What to Expect

With initial piercings; bleeding, swelling, tenderness, and/or bruising are normal.

During healing: some discoloration, itching, secretion of whitish-yellow fluid that will form “crusties” around the jewelry.

~A piercing may look healed before it really is. The reason being is that tissue heals from the outside in. Be patient, and keep cleaning the piercing throughout the entire healing process. ~

 Cleaning Instructions

• H2Ocean spray is a highly recommended product you can use for cleaning your piercing. You will also use an antibacterial soap like H2Ocean Piercing Foam Soap. Or you can make your own non-iodized sea salt solution at home (as described below).
• Sea Salt Solution Recipe & Process: Mix together 1⁄4 teaspoon of non-iodized/iodine-free sea salt (which can be found in any grocery store) in 1 cup of warm distilled water. Use a clean paper towel or a clean washcloth to absorb some of the solution and hold it onto your piercing. After you are done soaking your piercing for 5-10 minutes, rinse the piercing thoroughly under warm water.

Soap Cleaning Process:

• Wash your piercing no more than twice daily in the shower or sink: mornings and nights are the best times to do so. While in the shower/under the sink, make sure to keep your piercing directly under the running water for 1 minute; this will loosen up any “crusties” around the jewelry and moisten the skin, making it easier to clean.
• Make sure to keep your piercing free of shampoos, conditioners, body washes, etc.
• Lather up a pea sized amount of the antimicrobial soap and apply to the skin around the piercing and gently rotate the jewelry for at least one minute. It is important to gently wash the area instead of roughly scrubbing. Harsh cleaning habits can lead to complications like scar tissue or irritation.
• Flush your piercing for another 3 minutes under running warm water to completely rinse away the soiled soap and anything else that might have gotten onto the area. Soaking your piercing is vital to the healing process.
• Pat your skin and piercing with disposable paper products (for example: paper towels) for a sanitary way of drying off the area.

Oral Piercing Aftercare

• You can use the sea salt solution as mentioned above to rinse your oral piercings. If you chose to use mouth wash, cut down the liquid and mix half of the wash with water to dilute the intensity of the mouth wash. Rinse for 30 seconds to 1 minute after every meal; make sure all food is removed from around the piercing. AVOID smoking, drinking, cinnamon, pepper, and spicy foods for the first two to three weeks after the initial piercing, as it makes the piercing swell, pus, become irritated, and prolongs the healing process. If you do smoke or drink, rinse IMMEDIATLY afterwards.
• DO NOT fidget, play with, or “click” the piercing ever. This kind of habit can cause serious dental damage that can be costly in repairs (for example: tooth chipping, gum erosion, etc.), as well as possible migration of the jewelry from the original placement, and excessive scar tissue.
• Depending on the placement of the oral piercing, it helps to take smaller bites when eating, and if possible,cut food first to avoid accidental biting of the piercing. With tongue piercings, watch out for noodles in particular as they can tangle around the jewelry, and straws, as they can make the piercing start to bleed or cause unsightly scar tissue and bumps.

What to Avoid for the Entire Healing Process

• DO NOT go swimming. No lakes, pools, rivers, oceans, hot tubs, etc. Consider all water contaminated and soiled. Anything that’s in the water can go into the piercing. Keep in mind, it’s a fresh wound.
• DO NOT put anything on your piercing. No make-up, scented lotions, perfumers, shaving cream, hairspray, sunscreen, etc. These could cause your piercing to swell, take longer to heal, and/or become infected. If you want to apply make-up, wet a piece of paper towel, apply onto the piercing itself, and keep a quarter-sized distance around your piercing free of make-up.
• DO NOT apply alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Bactine, Neosporin, or any other ointments.
• DO NOT over clean the piercing, this can dry out the piercing and strip the area of good bacteria.
• Some of the best advice for taking care of piercings is to NOT TOUCH YOUR PIERCING. The only time you should be touching your piercing is in the shower when you are cleaning it. Anything you touch throughout the day can be transferred onto your piercing and can possibly infect the piercing. Do not rotate the piercing unless you are washing it.
• DO NOT remove the jewelry from the piercing.
• DO NOT let the piercing come into contact with another person’s bodily fluids. DO NOT let the piercing come into contact with animals and gardening activities.
• Never use rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or harsh soaps to wash or apply on the fresh piercing.
• AVOID skin products that contain Benzalkonium Chloride, as this ingredient can cause irritation to open wounds.
• Clean, loose, and breathable clothing, such as cotton, is ideal for wear to avoid unnecessary friction to the newly pierced site.
• Keep the fresh piercing out of direct sunlight and tanning beds.

Signs and Symptoms of Infection/Possible Need to Seek Medical Care

If you experience a problem that is beyond the scope of your piercer, the following facts can assist you and your healthcare provider in decision-making about the best care and treatment.

Visit a doctor immediately if you have problems with your piercing and you:

• experience SEVERE redness, swelling, or pain from the piercing
• have a large amount of discharge that is thick, green, yellow, or gray and smells bad
• have red streaks coming from the piercing site
• take steroids or have a chronic illness or other health conditions
• have symptoms that last for a week or get worse
• experience fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or disorientation

If you feel that the condition of your piercing needs more attention than the basic aftercare, and is beyond your knowledge, come in immediately! We’re more than happy to assist you with any concerns or issues in the healing process.

Your PIERCING EXPERIENCE and HEALTH is very important to us!