If you don’t have a cotton ball, you can use a tissue, toilet paper, or any clean piece of cotton. The cleaning fabric should be able to absorb the rubbing alcohol. If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, use hydrogen peroxide or any other skin-safe disinfectant.
Make sure to clean the earrings before any time that you put them into your ears. You never know when a piece of jewelry will pick up harmful bacteria!
Make sure that the gauge of your piercing matches the gauge of the ring. If you are feeling especially bold, try piercing your ears at home. Be careful to sterilize all of your equipment. Consider asking a more experienced friend for help.
The earlobe is a common location for first earrings. It is a thick part but do not contain cartilage, it is ideal for dangling pieces, and it is one of the least painful places to put an earring through.
Some earrings may not have a “back half. " If the earring is just a metal hook, then make sure that the hook is securely slid through your ear. If you are putting in a hoop earring, then the clasp—if any—is probably located on the hoop itself. Slide the hoop into your ear so that a smooth, unbroken portion makes contact with your ear. Then, close the ring and arrange it so that the clasp sits behind your ear.
Make sure that the earrings are facing the right way. If you’ve put in a pair of big, decorative earrings, there may be a distinct “front” and “back” side. Check that the earrings match.
Consider disinfecting earrings after you wear them as well as before you put them in. If you leave the earrings out for too long, the piercing holes will close up. Put your earrings back in regularly to put off the need for another piercing session![4] X Research source
Ask the manufacturer what type of metal was used in the earrings. Many people are allergic to nickel, and you may be more likely to find nickel in cheaper earrings.
