Healing your new piercing!

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Helpful Hints

GET GOOD SLEEP

Change Your Sheets & Pillowcase

Take A Multivitamin

Eat A Balanced Diet

DON’T SELF-Appraise.

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Let’s start with two very important things to remember:

DO NOT TOUCH YOUR PIERCING. The only time you will touch your piercing is when you are cleaning it, and you will first wash your hands.

DO NOT REMOVE YOUR JEWELRY. New piercings can shrink the moment jewelry is removed, making it painful or impossible to get it back in.

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HOW TO CLEAN YOUR BODY PIERCING: 

YOU MAY USE STERILE WOUND-CARE SALINE MORNING AND EVENING. 

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Do not touch your piercing without first washing your hands; and leave your jewelry in at all times!

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• Wash your hands thoroughly.

• The piercing should be cleaned 1-2 times per day until the piercing is no longer getting "crusties"(2 months minimum).

• Either spray the saline directly on the piercing to liberally flush the piercing, or soak a non-woven gauze in saline and apply that to the piercing, keeping it saturated for 10 minutes, 2 times daily.

• You may need to use a q-tip or non-woven gauze to clean away any debris or “crusties” that may have collected on the jewelry around the piercing.

• It is not necessary to rinse this product away, however if you do rinse make sure it’s with clean, running water. 

• Dry your piercing with a clean paper towel or sterile gauze pad.

• Whenever you shower, be sure to flush your piercing with warm water for 2-5 minutes. Before getting out rinse soap or other products out of the piercing.

• If your jewelry is threaded (barbells, etc.) check it to make sure it’s still tight! Remember “righty tighty, lefty loosey.”

• If your jewelry is threadless check to make sure the top is pushed down all the way.

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Oral Care

USE A DILUTED, ALCOHOL-FREE MOUTHWASH – MORNING AND EVENING

• ​Oral hygiene must be maintained while any piercing inside the mouth is healing, however using a mouthwash that is too strong can damage cells and slow the healing process. Rinse your mouth with BIOTENE or alcohol free mouthwash such as Crest Pro-Health, or Colgate Advanced Care, and dilute it 50/50 with distilled or bottled water. Do not touch your piercing without first washing your hands; and leave your jewelry in at all times!

•  Ice will help ease soreness and reduce swelling.

• Use fluoride-free toothpaste (with a new toothbrush) during the oral healing process.

•  Avoid spicy, acidic, crunchy, or sugary foods, and ESPECIALLY ALCOHOL.

• To avoid potentially serious damage to your teeth, come back for a shorter shaft within two weeks of your swelling subsiding.

• The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory products such as Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil etc.) can reduce swelling.

• Treat the inside of a lip piercing as an oral piercing; treat the outside like a body piercing.

• USE SEA SALT WATER RINSES 4 TIMES A DAY (AFTER MEALS)

A FEW WORDS ON HEALING (what is normal)

​   A piercing is very much like any other wound. The body will immediately start to heal as soon as the jewelry is installed.

•   Your piercing should look and feel good as soon as the initial swelling and soreness subside. Extreme pain, redness, continued swelling, a sensation of heat, or discolored discharge are not normal and are signs something is not quite right. If you feel your piercing is infected, contact us or a physician right away! Although we are not doctors, we are happy to give suggestions based on our experience.

• Rather than try to fix problems after they occur, it’s much better to PREVENT problems in the first place.

• Bleeding, bruising, and/or swelling are fairly common with a new piercing.

• Some tenderness or discomfort in the area of a new piercing can be expected for several days or longer. Discoloration (redness) and itching during healing process are also fairly common.

• A clear yellowish fluid will form a small scab on the piercing. THIS IS NOT PUS OR AN INFECTION. This is normal and acts to seal out the bad and keep in the good. LEAVE THIS INTACT. It’s much better to have a few “crusties” for a short while than to have it red and crusty for a long time. Besides, if you clean it off, your body will just have to make it again.​

• If you have been taking proper care of your new piercing you should notice it shedding dried scab and waste material. This is normal. This is usually the point where jewelry can be switched to a smaller size.

•  Keep with the same cleaning routine until no more matter is being secreted.

•  (usually 30-90 days)​ If you have been taking proper care you should have a nice, new tunnel of skin in your piercing. It’s still delicate though, so ease into your regular activities.

•  Continue to keep soaps, shampoos, and that kind of stuff off your piercing. Rinse thoroughly if contact occurs. 

•  Dry your piercing carefully with sterile gauze after showering to prevent moisture related problems.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO KEEP YOUR NEW PIERCING HAPPY (things to avoid)

​       *PROTECT your piercing from biological and chemical contamination.*

Examples of Biological Contamination include:

• Avoid touching your piercing, except when you are cleaning it.

• Avoid oral contact or contact with other people’s body fluids.

• Avoid using any aftercare products or ointments that were not suggested by your piercer.

•  Avoid getting lotions and/or makeup in or around your piercing

• Avoid pools, hot tubs, lakes, rivers, etc. Using a waterproof, breathable bandage (such as Tegaderm) is a viable option for some piercings.

• YOUR OWN DIRTY HANDS. This is the #1 source of healing problems.

• Other people’s bodily fluids (your own sweat is fine)

• Dirt, unclean water (lakes, rivers, pools, hot tubs), soiled clothes.​

•  Twisting turning, or moving your jewelry has NOT been proven to be helpful in the healing process, and often leads to pain, and scar tissue. Don’t do it!

•  Avoid excess movement, constrictive clothing, and sleeping on it.

Examples of chemical contamination include:

*  Alcohol         

* Peroxide

*  Antibiotic ointments

*  Iodine

*  Strong antibacterial soaps

​​​ESTIMATED INITIAL HEALING TIMES

The following is usually the minimum amount of time needed to heal before it is safe to change your jewelry. Because many factors influence how quickly a piercing will heal, some people will heal faster while others will take longer. Please be aware that these are only initial healing times. Most piercings will take years before they can be left out for any extended length of time without shrinking or closing. Multiple piercings healing simultaneously may result in longer healing times.

Ear Cartilage: 6+ months 

Earlobe (up to 14g): 4+ Months 

Eyebrow: 2-3 months

Industrial: 6+ month

Lip/Labret/Monroe: 6-8 weeks 

Navel: 6+ months

Nostril: 4-6+ months 

Philtrum: 6-8 weeks

Septum: 6-8 weeks

Tongue: 4-6 weeks

Female Nipple: 6-9+ months

Vertical Clitoral Hood: 4-6 weeks

Male Nipple: 3-4 months

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