home pharmacy ear piercing nose piercing

Ear Piercing + Nose Piercing

Free Ear and Nose Piercing with purchase of Studex studs

Piercing FAQ

We provide a clean, professional ear piercing service in Auckland for young and old alike, including babies.
We can help reduce discomfort for children (or anyone feeling a little anxious about the pain) by piercing both ears at the same time, and/or apply a numbing cream that works wonders! We’re open 7 days, and no
appointment necessary!

  • Ear Piercing available for all ages (including babies and very young children), can be done with 2 technicians at the same time on request.
  • We pierce all parts of the ear (lopes, and cartilage)
  • To reduce discomfort for children (highly recommended for all children under 10 years) – need to come in 1 hour prior to piercing time to have max numbing effect. 
    • We can apply numbing cream to the ear to reduce any discomfort or pain
    • We can pierce both ears simultaneously

Ear Piercing Aftercare Procedure

Aftercare is best done after showering or bathing.

  • Wash hands thoroughly, preferably with an antibacterial soap, before touching the piercing.
  • Rinse the piercing with water and use a fresh cotton bud to remove any crust.
  • Apply Studex® Ear Care Solution to the piercing while rotating the stud several times 180° left and 180º right. Only doing half turns will prevent hair wrapping around the post at the back of the lobe. In between cleaning, keep ears DRY.
  • Gently slide your earring back and forth while cleaning to help the antiseptic reach inside your piercing.
  • Gently rotate your piercing earrings at least 3 times a day, ideally after showing and applying aftercare for 6 weeks. More frequently could damage the delicate skin cells that surround the piercing and less frequently may invite infection.
  • Do not remove the studs for the first six weeks. For the first six months do not go for more than 24 hours without wearing jewellery in the piercing.
  • Avoid sharing jewelry with friends or inserting non-sterile jewelry. Germs and bacteria can easily spread and trigger infection.
  • Our hair carries natural oils and potential germs that can infect your piercing. Tie your hair up or use hair clips to keep hair out of the way.
  • Pain, redness or swelling is not normal for an ear piercing and may indicate an allergic reaction or infection

What should I do if my ears become infected?

It is normal for there to be a small amount of local pain and swelling for up to 48 hours after being pierced. Continuing significant pain, swelling or redness may indicate a bacterial infection.

On first sign of pain, redness or swelling:

  • Remove the post three times each day and clean it with Studex Cleaning Solution, do not use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol as these will slow down healing of the skin.
  • Clean the piercing on both sides of the earlobe, using a cotton ball or swab to dab sterile saline on it.
  • Before reinserting the post, cover it with a small amount of Studex Cleaning Solution to help the infection heal.

How long does it take for a piercing to heal?

  • Approximately 6-8 weeks for an earlobe piercing and 12 weeks for piercing of the cartilage.
  • Don’t touch, or let others touch your piercing. Try to avoid knocking your piercing and take extra care when brushing hair, sports etc.
  • After 3 weeks, you can rotate your earrings once only in the shower with thoroughly clean, soap-free hands.
  • Avoid sleeping on your piercing and try to sleep on your back to avoid irritation and abrasion.
  • Avoid sharing jewelry with friends or inserting non-sterile jewelry.
  • Don’t go swimming or submerge piercing until fully healed. Contaminated water poses a risk of infection.
  • Change your pillow case every 2-3 days to avoid germs spreading.
  • Keep hair spray, soap, shampoo, and other hair products away from the ear. 
  • Our hair carries natural oils and potential germs that can infect your piercing if contact occurs. Avoid this by tying you hair up or using hair clips to keep hair out of the way.
  • Avoid non-piercing specific treatments such as; Dettol, alcohol-based solutions, peroxides, disinfectants, soaps and tea tree oil.

How soon can I change my earrings after my ears have been pierced?

The piercing earrings must be left in the ear continuously for 6 weeks (10-12 weeks for cartilage piercing). After this time, if you have followed our Aftercare Procedure correctly you will be able to change your earrings.

Will I be able to take out my earrings or will the piercing close up?

If you remove your earrings during the healing process you may not be able to get them back in and risk traumatising the delicate piercing walls and introducing infection. Even a well-healed piercing left without jewellery for more than 24 hours in the first few years can close over. The body is quite amazing at resolving local issues!

How soon can I go swimming after I have had my ears pierced?

We recommend no swimming until the ears are properly healed (6 weeks for ears, 10-12 weeks for cartilage).

While sea water contains salt, which is good, it has as many harmful micro-organisms as your local pool. Six weeks may seem like a long time in the summer but it is not long in winter.

Do I need to have consent to have my ears pierced?

As a general rule, if you are under the age of 16 years old, you will need your parent or legal guardian present with you to consent for you to have your ears pierced. That age consent may differ depending on what territory or country you live in.

Make sure you bring a form of identification with you to verify your age such as a driver’s license, school identification, birth certificate or passport.

Nose Piercing

Our nose piercing includes cleaning solution, and sterile hypoallergenic titanium nose stud.

  • Nose Piercing (Under 16 – will require Parental / Guardian Consent)
  • We pierce only the nostril with a straight nose stud (like the photo)
  • No appointment necessary

Nose Piercing aftercare procedure

Aftercare is best done after showering or bathing.

  • Wash hands thoroughly, preferably with an antibacterial soap, before touching the piercing.
  • Wipe the neck (ball end) of the nose stud with a clean cotton bud soaked with the given Studex solution
  • While pushing gently on the stud to keep it from coming out of the nose, wipe the tail (point end) inside the nostril of the stud with a clean cotton bud soaked with the given Studex solution
  • Repeat this daily for 30 days

Caution – For the first 7 Days after piercing, the stud will slide out of the hole easily. 

Take care when cleaning the piercing not push or pull it out. You should place a small adhesive tape – Nexcare Micropore tape (from the pharmacy)  over the stud at night to keep it from falling out while you sleep. After about 7 days, the hole will shrink around the stud as it heals.

For the first four to six weeks: 

  • Do not use a sauna, sun lamp, or sunbathe for long periods of time, as the heat will affect the healing process.
  • After 4-6 weeks the pierced hole should be healed, if is not healed after two months, please see your doctor.
  • After the hole has healed, you may replace the piercing stud with other nose jewellery.
  • If you need to remove the stud for work or school, please replace with a clear plastic stud (available at the pharmacy) and hold it in place with adhesive tape.

You must keep some type of stud in the hole, or it will begin to close up.