Standard Aftercare

Congratulations on your new piercing! While it may seem like a lot to do, piercing aftercare is just adding new routines and avoiding some old habits. Perseverance is the key to successful healing!

Piercings need regular care for them to heal properly. You need to do the work! Preventing a problem is better than reacting to one. It takes time, so be patient and consistent with your care!

Ignore advice from the internet or friends as the information is likely wrong! Ask us the question.

FOLLOW UPS ARE FREE! Please see our Troubleshooting Guide and then contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Never remove your jewelry during the full healing period! Most piercings will tighten up and try to close very soon after the jewelry is removed, no matter how many years you have had them, and we recommend to keep jewelry in your piercing. Never move or turn your jewelry at any time during the full healing process.

Don’t worry if you see or feel: burning, throbbing, or numbness. Bleeding, bruising, or inflammation. Clear or beige fluid exiting the piercing which can dry and form a crust on the jewelry. This is normal.

Avoid products we do not recommend. If we don’t recommend it, don’t use it! Simple. Do not mix your own saltwater. Do not use alcohol, peroxide, antibacterial soaps, or any ointments like Polysporin. We will gladly explain to you why they should not be used.

We recommend the following products and most of them are in our aftercare kit that we sell at our studio: NeilMed Piercing Aftercare – sterile saline solution at 0.9% NACL with a mist tip, Dr. Bronner’s Baby Soft Castille soap or liquid glycerine soap, gauze pads, cotton swabs (Q-tips), and Magic Bag, hot/cold gel pack, or hot water bottle (if you do not have a microwave)

 

SHOWER ROUTINE – WASH THE AREA ONCE A DAY IN THE SHOWER

Wash your body with your regular soap, avoiding the piercing area.

Wash the skin around your piercing with Dr. Bronner’s Baby Softsoap; do not wash the jewelry or piercing area directly.

Rinse your piercing for about 60 seconds. Removable shower heads are the best for this!

 

TIGHTEN YOUR JEWELRY!

Do this every day for the rest of the time that you wear your jewelry. The manufacturer guarantees only cover defects with gem settings, NOT if your jewelry is lost.

If your jewelry is threadless (your invoice will say “TL” or “threadless” in the product section), follow these steps…

With your finger and thumb wrapped in a single layer of damp gauze, gently try to squeeze the jewelry together like these examples:

 

If your jewelry is threaded, please do the following:

Check your jewelry for tightness as you were shown at the time of your appointment. Again, your jewelry has a lifetime guarantee for the gems falling out of the setting, but there is no guarantee if your jewelry comes undone and is lost.  

 

CLEANING ROUTINE – CLEAN AFTER THE SHOWER

Spray your piercing with sterile saline.

Wrap a cotton swab (Q-Tip) in gauze.

Spray one side of the cotton swab wrapped in gauze with sterile saline.

Gently clean the jewelry and surrounding area (about the size of a $2 coin) ensuring you remove any softened crust from the area. Do not spray the saline on and leave it to dry!

Then use a dry cotton swab wrapped in gauze to dry the saline from your skin. NOTE: Always wrap your cotton swab in gauze as cotton swabs alone can leave pieces of cotton wrapped around your jewelry and may cause issues with healing.

Don’t forget to dry EVERYWHERE around your piercing especially those hard to reach places, like the nook where the back of the earlobe meets the head. Wet piercings do not heal well.

 

COMPRESS ROUTINE – When needed

During the first 10 days, some piercings will benefit from a cold, dry compress with your Magic Bag or gel pack that you will leave in the freezer. Unfold a gauze pad and place it over your piercing, then gently lean against the cold pack for 15 minutes. When you are done, do the CLEANING ROUTINE.  This will help with excessive inflammation.  Your piercer will tell you if this applies to your piercing.

If you are having problems with the healing of your piercing, such as pressure bumps, we may recommend a warm, dry compress every day before bed with your Magic Bag or gel pack.

Heat the pack according to the manufacturer’s instructions and ensure that it is hot enough, but not burning your skin; you can check the temperature on your inner wrist. Unfold a gauze pad and place it over your piercing, then gently lean against the cold pack for 15 minutes. When you are done, do the CLEANING ROUTINE. Do this at least once a day, some piercings require more. NOTE: If you do not have a microwave, you can use a hot water bottle.  

 

OTHER SUGGESTIONS

Do not sleep directly on your piercing as this can cause damage to the piercing, and could force migration or rejection.

To protect while sleeping, use an airplane neck pillow and a clean t-shirt wrapped around the pillow. Turn the t-shirt inside out after the first night and then use another clean t-shirt for the next 2 nights.

Do not go to bed with wet hair. The dampness and humidity of your hair may cause issues with healing piercings. Dry your hair thoroughly.

Do not soak your piercing in bathtubs or jacuzzis. We also recommend against swimming, and if you decide too, please protect the piercing with Tegaderm (ask your piercer about this). If you go swimming, follow the “shower routine” below as soon as you exit the pool.

Ensure you come back to downsize your jewelry! Having jewelry that fits properly is so important! If you do not downsize your jewelry you can have complications due to this. Fees will apply for new jewelry. Please see How Piercings Heal for more information.

 

Avoid colouring your hair during the healing process as the chemical agents and other chemicals in the dye can cause problems with new piercings. Please contact us for any tips and tricks regarding this.

Do not put makeup on your jewelry or in the area the size of a $2 coin. Makeup is meant to stay on the skin and can cause irritation in the piercing channel.

Earbuds may be okay for your new piercing but not for others. Always protect the area with clean gauze. Please ask your piercer if your piercing will accommodate earbuds while healing.

Headphones may be okay for your new piercing but not for others. Sometimes you can simply adjust the position to make it safer. Always protect the area with clean gauze. Please ask your piercer if your piercing will accommodate headphones while healing.