Do not remove jewellery until your piercing has fully healed. Jewellery should be left in the area for at least 12 months. If jewellery has to be removed for any reason it is advisable to insert a retainer.Even though our clinics professional piercers take proper health and safety precautions and use the best techniques, jewellery and materials available they obviously have no control over the way that people look after their piercings, nor the way a clients metabolic system may react afterwards. We will do our best to help anyone with a piercing problem, no matter what the cause, but we are unable to guarantee any results.
Please do not expect too much too soon.
Remember, healing times vary with the type and position of the piercing and vary from person to person.
The following should be taken into consideration:
how healthy you are.
how prepared you are to look after the piercing until it is fully healed.
How active you are, sporting activities can hinder the healing process.
Things to expect from your piercing
For the first few weeks the are may be red, tender, swollen of puffy.
Bruising may sometimes occur.
Expect the piercing to secrete fluid throughout the healing period.
Things to avoid
Rinse all soap/shampoo/residue from piercings with fresh clean water.
Do not use antiseptic preparations (Savlon cream or spray, TCP, Hydrogen Peroxide, Dettol, Surgical spirits) to clean your piercing; it can cause irritation as they are too harsh.
Do not touch, play or fiddle with the piercing with dirty fingers, as it is likely to cause infection.
Do not move, twist or turn the piercing whilst dry. If any secreted discharge has hardened the turning the jewellery may cause the discharge to damage and prolong healing time.
How to make salt water correctly -
Pour 8fl oz of boiled water into a large mug/cup then add a quarter of a teaspoon of rock or sea salt to it. Leave the mixture to cool a little, but use it as warm as you can without burning yourself.
The solution should taste as salty as tears. Remember too much salt can irritate your piercing and dry it out, doing more harm than good. Clean your piercing with salt water twice a day.
Do not forget to wash your hands before touching your piercing!
Submerge the piercing into the salt water or alternatively submerge some kitchen roll into the water and apply to the piercing as a hot compress to soak and soften any discharge.
Clean the entry and exit points of the piercing with warm salt water using kitchen roll or cotton buds.
Do not re-submerge the gauze or cotton bud for obvious cross contamination reasons.
Once the discharge is removed or softened jewellery can be gently moved to work a little solution throughout the piercing, then rinsed out with fresh clean water.
After cleaning your piercing, pat it dry gently either with clean kitchen roll or fresh clean soft towel.
Also be sure to check the tightness of the balls on jewellery every time you clean the piercing as they can work themselves loose.
Ear piercings including lobes/tragus/anti tragus/conch/helix/snug/daith/industrial/rook/translobal/transverse lobe Ear piercings vary in healing time depending on tissue type, so be sure to check for your particular piercing.
Clean your piercing twice daily, using salt water solution (1/4 teaspoon in 8fl. Oz. Water).
Provon, Carex, antibacterial washes and Savlon wound wash can be used on ear piercings twice daily. Please follow manufacturers instructions and only use instead of salt water. If irritation or redness/drying occurs discontinue use.
Do not move, twist or turn the piercing whilst dry. If any secreted discharge has hardened the turning the jewellery may cause the discharge to damage and prolong healing time.
Expect some swelling and soreness from your new piercing. Any knock or bang may cause swelling or soreness to flare up again throughout the healing phase.
Cartlidge piercings occasionally form lumps and sometimes they are granulomas caused by irritation, or the piercing can have trapped fluid. Both are easy to resolve using the heat and pressure to form a hot salt water compress once a day, replacing one of your daily cleanings. Call in and see us for best treatment.
Do not change initial jewellery in cartilage piercings for the first 3 months or until healed.
Body piercings including navels and nipples
Clean your piercing twice daily, using salt water solution (1/4 teaspoon in 8fl. Oz. Water).
Provon, Carex, antibacterial washes and Savlon wound wash can be used on ear piercings twice daily. Please follow manufacturers instructions and only use instead of salt water. If irritation or redness/drying occurs discontinue use.
Once the discharge is removed or softened jewellery can be gently moved to work a little salt water solution throughout the piercing. Do not forget to dry your piercing.
Do not wear tight clothing e.g. fancy/lacy bras for nipples or belts, high waisted clothing and be mindful of tights putting pressure on navel piercings.
Avoid sun beds for the first two weeks; always cover with a breathable plaster during tanning.
Avoid swimming for the first two weeks as chlorine may act as an irritant and infections can be spread easily. You cannot guarantee the cleanliness of the pool. After swimming thoroughly rinse out your piercing.
Facial piercings including eyebrow/bridge/septum/nostril
Clean your piercing twice daily, using salt water solution (1/4 teaspoon in 8fl. Oz. Water).
Provon, Carex, antibacterial washes and Savlon wound wash can be used on ear piercings twice daily. Please follow manufacturers instructions and only use instead of salt water. If irritation or redness/drying occurs discontinue use.
Once the discharge is removed or softened jewellery can be gently moved to work a little salt water solution throughout the piercing. Do not forget to dry your piercing.
Do not change initial jewellery for the first 6-8 weeks.
Oral piercings including tongue/smiley/frowney/tongue web/lip/labret/medusa/Madonna/cheek/vertical or horizontal lip
Longer/larger jewellery is placed in the piercing to allow for some swelling, which usually decreases in 7/10 days time, after which smaller jewellery may be needed.
Keep yourself hydrated to minimise and help reduce swelling.
Avoid playing with a new oral piercing as this will irritate the area, prolong swelling and cause the piercing to take longer to heal.
When cleaning always tighten the ball on a bar. (Screw the ball right to tighten the piercing)
With all oral piercings, alcohol and drugs should be avoided until initial swelling has gone. By drinking, please be aware that swelling may worsen or be prolonged as alcohol is an irritant.
Avoid hot, spicy, salty or citrus foods and caffeine for the first few days. All the above are irritants and will slow down the healing process. Try to cut back on smoking and rinse your mouth out with 1part alcohol-free mouthwash to 10 parts water after cigarettes.
For the internal healing of oral piercings
Gargle with salt water solution (add a quarter of a tea spoon of rock/sea salt to 8fl. Oz of boiled but cooled water) after each meal.
Or aid healing with an alcohol-free mouthwash after each meal. If not alchol-free, dilute half and half with distilled or boiled water.
For the external healing of oral piercings
For lip, Madonna, labret, medusa, vertical/horizontal lip and cheek piercings gently clean around the outside of the piercing with salt water and a cotton bud to remove any secreted discharge. Do not pick otherwise you will increase the change of bacteria entering the wound and tearing the piercing.
Special care for tongue piercings
Stick to soft food and liquid diet for the first few days. Drink plenty of water to alleviate swelling. Cold products such as ice cream can help reduce swelling. Avoid hot, spicy, salty or citrus foods and caffeine for the first few days. All the above are irritants and will slow down the healing process. Try to cut back on smoking and rinse your mouth out with 1part alcohol-free mouthwash to 10 parts water after cigarettes.
If pain relief is needed, anti-inflammatories can be used to reduce the swelling but should only be used as a last resort and only for three days at a time. Do not use asprin as it will thin the blood and act as an irritant. After 7/10 days smaller jewellery may be needed.
Genital piercings
Always clean hands thoroughly before cleaning piercing
Never use soaps or antibacterial products as they can kill the good bacteria that is naturally present.
Refrain from any sexual activity until the piercing has healed (or at least a week) and always use protection otherwise you are at increased risk of infection.
Clean twice daily.
Male including PA/reverse PA/ampallang/apadravya/frenum/dydoe/guiche/scrotum/foreskin/hafada.
With glans piercing such as PA/reverse PA/ampallang/apadravya/frenum/dydoe/foreskin the easiest way to clean is to correctly make your salt water solution in a jug then soak the piercing for a few minutes. After soaking dry the area.
With other piercings including Guiche/scrotum/hafada clean thoroughly twice daily by submerging the piercing in the warm salt water solution.
Female including clitoral hood/inner/outer labia/fourchette/Christina/triangle
Female genital piercings are prone to swelling for a week or two
Submerge the piercing in the correctly made warm salt water solution after washing/bathing for a few minutes, twice daily.
Avoid soap and scented products as these can act as an irritant.
Surface piercings- including nape/horizontal navel/horizontal eyebrow/wrist/anti eyebrow/Madison/chin/vertical bridge/pubic/handweb/prayer
Surface piercings are usually long healers, taking up to a year.
Perseverance is the key, along with hot salt soak compresses twice a day to soften then remove any discharge.
Mild antibacterial washes/soaps such as Provon, Antibac, Carex and Savlon wound wash can be used twice a day instead. Always follow manufacturers instructions.
Surface piercings can reject. This is where jewellery is expelled from the skin. It is not common if the tissue beneath the piercing is fairly fatty. There is no pain but rejection will leave a scar that will fade in time. Some causes of rejection include:
Piercing through taut skin
Jewellery being ill fitting
External stress (e.g tight clothing)
Allergic reaction to the jewellery
Too harsh a cleaning routine
If you have any concerns about your piercing please dont hesitate to visit the studio for a check-up and any advice.
