An eyebrow piercing, typically a vertical or horizontal surface piercing, requires focused and consistent aftercare for successful healing. The skin of the eyebrow constantly moves with facial expressions, making trauma a common risk. Diligent cleaning and protective measures are necessary to prevent infection and irritation, allowing the body’s natural healing process to take place.
Essential Daily Cleaning Routine
The fundamental practice involves using a sterile saline solution, often a pre-packaged wound wash containing 0.9% sodium chloride and water, to clean the area twice daily. This solution maintains the body’s natural salt balance and gently cleanses the wound without causing tissue damage. Avoid using homemade salt solutions, which have inconsistent concentrations, and steer clear of harsh chemicals like alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or antibacterial soaps, as these impede healing.
To clean the piercing, spray the sterile saline directly onto the entry and exit points, allowing the solution to soak and loosen any dried discharge, sometimes referred to as “crusties.” You should never twist or rotate the jewelry during this process, as movement can tear the newly forming tissue inside the fistula. After soaking, gently blot the area dry using a fresh, disposable paper product, such as non-woven gauze or a paper towel. Do not use cloth towels or cotton balls, as they can harbor bacteria or leave irritating fibers caught on the jewelry.
Factors That Impede Healing
Physical trauma is one of the most common causes of complications for an eyebrow piercing, making a “hands-off” policy mandatory throughout the healing period. Touching the jewelry introduces bacteria from your hands into the open wound, which can quickly lead to infection. Snagging the jewelry on clothing, towels, or hats also causes micro-tears in the healing channel, delaying the process and potentially leading to irritation bumps.
Pressure from sleeping can also severely irritate the piercing, so it is important to avoid sleeping on the side with the new jewelry. Changing your pillowcase frequently, at least every few days, helps to minimize the transfer of bacteria and debris to the healing site. Furthermore, cosmetics and skincare products pose a significant threat to the healing piercing.
Keep all makeup, lotions, sunscreen, and hair products at least a half-inch away from the piercing to prevent clogging the fistula and causing irritation. Submerging the piercing in standing water, such as pools, hot tubs, or lakes, should be avoided for at least 45 days, as these environments contain bacteria that cause infection.
Understanding the Healing Process and Troubleshooting
The initial healing phase for an eyebrow piercing typically lasts between six to eight weeks, though full tissue maturity can take up to six months, especially for surface piercings. During the first few weeks, it is normal to experience some localized swelling, redness, and slight tenderness around the site. The body’s natural immune response will also produce a clear-to-pale-yellow fluid, which dries into a crusty material around the jewelry; this is lymph fluid, not pus, and its presence is a sign of normal healing.
A common issue that arises is the development of an irritation bump, also known as hypertrophic scarring, which is a small mound of tissue next to the piercing hole. This bump is usually caused by trauma, like snagging the jewelry, or consistent pressure, and can often be managed by identifying and eliminating the source of irritation. Irritation bumps are typically tender, red, and may contain clear or whitish discharge, but they do not exhibit the signs of a true infection.
A true infection presents with distinct symptoms, including excessive swelling, intense pain, heat radiating from the site, and the discharge of thick, discolored pus, which may be green or yellowish-green and have a foul odor. If an infection is suspected, seek medical attention immediately. Do not remove the jewelry yourself, as doing so can cause the piercing hole to close and trap the infection inside the tissue.
Minor irritation issues can often be resolved by recommitting to the sterile saline routine and eliminating trauma, but a medical professional should evaluate any signs of severe infection.