PIERCING AFTERCARE.
- What you will need:
- Use only ONE of the following, using all is over cleaning and can irritate your piercing: Sterile Saline (Ex. H20 Spray, Steri Wash, Neilmed) Unscented Mild Soap, (Ex. Dove, Aveeno, etc) avoid harsh soaps with dyes or triclosin. (Ex. Avoid Dial, it contains triclosin) DO NOT REMOVE JEWELRY.
- Cleaning Your Piercing: Step 1: Wash your hands before touching your piercing. Step 2: Apply Saline or Unscented Soap to piercing using a clean gauze or Q-tip. Step 3: Rinse your piercing, DO NOT twist or rotate your jewelry. This will only irritate it. Step 4: Pat dry with paper towel or let air dry Step 5: Repeat this process 3-4 times a day
- Things to Avoid:
- DO NOT pick at "crusties" on your piercing. This is a good sign that your piercing is healing. Let it do it's thing!
- DO NOT use any solutions such as Hydrogen Peroxide, Bactine, Alcohol, etc. These will only slow down the healing and cause more harm in the long run.
- DO NOT play with your fresh piercing. No twisting, no moving it around
- DO NOT use unsterile sea salt home mixes on your piercing. This contains bacteria and will irritate your piercing.
- DO NOT sleep on your piercing, this can cause it to heal at an angle and possibly migration
- AVOID getting make up, face washes, acne wash, etc near the piercing. If you wear foundation blend AWAY from the piercing.
- DO NOT submerge your fresh piercing in water. No baths or swimming until piercing is healed.
- DO NOT change your jewelry out before the change out date. Even if your piercing feels "ready" there is a reason we tell you to wait till a certain date. Unless there is an emergency you should NOT change it out early.
HEALING TIMES.
How To Help Your Piercing Heal Faster!
It’s not a big secret, the key is taking good care of your body. Just like when you are sick, your body needs nutrients to heal properly. Eating well, exercise, and getting plenty of sleep helps give your body the “magic” it needs to heal faster!
Ear Piercings:Tips: Having trouble sleeping at night? Swap your pillow out for a travel pillow! View the link below for a great travel pillow to sleep on!
Make sure to change your pillowcase once a week since bacteria can build up Avoid sleeping on that side if you don’t have a travel pillow Keep your phone clean or avoid placing the phone on that ear to talk! Careful removing your face mask, constant snagging can cause irritation! Healing Time: Lobes: 3 months, change out time 4-6 weeks Cartilage (Outer/Forward Helix, Daith, Rook, etc): 6 months to a year.
Nose Piercings: Careful when cleaning the inside of your nostril. If it is not rinsed off properly it can cause irritation. It’s best to clean the outside with recommended aftercare & inside with water. SEPTUMS, avoid constantly flipping your jewelry up and down to hide it. This constant friction can irritate it. Healing Time: 3 months total. If you plan to switch to a hoop, wait 3 months to avoid an irritation bump from forming. Studs, 4-6 weeks.
Eyebrow & Bridge Piercings: Avoid sleeping directly on these piercings to avoid migration Healing Time: 3 months total, earliest change out 4-6 weeks. Navel Piercings: Tips: Do not lay directly on this piercing, it can cause it to migrate over timeAvoid using a loofah on this area since it can get caught DO NOT submerge this piercing in water. No bubble baths or swimming till it is healed Healing Time: 6 months to a year. DO NOT change before at least six months.
Nipple Piercings: Sports bras are going to be your “breast friend” for the first 6 weeks, they help restrict unnecessary friction from happening Do not sleep directly on this piercing No “Adult time” with this area for the first 6 weeks After 6 weeks, make sure your partner cleans their hands/mouth before sex and do not be rough on the piercing! You must still baby this piercing. Avoid loofahs with this area! Healing Time: 6 months to a year. DO NOT change before at least six months.
Ear Piercings:Tips: Having trouble sleeping at night? Swap your pillow out for a travel pillow! View the link below for a great travel pillow to sleep on!
Make sure to change your pillowcase once a week since bacteria can build up Avoid sleeping on that side if you don’t have a travel pillow Keep your phone clean or avoid placing the phone on that ear to talk! Careful removing your face mask, constant snagging can cause irritation! Healing Time: Lobes: 3 months, change out time 4-6 weeks Cartilage (Outer/Forward Helix, Daith, Rook, etc): 6 months to a year.
Nose Piercings: Careful when cleaning the inside of your nostril. If it is not rinsed off properly it can cause irritation. It’s best to clean the outside with recommended aftercare & inside with water. SEPTUMS, avoid constantly flipping your jewelry up and down to hide it. This constant friction can irritate it. Healing Time: 3 months total. If you plan to switch to a hoop, wait 3 months to avoid an irritation bump from forming. Studs, 4-6 weeks.
Eyebrow & Bridge Piercings: Avoid sleeping directly on these piercings to avoid migration Healing Time: 3 months total, earliest change out 4-6 weeks. Navel Piercings: Tips: Do not lay directly on this piercing, it can cause it to migrate over timeAvoid using a loofah on this area since it can get caught DO NOT submerge this piercing in water. No bubble baths or swimming till it is healed Healing Time: 6 months to a year. DO NOT change before at least six months.
Nipple Piercings: Sports bras are going to be your “breast friend” for the first 6 weeks, they help restrict unnecessary friction from happening Do not sleep directly on this piercing No “Adult time” with this area for the first 6 weeks After 6 weeks, make sure your partner cleans their hands/mouth before sex and do not be rough on the piercing! You must still baby this piercing. Avoid loofahs with this area! Healing Time: 6 months to a year. DO NOT change before at least six months.
ORAL AFTERCARE.
For Oral Piercings you will need:
Antibacterial or Antimicrobial Alcohol Free Mouthwash, if your mouthwash contains alcohol dilute it by mixing half with water. Alcohol can cause thrush, thrush is like a yeast infection in the mouth.
DO NOT USE FULL STRENGTH ALCOHOL MOUTHWASH.
Oral Aftercare Instructions: Lip Piercings: Step 1: Follow the steps above for the OUTSIDE of your lip. Step 2: Use Mouthwash 3 times a day. In the morning, afternoon, and before bed. Tongue Piercings: Use Mouthwash 3 times a day. In the morning, afternoon, and before bed. Rinse for 30-60 seconds, use a timer if needed to help you. Also remember to keep up on daily oral hygiene in general. Do not over clean, overcleaning can cause irritation and discoloration. Things To Avoid With Oral Piercings: DO NOT play with your piercing. Playing with it can not only irritate it, but cause more swelling. It can also get caught or cause damage to your teeth. Avoid Oral Sexual Contact, this is not just including oral sex. This also means no kissing, your partner has bacteria that can irritate your piercing during the healing process. Avoid smoking, it can cause irritation and delay the healingAvoid spicy, salty, or acidic foods When eating try to stick with foods that you feel are comfortable to eat. Everyone heals differently, some people leave and have no discomfort while others do. Bigger bites can cause more swelling. Cold and soft foods/drinks will be much easier to eat. Avoid foods with seeds since they can get in the piercing. PLEASE remember to schedule an appointment to downsize your jewelry when the time comes. Waiting too long can cause issues with the piercing. From chipping your teeth on the bar when it's too long, to the piercing angle being affected by the weight of the long post. See section "Healing Times" to learn more. Lip/Tongue Piercings: Lip Piercings heal from the outside in, so even though it may feel like it’s healed after a couple days it is not! Changing it too early can cause complications and the piercing to close. Sleeping with your head elevated the first couple nights will help swelling go down! Vertical Labrets, feeling a bit chapped? Avoid using chapstick on your fresh piercing. Instead a small amount of vitamin E oil will help add moisture back to your lips without irritating your fresh piercing! Healing Time: Tongues: 1-2 months total, REMEMBER to come in to downsize your jewelry after the first couple weeks. When you have had 4 days of absolutely no swelling, come in. Leaving in the initial jewelry can cause you to chip your teeth if the bar is too long. Lip Piercings: 3 months total, 4-6 weeks till change out. Wait full 3 months for hoops.
Oral Aftercare Instructions: Lip Piercings: Step 1: Follow the steps above for the OUTSIDE of your lip. Step 2: Use Mouthwash 3 times a day. In the morning, afternoon, and before bed. Tongue Piercings: Use Mouthwash 3 times a day. In the morning, afternoon, and before bed. Rinse for 30-60 seconds, use a timer if needed to help you. Also remember to keep up on daily oral hygiene in general. Do not over clean, overcleaning can cause irritation and discoloration. Things To Avoid With Oral Piercings: DO NOT play with your piercing. Playing with it can not only irritate it, but cause more swelling. It can also get caught or cause damage to your teeth. Avoid Oral Sexual Contact, this is not just including oral sex. This also means no kissing, your partner has bacteria that can irritate your piercing during the healing process. Avoid smoking, it can cause irritation and delay the healingAvoid spicy, salty, or acidic foods When eating try to stick with foods that you feel are comfortable to eat. Everyone heals differently, some people leave and have no discomfort while others do. Bigger bites can cause more swelling. Cold and soft foods/drinks will be much easier to eat. Avoid foods with seeds since they can get in the piercing. PLEASE remember to schedule an appointment to downsize your jewelry when the time comes. Waiting too long can cause issues with the piercing. From chipping your teeth on the bar when it's too long, to the piercing angle being affected by the weight of the long post. See section "Healing Times" to learn more. Lip/Tongue Piercings: Lip Piercings heal from the outside in, so even though it may feel like it’s healed after a couple days it is not! Changing it too early can cause complications and the piercing to close. Sleeping with your head elevated the first couple nights will help swelling go down! Vertical Labrets, feeling a bit chapped? Avoid using chapstick on your fresh piercing. Instead a small amount of vitamin E oil will help add moisture back to your lips without irritating your fresh piercing! Healing Time: Tongues: 1-2 months total, REMEMBER to come in to downsize your jewelry after the first couple weeks. When you have had 4 days of absolutely no swelling, come in. Leaving in the initial jewelry can cause you to chip your teeth if the bar is too long. Lip Piercings: 3 months total, 4-6 weeks till change out. Wait full 3 months for hoops.
GENITAL PIERCING
Keep up on hygiene! You know your body, if you feel it is ready for sexual activity you may engage in it. Be gentle with this piercing during sexual activity while it is healing and when cleaning Even if you and your partner are monogamous, keep a barrier between you during sex!
(Condoms, dental dams, etc) Exchange of bodily fluids can irritate the piercing. Do not use saliva as lubricant on fresh piercing, use water-based lubricant instead. Make sure to clean this piercing after sex! Healing time: Varies 1 month to 12 months. Being gentle with this piercing during the healing process is key to having it heal!