BODY PIERCING AFTERCARE
....................
TO DO'S
1. SALINE SPRAY
Gently spray saline solution on both sides of your piercing 2 - 6 times daily for the first year.
Benefits - This soothes your piercing and helps to rinse off any dried discharge on your jewelry.
2. REMOVE CRUST
Gently remove all crust from skin and jewelry every morning and evening with a wet q-tip.
Benefits - Removing debris creates a smoother surface making it easier for your body to form new skin cells. This keeps excess crust from irritating the new cells that are forming around the edges of your piercing.
3. APPLY EMU OIL
With clean hands gently massage a pea size amount of 100% emu oil on either side of your piercing once daily.
Benefits - Emu oil soothes your piercing and will keep the edges of your piercing moisturized, it encourages skin cell growth, and restricts the regrowth of microorganisms. It makes for a more comfortable healing process.
4. CHECK JEWELRY ENDS
Jewelry ends come apart and need to be checked every day! Some styles screw on and some snap together so it's important to know which style you have so you know how to secure it. Rings don't need to be checked.
Benefits - Because the ends of your jewelry may loosen over time checking them daily will minimize the chance of you losing your jewelry and your piercing.
5. DOWNSIZE JEWELRY
Piercings swell initially so most starter jewelry is longer to accommodate for that swelling. It is important to downsize your jewelry after 4 weeks.
Benefits - Starting with longer jewelry accommodates for any initial swelling after getting pierced. You will need to downsize the length of your jewelry in order to stabilize it and minimize any snagging and prevent shifting. Too long of length may cause your jewelry to shift to an angle so your piercing is no longer straight.
DON'T DO'S
1. DON'T TOUCH
Wash your hands first if you have to touch your piercing for any reason.
Benefits - This will decrease the chance of introducing microorganisms that may multiply and lead to infection.
2. NO HARSH PRODUCTS
Don't use harsh products like alcohol, peroxide, bactine, hibiclens, witch hazel or ointments on your piercing.
Benefits - It's important to keep any harsh chemicals out of your piercing because they impede healing. They also dry out the skin and irritate your piercing which leads to increased soreness, redness, dryness, migration, and rejection.
3. AVOID PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS
Don't get any make-up, lotion, hair products etc. in your piercing.
Benefits - It's important to keep any harsh chemicals out of your piercing because they impede healing. They also dry out the skin and irritate your piercing which leads to increased soreness, redness, dryness, migration, and rejection.
4. DON'T BE TOO ROUGH
Don't put pressure on your piercing. Pulling, bumping, snagging, sleeping on it, and changing your jewelry frequently is traumatic to the delicate skin cells forming inside your piercing.
Benefit - If you are too rough with your piercing it will slow your healing. You will experience increased soreness, redness, overall irritation, swelling, bleeding, bumps near your piercing, and other complications such as drifting, migration, and rejection.
5. AVOID OPEN BODIES OF WATER
Don't submerge your piercing in pools, hot tubs, lakes, or the ocean for 8 weeks or if irritated.
Benefit - Open bodies of water are full of microorganisms which can infiltrate your piercing, multiply, and lead to an infection. If you must swim I suggest covering it with a waterproof bandaid to seal out any contaminants.
6. DON'T CHANGE JEWELRY
Don't change your jewelry too frequently the first year. You are forming new skin cells. When you drag metal through them it's not unlike dragging metal over a healing wound.
Benefit - You avoid scraping the new skin cells and damaging taking jewelry in and out
7. DON'T TAKE JEWELRY OUT
If you take you jewelry out your piercing may start to close in within minutes.
Benefits - Once your jewelry is removed your piercing tunnel begins to shrink in thickness making it difficult to put your jewelry back in. If you force your jewelry back in its traumatizing to the delicate skin inside because it scrapes through the piercing damaging the cells on its way through.
All aftercare suggestions are based on training, research, and years of professional experience. These suggestions should not be a substitute for medical advice from a physician. If you suspect an infection, make an appointment with your doctor. Please note that it is important that you see a physician who is piercing educated, accepting, and experienced.
ORAL PIERCING AFTERCARE
....................
TO DO'S
1. SALINE SPRAY
Gently spray saline solution on both sides of your piercing 2 - 6 times daily for the first year.
Benefits - This soothes your piercing and helps to rinse off any dried discharge on your jewelry.
2. REMOVE CRUST
Gently remove all crust from skin and jewelry every morning and evening with a wet q-tip.
Benefits - Removing debris creates a smoother surface making it easier for your body to form new skin cells. This keeps excess crust from irritating the new cells that are forming around the edges of your piercing.
3. APPLY EMU OIL
With clean hands gently massage a pea size amount of 100% emu oil on either side of your piercing once daily.
Benefits - Emu oil soothes your piercing and will keep the edges of your piercing moisturized, it encourages skin cell growth, and restricts the regrowth of microorganisms. It makes for a more comfortable healing process.
4. CHECK JEWELRY ENDS
Jewelry ends come apart and need to be checked every day! Some styles screw on and some snap together so it's important to know which style you have so you know how to secure it. Rings don't need to be checked.
Benefits - Because the ends of your jewelry may loosen over time checking them daily will minimize the chance of you losing your jewelry and your piercing.
5. DOWNSIZE JEWELRY
Piercings swell initially so most starter jewelry is longer to accommodate for that swelling. It is important to downsize your jewelry after 4 weeks.
Benefits - Starting with longer jewelry accommodates for any initial swelling after getting pierced. You will need to downsize the length of your jewelry in order to stabilize it and minimize any snagging and prevent shifting. Too long of length may cause your jewelry to shift to an angle so your piercing is no longer straight.
DON'T DO'S
1. DON'T TOUCH
Wash your hands first if you have to touch your piercing for any reason.
Benefits - This will decrease the chance of introducing microorganisms that may multiply and lead to infection.
2. NO HARSH PRODUCTS
Don't use harsh products like alcohol, peroxide, bactine, hibiclens, witch hazel or ointments on your piercing.
Benefits - It's important to keep any harsh chemicals out of your piercing because they impede healing. They also dry out the skin and irritate your piercing which leads to increased soreness, redness, dryness, migration, and rejection.
3. AVOID PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS
Don't get any make-up, lotion, hair products etc. in your piercing.
Benefits - It's important to keep any harsh chemicals out of your piercing because they impede healing. They also dry out the skin and irritate your piercing which leads to increased soreness, redness, dryness, migration, and rejection.
4. DON'T BE TOO ROUGH
Don't put pressure on your piercing. Pulling, bumping, snagging, sleeping on it, and changing your jewelry frequently is traumatic to the delicate skin cells forming inside your piercing.
Benefit - If you are too rough with your piercing it will slow your healing. You will experience increased soreness, redness, overall irritation, swelling, bleeding, bumps near your piercing, and other complications such as drifting, migration, and rejection.
5. AVOID OPEN BODIES OF WATER
Don't submerge your piercing in pools, hot tubs, lakes, or the ocean for 8 weeks or if irritated.
Benefit - Open bodies of water are full of microorganisms which can infiltrate your piercing, multiply, and lead to an infection. If you must swim I suggest covering it with a waterproof bandaid to seal out any contaminants.
6. DON'T CHANGE YOUR JEWELRY TOO OFTEN
Don't change your jewelry too frequently the first year. You are forming new skin cells. When you drag metal through them it's not unlike dragging metal over a healing wound.
Benefit - You avoid scraping the new skin cells and damaging taking jewelry in and out
7. DON'T TAKE YOUR JEWELRY OUT
If you take you jewelry out your piercing may start to close in within minutes.
Benefits - Once your jewelry is removed your piercing tunnel begins to shrink in thickness making it difficult to put your jewelry back in. If you force your jewelry back in its traumatizing to the delicate skin inside because it scrapes through the piercing damaging the cells on its way through.
All aftercare suggestions are based on training, research, and years of professional experience. These suggestions should not be a substitute for medical advice from a physician. If you suspect an infection, make an appointment with your doctor. Please note that it is important that you see a physician who is piercing educated, accepting, and experienced.