Piercing Care
Congratulations on getting a new piercing!
Healing times are different for everyone and vary from person to person. The following timelines are the suggested minimum for continued aftercare. Follow your sea salt soak regimen and refrain from any jewelry exchanges for the amount of time listed next to your piercing.
These aftercare instructions will help your piercing stay happy and healthy from day one. Piercings that receive the proper care will heal faster and look their best. Give your piercing the attention in deserves with the following regimen.
Healing Times
Healing times are different for everyone and vary from person to person. The following timelines are the suggested minimum for continued aftercare. Follow your sea salt soak regimen and refrain from any jewelry exchanges for the amount of time listed next to your piercing.
Normal Healing
After getting a new piercing, you may experience one or more of the following:
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Itching
• Minor redness
• Small amount of bleeding
• Discharge of cloudy fluid or dry matter, aka “crusties”
These experiences are generally mild and associated with normal healing. They are temporary and subside as your piercing continues to heal.
If you are still experiencing these healing signs, your piercing has not finished healing yet; be patient and keep soaking.
Cleaning
The best way to care for your piercing is to keep a regular regimen of sea salt soaks. Sea salt soaks gently flush out the piercing, help to draw out discharge, stimulate blood circulation, and soothe irritations. We strongly suggest soaking your piercing for 10 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day for the entire duration of your healing time.
Wash your hands thoroughly before and after cleaning your piercing. Mix your sea salt solution using a clean container large enough to soak your piercing. Use the following mea- surements, using warm water:
1/4 teaspoon per 8 ounces of water 1/2 teaspoon per 16 ounces of water
Your measurements must be precise in order for the solution to work. Too much salt can irritate your piercing, and not enough is not as effective.
Lower your piercing into the solution. For piercings on flat areas like nipple or navel, you can flip the cup up against your skin. Your entire piercing should be completely sub- merged in the solution for a total of 10 minutes. For oral piercings, gently swish the solution like mouthwash.
After soaking, dispose of the solution and rinse your piercing with clean water. You may gently pat the area with a paper towel if needed. Avoid cotton balls or cotton swabs — they leave fibers behind that can adhere to the jewelry and irritate your piercing.
What to Avoid
• Do not touch your piercing while healing. If contact is unavoidable, wash your hands before and after. Do not pick at or remove dry matter from the wound; this is like picking a scab. Avoid oral contact and exposure to bodily fluids.
• Do not move or rotate your jewelry. Removing the jewelry will allow the piercing to shrink or close.
• Avoid sleeping directly on the piercing. If this presents as an issue, consider using a round neck pillow sleeping with your ear in the hole. This alleviates the pressure.
• Keep these products away: alcohol, iodine, peroxide, mouthwash containing alcohol, ointments, and soap can irritate your piercing. Avoid direct contact with makeup, lotion, perfume, etc.
• Do not swim or submerge your piercing in large bodies of water. Hot tubs, pools, lakes, rivers, and oceans harbor large amounts of bacteria.
• Avoid excessively tight clothing as well as woven fabrics that might snag on your jewelry.
• Check your threaded jewelry weekly. When screwing on ends, right is tight and left is loose. Your piercer can also assist you with regular jewelry checks.
• General health matters: staying hydrated and eating vitamin rich foods will benefit your healing. Smoking can affect healing times and your health.
Troubleshooting
Healing a piercing requires patience and care. Piercings that receive proper care are less likely to act up. Review your aftercare frequently and when in doubt, keep soaking.
If your piercing has become irritated and you need guidance, don’t hesitate to contact us.
With any wound, there is risk of infection. Common signs of infection are: excessive redness, excessive swelling or distortion of the tissue, heat, odor, excessive tenderness, green, bloody or dark discharge, bumps behind the pierc- ing, and/or streaks. If experiencing any of these symptoms of an infection, please contact your healthcare provider.