Piercing Aftercare

-Swelling and tenderness will always occur with a fresh piercing. Depending on the area you were pierced swelling can last anywhere from 1 – 4 weeks.

-A small amount of bleeding and bruising can also be expected.

-As the piercing starts to heal you will experience drainage of a whitish/yellowish fluid that will get crusty on your jewelry. Do not pick or scratch at dried up crusties.

-Do NOT twist, play or remove your jewelry while healing. There is no need to rotate your jewelry. This is a common misconception and is actually detrimental to healing.

-Do not use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil, or any kind of ointments on your piercings.

-Do not sleep on your healing piercing. Airplane pillows are a great asset if you are a side sleeper.

-Do not let beauty products come in contact with a healing piercing. Be careful with make-up, moisturizers, shampoo, conditioners, hair products, etc.

-Do not submerge your piercing in any bodies of water (ocean, pool, hot tubs, lakes, rivers, etc) for the first 8-12 weeks of healing.

-Clean your piercing with sterile saline wound wash 2-3 times a day. Spray both sides of your piercing to irrigate the area and remove debris / crusties. Pat excess saline off with paper towel or gauze. Do not let your piercing drip dry. Excess moisture in the area can lead to complications. The cotton fibers on Q-tips can sometimes get stuck to your piercing or wrapped around your jewelry and therefore should be avoided. If the crusties on your jewelry do not spray off easily, you can saturate gauze with sterile saline and hold it on your piercing for several minutes to soften up the debris.

-Your most thorough cleaning will happen in the shower. Allow warm water to run on your piercing for several minutes. The warm water will help the piercing drain and will break up and loosen any stubborn debris.

-Switch out your pillow cases often, especially if pets sleep in your bed.

-If you were told your piercing is one that should be downsized (switched to a shorter post after swelling has subsided,) please remember to come back for that! Sleeping on a piercing that has not been downsized can lead to the piercing itself shifting and healing crooked. The excess length can also cause irritation from the constant friction of the bar moving back and forth and the snagging that will eventually occur.

-Rinse your mouth out with a non-alcoholic mouth wash after eating or drinking anything that isn't water. If using mouthwash too often causes you discomfort, you can alternate between mouthwash rinses and fresh water rinses.

-Swelling with oral piercings can be intense at times. Drinking ice water a few times a day can help minimize the swelling. Sleeping with your head slightly elevated will also help.

-Minimize smoking, drinking alcohol, and eating spicy foods for the first weeks of healing to avoid excess swelling and unnecessary discomfort.