How to Remove Earrings for the First Time

Co-authored by Stephanie Anders and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: January 6, 2023 References Approved

After having your first pair of earrings in for 6-8 weeks, you might worry that it will be difficult to get them out. The good news is that you're probably worrying more than you need to. If you've kept your ears clean, you can easily take out your first earrings and replace them with fun earrings of your choice. If for some reason you have a hard time taking the earrings out, there are several things you can do to loosen and remove them.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Taking Out the Earrings

1
Wash your hands. Wash your hands with soap and clean water.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Stephanie Anders
Piercing Specialist
Expert Interview. 4 December 2019.} Dry your hands on a clean cloth and apply a hand disinfectant. Rub the disinfectant through your hands and let it air dry.^{[2]
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- Only remove your earrings after the amount of time recommended by your piercer, usually at least six weeks. If you take the earrings out too early, the holes could close or become infected.^{[3]
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- If you have long hair, tie it back so you can easily get to your ears.
2
Clean your ears. Take a cotton ball and dip it in rubbing alcohol or the cleansing solution you may have been given. Gently wipe around the earring so that you wipe the ear free of dirt and skin cell buildup.^{[4]
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- You can also use a cotton swab if you're worried that a cotton ball might snag on your earring.
- You should clean your ear like this every day until you're ready to take the earrings out.
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3
Position your fingers. Use the thumb and index finger on one hand to grasp the front of your earring. With the thumb and index finger of your other hand, hold the back of the earring post.^{[5]
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- Keep a firm grip on the earring so that it doesn't fall when you remove the earring back and pull it out. Be especially careful if you're standing over a sink.
4
Wiggle the earring back. Use your fingers to gently wiggle the earring back so that it moves back and forth, loosening and removing it from the post. The other hand should still be holding the front of the earring in place. You could also try peeling the back away from the post if you can't wiggle it free.^{[7]
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- Avoid spinning your earrings when initially wearing them or removing them. Spinning or twisting can rebruise the healed part of your ear. Constantly touching and spinning the earrings can also cause infection.^{[9]
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5
Remove the post. Once the back of the earring is off, you can slowly pull the post out of your ear, keeping a firm grip on the jewelry or stud. Repeat the process with the other earring.^{[10]
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- Never push the post through your ear to pull it out of the back, even if the jewelry or stud is small.
6
Insert new earrings. Disinfect your hands and let them air dry. You should also disinfect the new pair of earrings. Since your ears are still getting used to earrings, choose earrings made of gold, surgical steel, or hypo-allergenic material. Avoid wearing hoops, dangling, or fish-hook styles as your second earrings. These may be heavier and could pull down on your ear lobes or get caught in your hair. Let your holes heal for a few more weeks or months before wearing these types.^{[11]
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- If you'd rather let your holes close up, keep the earrings in for the recommended 6 weeks so that the ears heal. Then, remove the earrings and wash the ears every day until the holes close up.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Troubleshooting Problems

1
Deal with any bleeding. Your ear shouldn't bleed when you take out your earrings. But, if you notice bleeding when you try to remove your earrings, you may have torn some skin because your holes were not completely healed. Put pressure on the ears to stop the bleeding. You can use gauze or a clean towel to push against the ear lobe for 10 minutes.
- If the bleeding continues after 10 minutes, call a doctor.
2
Heal an infection. If you notice any redness, swelling, or discharge, you may have an infection. You should also put some antibiotic cream on the ear. If the symptoms don't improve after a day, or you also develop a fever or the redness spreads, get medical attention immediately.^{[12]
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- Make sure you keep your earrings in and clean your ears with an antiseptic solution. If you remove the earrings, the infection could spread.^{[13]
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3
Get rid of smell. If you notice your ears smell bad or the earrings smell bad after you remove them, you need to be more thorough when cleaning. Once your ears have completely healed, take the earrings out and wash your ears with clear glycerin soap and warm water. You should also wash your earrings with clear glycerin soap and warm water. Wash on a regular basis (every few days) to eliminate the smell.
- A buildup of skin cells, oil, and bacteria can make your ears and earrings smell bad.
4
Manage pain. If your ears hurt when you try to remove the earrings, you may want to let them heal a little longer. Make sure that you're doing a good job of cleaning your ears too, since skin buildup could start to cover the hole. You should also check to see if your earrings are made of gold, surgical steel or hypo-allergenic material. If not, your ears may be reacting to nickel or another material.
- If you continue to feel pain after changing earrings and cleaning your ears, contact your doctor.
5
Get help if you need it. If you still can't get the earrings out, ask a friend to help you remove them. You may just be having trouble seeing what you're doing and another set of hands can help you take the earrings out. If you and a friend are still having trouble, go back to the place where you had your ears pierced.
- The person who pierced your ears should have a tool that can remove your earrings.

Community Q&A

Question

Once I take them out can I put the same ones back in?

Community Answer

Sure. You can wear them as many times as you want. Just be sure to clean them regularly.
Question

I've missed a few cleaning days, but they don't seem to be infected. Is that okay?

Community Answer

Skipping out on cleaning your ears does put you at a higher risk of infection every time you do it. However, as there's no infection, resume cleaning, and do your best to not skip out on cleaning them in the future to minimize that risk.
Question

Will it hurt when I take them out for the first time?

Community Answer

It could if they haven't completely healed or you have an infection, but if they're healed and not infected, you will be fine.

Warnings

Don't leave your earrings out for a long time as the holes may close up.

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Remember to continue cleaning your ears for 6-8 weeks with antibacterial soap

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