Piercing Aftercare Information
WHAT TO EXPECT FOR A *NORMAL* PIERCING HEALING PROCESS:
✅Bleeding / Bruising / Swelling
✅Tenderness / Discomfort
✅Discoloration / Redness / Itching
✅Secretion of a Whitish-Yellow Fluid (not pus) – This is a normal part of the healing process and is to be expected for several days or longer. It is liquid when it leaves the body, but dries into "crusties".
✅Piercings will go through "ups and downs" while healing. - They may seem healed for a while, and then regress. The key is to continue your cleaning routine throughout the initial healing time, and if it seems to be regressing, start the cleaning routine again.
✅Unpleasant Smell - Piercings (including healed piercings) that are not cleaned daily may smell unpleasant. This does not necessarily indicate a problem.
How To Care For A New Piercing:
EAR / NOSE / LIP / BELLYBUTTON / NIP / DERMAL / SURFACE BAR: (ALL NEW PIERCINGS)
1. Wash your hands thoroughly.
No matter how clean you think you are, it is extremely risky to touch or mess with your piercing. Always wash your hands & keep your environment extremely sterile any time you go to clean it.
2. Get the Saline Spray ready.
ONLY clean your piercing with actual piercing aftercare products.
(We recommend the NeilMed spray we carry in shop because it has zero additives, fragrances, preservatives, alcohol, or other harsh additives found in standard first-aid washes.)
3. Spray the Saline directly on the Piercing. (At least 2x a day)
This will liberally flush the piercing. Or you can soak a non-woven gauze in Saline and apply that to the piercing. (It is not necessary to rinse this product away, however if you do rinse, just make sure you do it with clean, running water.)
LIP / MOUTH PIERCINGS:
If you have a Piercing that enters/exits the OUTSIDE of your mouth as well as the INSIDE of your mouth - Labret, Vertical Labret, Snake Bites, Angel Bites, Medusa, Monroe, Dahlia, Side Lip, etc.
1. Use the directions above to clean the OUTSIDE of your mouth with Saline.
2. Use an Alcohol-Free Mouthwash to swish the INSIDE of your mouth with EVERY TIME you eat, drink, kiss, or smoke.
ORAL / TONGUE PIERCINGS:
Use an Alcohol-Free Mouthwash to swish the INSIDE of your mouth with EVERY TIME you eat, drink, kiss, or smoke.
⛔Refrain from hot / spicy foods and excessive consumption of alcohol / caffeine.
⛔Refrain from oral contact with anyone else or their body fluids.
⛔NO Tugging, Twisting, Pulling, or Playing with your jewelry!!!
This can cause irreversible damage to your teeth and gums, as well as stretching / distorting / making your Piercing grow in crooked.
DERMAL / SURFACE BAR PIERCINGS:
1. Use the directions above to clean with Saline.
2. Keep covered with a Bandaid while sleeping.
Wait 6+ months before attempting to change out the jewelry.
What *Not* To Do With A New Piercing:
🚫DO NOT *TOUCH* OR PLAY WITH YOUR PIERCING!
Unless your hands are WASHED, CLEAN & SANITIZED, and ONLY when you are CLEANING your Piercing. When you twist, touch, or move your piercing around, you are introducing bacteria to not just the jewelry, but to all the layers of your skin as well.
🚫DO NOT *REMOVE* YOUR JEWELRY!
- Piercings will shrink or close very quickly if the jewelry is removed, making it painful or impossible to get it back in, not to mention the introduction to germs and bacteria.
🚫DO NOT USE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE RECOMMENDED SALINE.
Never use anything that has alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide, or benzalkonium chloride (found in many over-the-counter “piercing care” products.)
Never use anything too harsh like Bactine, witch hazel, tea tree oil, rubbing alcohol, or any type of thick ointment, lotion, or soap like Neosporin or Vaseline or Petroleum Jelly. All these things do to a fresh piercing is trap bacteria, kills healthy cells, and blocks the oxygen needed for tissue repair and proper healing.
And, this should go without saying, but never try to create your own concoction. (No, salt and water mixed together does not make saline piercing aftercare LOL.)
🚫NO MAKEUP / LOTION / PERFUME / HAIR SPRAY / PRODUCTS.
Avoid getting any of these on, in, or near your new piercing.
🚫NO WATER SUBMERSION!
Do NOT let your new Piercing get submerged in any type of water.
(Until AFTER it is FULLY HEALED - NO bath tub, hot tub, lake, river, pool, etc.)
🚫NO CRAZY SLEEPING:
- Avoid sleeping with wet hair if you have a new ear piercing, or if your wet hair could touch any of your other Piercings. (The moisture can lead to complications.)
- Do not sleep directly on your new piercing!
🚫NO BAD CLOTHING CHOICES.
Do not wear clothing / hats / headbands, etc. that could rub, pull, snag, press, catch, or irritate your new Piercing.
All Other Piercing Questions:
For more information such as Jewelry Downsizing, Jewelry Questions, Infection Concerns, etc. please visit our:
And as always, if there is anything at all that you still have questions or concerns about (that are not already covered on our website) please feel free to swing by when our Piercer is in, or send us a TEXT MESSAGE with photos and details on what your inquiry is about!
We are here for you, and always happy to help! 😁