges to help you plan; it is not medical advice and it doesn't know your specific piercing. Your piercer's aftercare instructions always take priority, and for any sign of infection or a reaction you should see your piercer or a healthcare professional.
A general timeline from typical healing ranges — always follow your piercer’s specific aftercare. Informational only, not medical advice; see a professional for signs of infection.