How to Care for Your Piercings While Traveling

The Challenge of Piercing Care While Traveling

If you aren’t aware, I tend to travel quite a bit. Not for long extended periods of time, but for weekends or even extended weekends. A question that I get asked often because of this is how do I care for my piercings while I’m traveling. That’s an excellent question.

The prepackaged saline solution sprays that a lot of piercers recommend for brand new piercings have bottle sizes—their fluid ounces—that are too big to take on the plane with you. You could potentially put this in checked luggage.

But if you’re traveling through an airport or even traveling through any other means, you need something that’s quick and easy. You need something you can grab because it’s right there.

My Travel Piercing Care Routine

For today’s discussion, I’m going to be sharing some of my favorite means of caring for a brand new piercing while I’m traveling. I typically plan for when I get a new piercing so that I’m not traveling.

However, you can’t always plan things. Even though I am a planner, I like to plan things. But sometimes you just got to get up and go. You can’t always wait for a piercing to be healed or somewhat healed or at least okay to go a little bit without a standard cleaning regimen.

These tips are focusing primarily on what you could put in a carry-on bag. So that if you are on a plane, you can easily grab it while you’re on the plane. You don’t have to wait for your luggage to come to you.

H2Ocean and NeilMed Saline Sprays

The first thing you can do is pack either H2Ocean or NeilMed. Now H2Ocean is one that I’ve used pretty much exclusively in the past. However, I have found that I really enjoy the NeilMed line.

This is what the bigger bottle looks like. This is 6 fluid ounces. So no, I could not take this on a plane with me. However, it does come in a 2.5 to 3 ounce size which you can take on a plane with you.

Why NeilMed Works So Well

The really cool thing about this one in particular is that it is a fine mist. Because of this nozzle, it can spray in any direction even if it’s upside down. For me, I really like this for oral piercings. When I was healing my philtrum Medusa piercing, all I would do was just shove this up in my lip, spray it, and then spit out the solution.

You can also use this on your ears, on your nose, on eyebrows, wherever else you may have a brand new piercing. All you got to do is just spray whichever one is in question or needs help. Then just go on your merry way.

Also because it’s the fine mist, it makes cleanup a whole lot easier. Whereas H2Ocean is more of a forceful spray. I love H2Ocean, don’t get me wrong. But this one I feel is actually better because it has less chemicals in it. This one is basically just saline solution.

Travel Sizes Available

Again, this does come in a 2.5 to 3 ounce bottle. Same with H2Ocean—it comes in a 2.5 fluid ounce bottle. Those are easy enough to pack in your carry-on. So that if you are on a plane and you need to clean something, you just grab it, spray it, and go.

How the Medicated Swabs Work

How they work is inside the actual plastic part of the swab, there is medication in there. Basically what you do is one end is going to be the end that you use on your piercing. On the other end, you snap it. That’s what drops the medication down into the little swab part.

Once you’ve snapped that end and it drops down into the swab part, you can put it on whatever piercing you want. It just helps to clean it up. It is medicated, so it’s not a saline solution. In a pinch, it really works. Also, if you’re experiencing any piercing bump, it really does help alleviate that.

Perfect for Travel

Again, this is a pack of swabs. I believe there might be 36 in each pack. So you can easily slip that in a purse, in a backpack, in a fanny pack if you’re into those. And just go.

You don’t even need to go to a bathroom for those. You could just do it right at your seat. Snap one, clean it up, and then just wait for the flight attendant to come around with the trash bag and drop it in.

Also, don’t forget to get a piercing pillow — it can help you heal more comfortably.

DIY Solution: Packing Your Own Salt

This next one is a little bit more convoluted. It takes a little bit more effort. But if you don’t have H2Ocean, NeilMed, or Dr. Piercing swabs, this might be your best bet.

What You’ll Need

Basically you’ll take a baggie, fill it with some non-iodized salt. Pack yourself a little shot glass or any small container that you can mix your own solution in to clean.

The Drawbacks

Now this one is definitely a little bit more cumbersome. It takes a little bit more effort. You can’t really do it on the plane. I mean you could, but that might be a mess. So you might have to wait until you get to the airport in order to clean it.

Again, you’d also have to pack your own cotton swabs for this method. But if that’s the way that you would rather do it instead of paying for a premade solution, then that’s also an option.

Pre-Soaked Swabs for Short Trips

My final tip is actually more for quick convenience. This is not one that you would use over several days. This is mostly for 12 hours or less.

How to Prepare Pre-Soaked Swabs

Basically what you’re going to do is take a bunch of cotton swabs. Pre-soak them whether you pre-soak them in a premade solution or a solution that you’ve made yourself. Soak both ends of the swab. Place it in a plastic baggie, seal it up, and then go with that.

What About Provon Soap?

I was really hoping to find that the Provon antimicrobial lotion soap—that is just such a key item to have in your piercing aftercare arsenal—I was hoping to find that it came in a small travel bottle. But unfortunately, the smallest bottle that it comes in is 4 ounces. So you couldn’t pack it in your carry-on. But you could pack it in your suitcase.

As I’ve discussed before though, that lotion soap is not necessarily a good first line of defense. But if you’re finding that your piercing needs a little bit more care, it might be worth packing it in your checked bags.

Why Clean Piercings While Traveling?

These are just the different methods that I utilize when I’m traveling and I have a brand new piercing I need to clean. Or if I have a problem piercing and I need to clean it.

Always Pack Cleaning Supplies

I also always pack something because it’s just good practice to clean your piercings even if they’re not brand new. Even if they’re not healing. Even if they seem to be good to go.

Sometimes travel can stress your body out. Make you more prone to infections. Make piercing bumps just pop up just because your immune system is susceptible to some issues when you’re traveling.

My Personal Recommendations

Let me share which methods I personally have found most helpful. I have not used the method of packing a bag of salt and a shot glass and just making my own solution on the go. Because I do like having measurements. I don’t want to be like “that looks like the right amount of salt, that looks like the right amount of water.” Because I feel like that could be a really bad irritant if you’re just guessing.

What Works Best for Me

But I have found the other ones to work. Especially using the NeilMed solution because it comes in a smaller bottle. It’s so much easier to carry.

Using the pre-soaked swabs is also a big help if you’re on the go. You just need to quickly wipe down a site.

Also Dr. Piercing’s aftercare—the medicated swabs—those are really nice. Especially if you’re finding that one of your piercings isn’t just crusty but could use an extra bit of care.

Final Thoughts

That is it for this guide. If you have any other tips or tricks that you yourself utilize when you’re traveling with either a brand new piercing or just a piercing that needs cleaning in general, these are just the ones that I have found help.

The key is being prepared. Pack something in your carry-on so you have immediate access. Don’t rely on checked luggage. Whether you choose NeilMed spray, H2Ocean, Dr. Piercing swabs, or pre-soaked cotton swabs, having a cleaning method readily available makes all the difference.

Travel safely, and keep those piercings clean no matter where you go.

-Thanks for the share, Olivia!