Piercing Aftercare
Basic Piercing Care
The purpose of cleaning your piercing is to remove dried discharge, dirt, and bacteria. You are not treating the wound or making the piercing heal, but rather providing a clean environment in which your body can heal itself.
Your piercing should be cleaned a few times daily during its healing period, limiting yourself to a single aftercare product. Overcleaning or using too many products can irritate your piercing and prolong the time needed for the piercing to heal.
Body, Ear, and Facial Piercings (Including the Exterior of Oral Piercings)
3-4 times daily, use a pre-packaged sterile saline spray, commonly available as Blairex Sterile Wound Wash Saline, to clean the piercing. To do this, spray the piercing with a small amount of the product. If there is any dried discharge, spray a q-tip as well and gently work all the dried matter off. Let the piercing dry on its own, and blot excess product off with a clean tissue.
Do not rotate the jewelry or purposefully work any product into the piercing. Your body will not adhere to appropriate jewelry during the healing period, and no “turning” of the jewelry is required.
If desired, you can make your own saline solution by mixing 1/8 teaspoon of Un-Iodized Sea Salt (not table salt) with 8oz. of warm distilled water. Mix it until the salt is completely dissolved and use this solution to soak your piercing, either with a small disposable cup or as a compress. Throw the solution out when done and do not reuse it. There is no reason to rinse the piercing after a soak unless you notice dry skin. In that case, splash the area with distilled water after your soak, and try mixing your solution a bit milder in the future.
Oral Piercings
In order to keep the inside of the mouth clean, we suggest a mild, alcohol-free mouthrinse 4-5 times daily. Crest Pro-Health, Biotene, Tech2000, and Tom’s of Maine are all appropriate for use. You may also try warm saline solution in place of mouthwash if you choose. Just follow the instructions for mixing your own saline solution as directed above, and use as a rinse 4-6 times daily.
Rinses with cool water after meals will help to flush out any remaining food particles and keep your mouth clean during the healing period.
Piercing-Specific Care
Oral
While oral piercings heal very quickly, they can also be some of the most uncomfortable for the first few weeks. Expect your new piercing to swell (sometimes dramatically) for the first few days. While you are swollen, avoid foods that are hot, spicy, and/or crunchy. Instead, opt for soup, mashed potatoes, ice cream, pudding, and other foods that are soft and easy to chew. Ice, popsicles, and other cold foods will help reduce the swelling, as will taking ibuprofen as directed. Plain chamomile tea, cooled, can also be used as a rinse to ease the swelling and tenderness.
Avoid any medication and products that thin your blood or raise your heart rate. In addition, avoid straws, water pipes, smoking, and anything else that involves sucking – suction can create more swelling and bleeding.
Stay away from chewing gum, chewing ink pens, your fingernails – all those little nervous habits and temptations. You are only introducing bacteria into your piercing.
No oral contact during your healing period. Even if you are in a monogamous relationship, you must keep in mind that your partner has different bacteria than you. Chances are, you wouldn’t let them lick a scrape on your knee – there is no difference.
Generally your initial jewelry will be longer or larger in diameter to allow for initial swelling. Be patient, and understand that you will be able to downsize your jewelry, usually within a few weeks. Don’t try to change it too soon, or you will end up with more swelling. Please be sure to downsize your jewelry. While longer jewelry may be more fun to play with, the risks of gum and tooth damage are not, and both are inevitable with wearing long jewelry.
Navel
Remember that your navel piercing will take between 9 and 12 months to fully heal, and during that time, you will have to “baby” it as much as possible. Avoid high-waisted pants, tucked in tops, tight clothing and large belts/buckles. Also, avoid sleeping on your stomach during the healing period. Your body will adjust to sleeping on your back or side.
Nipples
Don’t sleep on them, wear tight clothing, have them pulled, or get them bumped around during the healing period. Take extreme care when putting on or taking off shirts. No oral contact with them either. They are wounds and you must treat them as such during the entire healing period.
Ladies, you may find wearing a sports bra or tank top to bed will help hold the jewelry against the body, and keep you from rolling onto your piercings during sleep. Also, putting half of a panty liner in your bra cup will not only pad the piercing, but also keep natural discharge from staining your bra. And yes, mothers with newborn babies will still be able to breastfeed without any problem after the piercings are healed.
Genital
First and foremost, avoid sexual contact for the first two weeks. Just because you can have sex, doesn’t mean that you should. After the two weeks are up, sex is okay, but take it slow and remember that all contact must be protected until your healing period is complete, even with a monogamous partner. This means using non-lubricated, non-spermicidal condoms, dental-dams, and gloves for all contact. Unprotected oral sex should especially be avoided.
If you find yourself with a sore, irritated piercing, warm soaks and rinses should help out. Expect normal tenderness and soreness for the first few weeks. Listen to your body – it will tell you if you’re doing something wrong.
Femal Genital
Be sure you are only using sterile saline or sea salt solution when cleaning your piercing. Do not use table salt, as it often contains sugar, which can lead to yeast infections. Most women don’t experience bruising or bleeding, but if you do, don’t be alarmed. A panty liner should be enough to protect your clothing.
With a female P.A. piercing, always urinate after cleaning or any sexual contact to rinse out the urethra.
Male Genital
If you have a P.A., reverse P.A., Ampallang, or Apadravya, expect some bleeding for the first 1 to 3 days. It can be a bit nerve-racking, as the bleeding can be quite heavy, especially during the night. The best thing to do is to wrap yourself with sterile gauze and put a glove over it, holding it in place with a rubber band. Make sure to change your bandage as needed. During the first few weeks, avoid blood thinners or any drugs that can increase your heart rate. Also, it is not advisable to get a guiche piercing during hot, humid weather, as the nature of the area makes for an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.
General Care & Tips
The healthier your lifestyle, the easier your piercing will heal. This includes eating right, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and not getting pierced when your immune system is already compromised. Taking a multivitamin or zinc supplement is very helpful, but always consult your physician before taking any medications or supplements.
Avoid touching your piercing. Constantly handling your piercing will ensure that you end up with an infection. Always wash your hands with a liquid anti-bacterial soap prior to cleaning the piercing or tightening the ends on threaded jewelry. Do not rotate the jewelry through the piercing at all. It isn’t necessary and, in addition to irritating the piercing, will work bacteria into it.
Check your jewelry. The ends on threads jewelry both come unscrewed and can loosen from everyday friction. It’s very important to check the ends at least once daily to ensure they are tight and secure. Remember – Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey. If you should happen to lose an end, get to your studio as soon as possible to purchase a new one. In a pinch, push a clean pencil eraser onto the end of the jewelry to hold the piece in place until you can get a replacement. Better yet, carry a spare end in your purse or wallet.
Be kind to your piercing. Don’t wear tight clothing over the piercing, sleep on it, whack the phone into it, expose it to hair products or cosmetics – use common sense. Its an open wound, treat it like one.
Also, if you choose to swim, wear a water-tight bandage such as Tegaderm or Clean Seals, both of which are available at any pharmacy.
All normal piercings will secrete a clear/white/pale yellow discharge during the healing period. This is normal and is not a sign of infection. However, if you notice a darker discharge, itching, pain, redness or swelling after the first few days, please contact your piercer.
While we strive to suggest how best to take care of your new piercing, we are not medical doctors. You must be responsive and responsible for your body. If at any point you have any problems or questions, please feel free to stop in to the shop or give us a call. And most importantly, enjoy your new piercing.
Beelistic Tattoo & Piercing 2510 W. Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45219
(513)221-8202 www.beelistic.com
City of Cincinnati Board of Health Communicable Disease Division – (513)357-7392
