Aftercare

 

Congratulations on your new piercing!

Now its up to you to care for it properly.

your body will heal your piercing, but

You'll need to avoid hindering this process.

also You'll need to do some minor preventive maintenance.



Avoid contaminating the wound:

  • Touching your fresh or healing piercing is the main way that problems and infection start.

  • Washing hands frequently thru out the day and not touching on and around the piercing is your best bet for a smooth timely healing.

  • Keeping your piercing protected during physical jobs or activities and your sleeping environment clean really make a difference.

  • Avoid soaking water like baths, pools, hot tubs, rivers, lakes or oceans. Showers are great. Certain piercings can be covered with a quality waterproof bandage like Tegaderm to protect them, but only if a completely perfect seal can be formed.

  • Avoid all oral contact, rough play, moisturizers, cosmetics, hair styling products, face and body washes, and contact with others’ bodily fluids on or near your piercing during healing.

 

 Avoid irritating the wound:

  • Friction, snagging, and pressure are the enemy of healing! No touching, turning, tugging, or otherwise moving your jewelry around in the piercing. The piercing will react badly to this disruption with longer healing times and more scarring.

  • No rotation is necessary (even to clean), your jewelry will not become stuck in your piercing, but may not swing freely even when fully healed.

  • Sleeping on a piercings causes numerous problems, avoid it whenever possible. Talk to us if you have a hard time. We have a number of creative solutions such as the use of a donut/U-shaped travel pillow laid flat and substituted for your everyday pillow!

  • Downsize your jewelry in a timely manner if appropriate as swelling subsides. When you get pierced you will be told a good timeframe. Downsizing avoids unnecessary pressure from longer posts that cause cause migration and unsightly bumps.

 

Cleanse in a way that minimizes trauma:

  

  • A fluid is produced by all wounds as part of the natural healing process.

  • This fluid come out clear, pale yellow or milky in color and tends to dry to a darker tone. This are normal.

  • Carefully reduce dried fluid build up and contaminates with nice warm clean running water. A daily shower is suggested.

  • Wetting the piercing briefly at the beginning of the shower and then allowing the dried build up to soften as you continue the rest of for normal showering. At the end of the shower, point the spray of water to run directly on to the piercing for a full minute or two. This copious flow of water will safely remove the softened debris and surface contaminates without moving the jewelry.

  • AVOID cleaning with harsher chemical cleansers like Betadine, Hibiciens, alcohol, antiseptics like "Ear Care Solution" or Bactine, hydrogen peroxide, Dial® or other soaps, as these can damage cells.

  • Also avoid ointments as they prevent necessary air circulation and are not designed to treat puncture wounds.

 

 

Maintain a healthy environment:

  • Finish each cleaning with a quick full rinse with .9% Sterile Wound Wash Saline Spray. (9mg/ml)

  • We sell this in our studios, or it can be found in the first aid aisle of most drug stores labels as "Wound Wash" please double check that it has no additional ingredients.

  • Saline for contacts or products for nasal spray should not be used.

  • Piercings may be gently blotted dry with gauze or a clean single use product like a paper towel, or dry using the “no heat” setting on your hair dryer.

  • Should there be any build-up still left on the jewelry or piercing site then gently remove it with gauze or a new clean single use disposable product. Avoid wiping your piercing with products that have loose fibers that can become wrapped around jewelry or get inside your piercing to avoid irritation. Should this step be necessary repeat a rinse with the Wound Wash saline and blot/blow dry as suggested above.

What To Expect

  • It is normal for new piercings to be sore, red, swollen, spot blood, or even bruise occasionally.

  • Within the first few days/weeks a small amount of light colored fluid will discharge from the piercing. It will be milky, light yellow, or clear and dry into a darker yellow tone. This is normal and to be expected. It can be easily removed as instructed above to help keep your piercing healthy and look great.

  • Downsizing the post length of your initial jewelry will in nearly all piercings be necessary. We pierce with longer post lengths to allow for swelling and to avoid complications during initial healing. Continuing to wear this longer post length can cause issues such as irritation bumps, longer healing times, and migration. Most piercings can be downsized between 4 to 8 weeks from the date of the initial piercing, your piercer will inform you of an estimated timeline to book your appointment for downsizing. We offer a discounted price on posts when downsizing piercings that were performed at our studio.

  • Full healing of piercings can take anywhere from 2 months to a full year. This will vary from piercing to piercing and from person to person, your piercer will give you an estimated healing time at the time of your piercing appointment. To aid in speedy healing stay as healthy as you can. Getting plenty of sleep, drinking lots of water, and living an otherwise healthier lifestyle will help your piercing heal more quickly.

  • Even when fully healed it is always best to keep some type of jewelry in your piercing at all times. There is no guarantee even after having a piercing for years that it will stay open without jewelry in it longer than just a few minutes to change pieces or install a temporary retainer. We have seen people at both ends of this spectrum and encourage our clients to wear jewelry at all times if they wish to keep their piercing. If temporary removal is required for a medical procedure we stock body safe clear glass retainers that can be temporarily installed to maintain the viability of your piercing.

  • During the healing process discoloration of the piercing sight and itching can be normal. Do not scratch or pick at your piercing.

  • Above all be patient. Everyone heals at a slightly different rate. We suggest our clients have no more than 3-4 piercings healing at one time. Trying to heal too many piercings tends to slow down the healing of all the unhealed piercings and add to complications. Do not attempt to change jewelry too early. Changing jewelry in an unhealed piercing leads to complications and an extended healing period.

Oral Piercings

  • Maintain good oral hygiene. Treat yourself to a new toothbrush or toothbrush head. Each time you put anything in your mouth that is not not water or ice be sure to rinse afterwards with cool clean water. If mouth rinse is used keep use to a maximum of 1-2 times daily, also make sure it is labeled as being alcohol free. Avoid any oral contact and exchange of bodily fluids during the healing process like open mouth kissing. You will be pierced with a longer post to allow for swelling. While wearing the longer post it is important to chew slowly and take small bites to avoid damage to teeth and gums. Make sure to come back to see us at two weeks for a downsize check up. Avoid alcohol and tobacco products.

  • Lip and Cheek piercings will need to follow the outlined aftercare above on the outside of the piercing as well.

 

 

* DISCLAIMER:

These guidelines are based on a combination of vast professional experience, common sense, research and extensive clinical practice. This is not to be considered a substitute for medical advice from a doctor. If you suspect an infection, seek medical attention. Be aware that many doctors have not received specific training regarding piercing. Your local piercer may be able to refer you to a piercing-friendly medical professional. For more information, see the APP Brochure Troubleshooting For You and Your Healthcare Professional.