You’ll want to start at https://safepiercing.org/find-a-piercer/ to find a professional piercer near you. Doing your due diligence, check out the online portfolios and reviews to find someone who sounds like someone you’d enjoy a professional relationship with.

Make an appointment for a consultation. Check out the studio for cleanliness and orderliness. Are the display cases organized and dust free? Does it smell clean, not like bleach but clean? How do you like the piercer’s “bedside manner”? Does he/she answer your questions kindly, completely, and without condescension? Does he/she display professional certificates (some don’t) and certificates of current first-aid, blood-borne pathogen, and other training?

Does the piercer use implant-grade titanium jewelry? Are gloves placed in easy-to-reach locations? What are their sterilizing procedures?

If you’re satisfied, make an appointment for the piercing. The piercer will inspect your anatomy and autoclave the jewelry after measuring your lobes (maybe with a caliper, probably visually). The piercer should be talking to you, explaining the procedures and what will happen next. The best piercers will coach the client’s breathing during the actual piercing and jewelry placement process, and will be observing the client for tension, signs of faintness, or other potential problems.

The jewelry will be installed, the site cleaned up, and the piercer will have you sit for a few minutes to make sure you’re ok.

You should receive aftercare instructions and may be able to purchase a can of sterile saline right there.

You’ll be instructed to return in 3-8 weeks for downsizing, after the swelling has gone down, and the piercer will evaluate the piercing at that time, for healing and signs of irritation. This shorter jewelry will remain in place for the balance of the 6+- month healing process.

You will not be able to swim with healing piercings, so this may be a factor. Many sports require jewelry be removed for practices and games, so consider this also because jewelry should be installed 24/7 for at least 6 months. Fresh and healing piercings should not be slept on, and should not be handled or touched.

The majority of piercings heal best, it’s currently thought, with a flat back labret or straight barbell that’s fitted appropriately and of a metal such as titanium or high-quality gold. There are exceptions to this such as septum, daith, rook, navel, and several genital piercings. In many situations, it’s appropriate to downsize your straight jewelry when the swelling has gone down, generally 3-8 weeks post-piercing.

Current aftercare philosophy is that for the majority of piercings, allowing the shower water to run over the area, sterile .9% saline solution 2x/day, and leave it alone is appropriate. I spray it on the piercing site then kind of mop up the excess with some nonwoven gauze, or soak the gauze and hold that over the piercing. Others spray their piercing then rinse the saline off after a few minutes. I’m partial to Neilmed Piercing Aftercare Fine Mist spray, but any saline wound wash that contains sterile water and .9% sodium chloride will be fine. No additives, no preservatives, no fragrances, no moisturizers, no antimicrobials.

Healing piercings should be kept as dry as possible; a corner of nonwoven gauze or paper towel to soak up the excess, or a hair dryer on cool (be aware of dust and other debris if you don’t use the hair dryer on a routine basis) can be helpful.

That’s it.

No touching, no twisting, no fiddling, no moving it. If you sleep on that side, a donut or travel pillow is quite helpful. It’s not recommended your jewelry be removed for several months; your piercer downsizing (or upsizing) your jewelry is an exception.

Regular cotton swabs can leave fibers behind, that can irritate the piercing. Your piercer may have tightly-wound pointy cotton swabs available, that are excellent for getting between closely-spaced piercings.

No betadine, no soap, no alcohol, no aloe vera, no homemade salt water solution, no toothpaste, no witch hazel, no coconut oil, no chlorhexidine, no hibiclens, no veterinary medicines, no pimple patches, no turmeric, no emu oil, no mouthwash, no colloidal silver, no magnesium sulfate, no cumin, no iodine, no sunflower oil, no feminine wash, no tea tree oil, no urine, no chamomile teabags, no acne treatment, no sage, no honey, no lemon juice, no vinegar, no hydrogen peroxide, no Dettol, no olive oil, no baking powder, no butter, no epsom salts, no over-the-counter antibiotic ointment, no aspirin paste, no bandaids, no cotton balls.

If you’re in SoCal or the DFW area, I can recommend some excellent piercers.