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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow
Categories
Personal Care and Style
Tattoos and Piercing
Piercings
Ear Piercing
Earrings
How to Remove Earrings for the First Time Download Article Co-authored by Stephanie Anders and Jessica Gibson
Last Updated: December 1, 2025 Fact Checked
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Taking Out the Earrings
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Troubleshooting Problems
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This article was co-authored by Stephanie Anders and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Stephanie Anders is a jeweler and piercer based in Los Angeles, California. With over 10 years of piercing experience, Stephanie opened her first tattoo and piercing studio in 2016. With her experience in the body piercing industry and creative passion for fine jewelry, she later founded SXO Studios and created a fine jewelry line that is safe for piercing. Stephanie has also traveled and worked with clients all over the world, with her client list including such stars as Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz, Nicole Richie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Sharon Osbourne. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,298,943 times.
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.
Steps
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Taking Out the Earrings
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1 Wash your hands. Wash your hands with soap and clean water.[1]X Expert Source Stephanie AndersPiercing SpecialistExpert Interview Dry your hands on a clean cloth and apply a hand disinfectant. Rub the disinfectant through your hands and let it air dry.[2]XResearch source
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]X Trustworthy Source American Academy of DermatologyProfessional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists Go to source
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]XResearch source
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]XResearch source
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.[6]XResearch source
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.
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.[7]XResearch source
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.[8]XResearch source
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.
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Troubleshooting Problems
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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.[9]X Trustworthy Source Cleveland ClinicEducational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
Make sure you keep your earrings in and clean your ears with an antiseptic solution. If you remove the earrings, the infection could spread.[10]XResearch source
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.[11]X Trustworthy Source Mayo ClinicEducational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
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.
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Community Q&A
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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. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 34 Helpful 164
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. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 35 Helpful 133
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. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 40 Helpful 153
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Tips
If you are still having trouble loosening the screw on your piercing ball earring, consider a pair of latex or rubber gloves. They will usually provide enough grip to unscrew a stuck piercing ball. Make sure the jewelry is completely dry and grab the ball with your gloved hand. Thanks Helpful 11 Not Helpful 1
Be sure to insert earrings that are large enough for your ears after you take out the initial earrings. Earrings that are too small could get stuck in the holes. Thanks Helpful 49 Not Helpful 19
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement
Warnings
Don't leave your earrings out for a long time as the holes may close up. Thanks Helpful 416 Not Helpful 57
Remember to continue cleaning your ears for 6-8 weeks with antibacterial soap Thanks Helpful 158 Not Helpful 47
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Co-authored by: Stephanie Anders Owner, Royal Heritage Tattoo and Piercing This article was co-authored by Stephanie Anders and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Stephanie Anders is a jeweler and piercer based in Los Angeles, California. With over 10 years of piercing experience, Stephanie opened her first tattoo and piercing studio in 2016. With her experience in the body piercing industry and creative passion for fine jewelry, she later founded SXO Studios and created a fine jewelry line that is safe for piercing. Stephanie has also traveled and worked with clients all over the world, with her client list including such stars as Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz, Nicole Richie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Sharon Osbourne. This article has been viewed 1,298,943 times. 5 votes - 44% Co-authors: 72Updated: December 1, 2025 Views: 1,298,943 Categories: Earrings In other languages Italian Spanish German Portuguese Russian French Arabic Thai Indonesian Korean Dutch Japanese Chinese Hindi Vietnamese
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Reader Success Stories
Anonymous
Jul 20, 2017
"I have been trying to get my earrings out for some time now, and usually, my first choice is wikiHow . But for some reason, I tried YouTube, which wasn't very helpful. Then, today, I went to the website, tried myself, and the helpful tip about getting a friend to take it out for you was very convenient. Thank you so much, wikiHow!"..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Stephanie Anders Owner, Royal Heritage Tattoo and Piercing 5 votes - 44% Click a star to vote 44% of people told us that this article helped them. Co-authors: 72Updated: December 1, 2025 Views: 1,298,943
Anonymous
Jul 20, 2017
"I have been trying to get my earrings out for some time now, and usually, my first choice is wikiHow . But for some reason, I tried YouTube, which wasn't very helpful. Then, today, I went to the website, tried myself, and the helpful tip about getting a friend to take it out for you was very convenient. Thank you so much, wikiHow!"..." more
Felix Arpino
Aug 13, 2021
"I was struggling to take out my butterfly back earrings to replace them with some prettier ones, so I used this article and quickly realised I was doing it wrong and removed them with no problems first try."..." more
Ava
Jun 4, 2017
"Thanks, it helped. I could not get them out, so I did this an it worked. It still was a little hard and hurt a little, but without this, they would never have came out!"..." more Rated this article:
Anonymous
Jan 6, 2021
"wikiHow really helped me! It worked like a charm, although it did take a little bit to take out but now I can put in my llama earrings!"..." more Rated this article:
Kierstyn Brown
Mar 15, 2019
"It helped me. I have been dying to take my earrings out, and it is so hard to do. This helped me do it easier and better."..." more Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Co-authored by: Stephanie Anders Owner, Royal Heritage Tattoo and Piercing This article was co-authored by Stephanie Anders and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Stephanie Anders is a jeweler and piercer based in Los Angeles, California. With over 10 years of piercing experience, Stephanie opened her first tattoo and piercing studio in 2016. With her experience in the body piercing industry and creative passion for fine jewelry, she later founded SXO Studios and created a fine jewelry line that is safe for piercing. Stephanie has also traveled and worked with clients all over the world, with her client list including such stars as Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz, Nicole Richie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Sharon Osbourne. This article has been viewed 1,298,943 times. 5 votes - 44% Co-authors: 72 Updated: December 1, 2025 Views: 1,298,943 Categories: Earrings In other languages Italian Spanish German Portuguese Russian French Arabic Thai Indonesian Korean Dutch Japanese Chinese Hindi Vietnamese 
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582 
1 Wash your hands. Wash your hands with soap and clean water.[1] Dry your hands on a clean cloth and apply a hand disinfectant. Rub the disinfectant through your hands and let it air dry.[2] 
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] 
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] 
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.[6] 
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.[7] 
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.[8] 
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. 
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.[9] 
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. 
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.[11] 
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. 
Community Answer Sure. You can wear them as many times as you want. Just be sure to clean them regularly. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 34 Helpful 164 
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. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 35 Helpful 133 