If you are considering getting your eyebrows pierced, you may be wondering how to minimize the scarring. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to help reduce the appearance of a piercing scar.
Doing the right things to treat your piercing and promote healing will help make it less likely that you scar.
The biggest thing you can do is to take care of your new piercing and avoid picking and pushing on the scab while it’s trying to heal. If you do this, or if there are any other complications, such as an infection, then this may result in a larger scar than would otherwise happen.
If for some reason there is a significant amount of scarring after your piercing heals, there are still options available to remedy the problem. You can see a dermatologist or plastic surgeon who specializes in tattoo removal procedures. This type of specialist will be able to help minimize the tattooed area affected by removing some of the colors.
Unfortunately, scarring is sometimes permanent and there is no way to guarantee you won’t scar. This can happen if your skin is extremely sensitive or if you have any other pre-existing medical conditions that affect the healing process of the wound. For instance, diabetics are more likely to get scars than people without diabetes because their bodies don’t heal as quickly.
If you’re not sure whether to get your eyebrow pierced, speak with a professional piercer who can help you decide what’s right for you. If it turns out that an eyebrow piercing isn’t the right choice for you, then perhaps something else will be – like an industrial barbell, tongue web piercing (if applicable), nose ring, etc.
Or maybe you’ll decide that rings aren’t your thing – bracelets, anklets, and other body jewelry may be a better option.
Do eyebrow piercings heal?
If you’re considering an eyebrow piercing, you may be wondering if it will heal properly.
- First, make sure that you keep your piercing clean and dry. Avoid getting any makeup or other contaminants in the piercing site.
- Second, give the piercing plenty of time to heal. Don’t stress it by over-manipulating it or reopening the wound unnecessarily.
- And finally, be patient! It can take several weeks for an eyebrow piercing to heal completely.
You can take special care of your piercing to avoid scarring. This means no picking or peeling scabs, and no touching the area around the jewelry with dirty hands.
After about a month, you might find that the hole looks red. Don’t worry – this isn’t because it’s infected! It’s just a sign that your skin is irritated by repeatedly being poked each day as the jewel passes through the skin on its way into place. If you have any other symptoms such as infection, discharge from the piercing site, or tenderness then see your piercer right away.
How should I clean my eyebrow piercing?
To help keep bacteria out and further prevent infection, avoid submerging your eyebrow piercing in water for six weeks. This means shying away from the things you’d normally do to get ready in the mornings – don’t soak your face in the water.
During the healing process, cleanse with saline spray twice daily. If you can’t buy a saline solution at your local drug store, make some by adding salt to warm distilled water. You’ll need about ¼ of a teaspoon of salt for every ounce of water. Don’t use table salt because it contains iodine that will irritate your piercing site.
If you’re wondering how to clean an eyebrow piercing after it’s already healed, simply run lukewarm water on a cotton ball then wipe around the piercing gently 2 – 3 times per day. It’s also smart to apply a thin layer of antibacterial ointment to the area immediately after cleansing it.
Don’t try to remove existing scabs and crusties with saltwater – this can damage your skin and slow down healing. Scabs aren’t dirty – they’re actually made up of dead skin cells that will naturally slough off on their own within 1 or 2 weeks. If you want, you can carefully pick any loose pieces with clean fingernails.
Don’t use tweezers because doing so may cause scarring by tearing the surrounding skin, which is very delicate during the healing process.
Another way to clean your eyebrow piercing is by soaking it in saline solution for 10 minutes twice daily. You can do this while you’re taking a bath or shower – just be sure the water isn’t hot.
How to remove an eyebrow ring?
If you want to change your jewelry, wait until the piercing has completely healed (3-4 weeks) before trying to remove and replace it. If you try too soon, your skin may reject the piercing because it’s still irritated.
You can use a pair of clean tweezers to remove your ring. Simply grasp the back of the ball with one end of the tweezers and gently pull until it comes out far enough for you to grab it with your fingers. Once you have a good grip on both sides of the ball, slowly wiggle it out as far as possible, then slip in your new piece of jewelry. (This process might be easier if you use a ring with a removable ball).
Don’t forget to clean your old jewelry before using it again! To protect your skin, it’s best to boil the ring for around 5 minutes. This way every part of the metal is sanitized. If you don’t have access to boiling water, soak your ring in some rubbing alcohol for 10 minutes instead. Be sure the alcohol has evaporated completely before putting it back into your piercing.
How can I speed up eyebrow piercing healing?
To help decrease healing time and encourage tissue granulation, apply an antibiotic ointment twice daily. This will keep harmful bacteria out while drawing blood flow into the area – speeding up the rate at which new tissue is made.
For the first three days, you can also apply a freshly cut aloe vera leaf to your eyebrow piercing and hold it in place with a bandaid. Aloe has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that will help speed healing while soothing any tenderness or irritation associated with the piercing.
You can also use over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream to reduce inflammation. This should be applied twice daily for no more than one week, because long-term use may cause thinning of your skin.
We recommend trying to avoid using this product unless absolutely necessary because it can actually slow down tissue regrowth if used at the same time as other methods, such as antibiotic ointments or aloe gels.
How to sleep with an eyebrow piercing
If you want to go to sleep without removing your jewelry, a good trick is to slightly bend the post of your ring or curved barbell, creating a “U” shape. If the ring has removable balls, simply remove them and store them in a clean place until morning.
Some other good tips for sleeping with an eyebrow piercing are listed below;
- First of all, make sure to keep the area clean and dry.
- Apply a small amount of antibiotic ointment twice a day to the area that is pierced.
- Sleep on your back whenever possible so as not to snag the piercing.
- If you must sleep on your side, try using a pillow between your head and arm to help keep the piercing from moving around too much.
- And finally, be gentle when washing your face – no need for harsh scrubbing.
With these tips in mind, you’ll be able to enjoy your new piercing safely and soundly.
Final Thoughts
Eyebrow piercings can be a great way to express your individuality, and they’re relatively easy to care for with the right tools and practices.
As long as you follow the advice above, your piercing should heal up easily and remain beautiful for a long time.
