Skin Aftercare

  • Skin piercings vary in healing times, but as a blanket statement, a minimum of 9 months is most common. Cartilage piercings, such as ears and nostrils usually take longer to heal than regular tissue piercings, such as navels and eyebrows.

  • Swelling, redness, tenderness, irritation, and “crusties” in and around the piercing are completely normal, and can be expected. INFECTION IS NOT LIKELY YET COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH IRRITATION. 
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  • Use only a sterile saline solution, such as H2Ocean, or an unscented antibacterial soap to clean piercings. Never use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or Bactine to clean piercings. Do not use ointments such as Neosporin to clean the piercing.
 
  • Keep fingers away from fresh and healing piercings. Do not rotate, pick at, spin, or play with the piercing at all. This is likely to cause hypertrophic scarring, or a “piercing bump”.
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  • Anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen, alternating between cold and hot compresses, and a warm saline soak usually help with swelling, tenderness, and fluid discharge. Warm saline soaks and the application of tea tree oil usually help with hypertrophic scarring, or “piercing bumps”. 
 

​​ORAL AFTERCARE

  • All oral piercings should be pierced with jewelry that has adequate room for the area to swell. Swelling typically takes anywhere between 1-3 weeks. Warm saline rinses, ice or any other cold foods, and anti-inflammatory medicine should help with swelling and pain. With all oral piercings, you are entitled to a free piece of fitted jewelry after the swelling has subsided.

  • Alcohol-free antiseptic mouthwash and sterile saline solutions are the only recommended aftercare products for oral piercings. 

  • Suction is damaging to fresh oral piercings. Smoking and drinking through a straw should be avoided for the first few weeks.  Soft and cold foods are recommended to avoid irritating the piercing.
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  • Bleeding, swelling, tenderness, and irritation are all common symptoms after receiving any piercing. Infection is not likely yet commonly confused with irritation. 
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Soaking instructions

  • ¼ teaspoon NON-iodized sea salt
  • 1 cup HOT water
  • Soak for 20-45 minutes each day
  • For 1-2 weeks (with cotton ball or shot glass)
  • Apply  tea tree oil onto area if bump is present
  • ​Dry thoroughly