Piercing Aftercare en Español

GENERAL PIERCING AFTERCARE

The following advice is based on our experiences, our clients’ experiences, and advice from other professionals. Please contact us with any questions or concerns, but if you have a serious medical problem consult a physician.

  1. To begin with, DO NOT TOUCH your piercing! The old idea of rotating your jewelry throughout the day is outdated. Every time you touch your piercing, you introduce a multitude of germs and bacteria that are on your unwashed hands. ALWAYS wash your hands with a fragrance-free, anti-bacterial liquid soap before cleaning your piercing.
  2. The average healing time for a new piercing is 3 to 9 months. This is an estimate only. Aftercare and your individual body can change this time considerably. Let your body be your guide and DO NOT RUSH IT! If you have questions regarding the healing of your piercing, please stop in or call. We will be happy to check your progress.
  3. DO NOT remove your jewelry!Especially with a new piercing, your body will immediately begin to close the hole. If you must remove the jewelry for a medical procedure, school, or work-related activity, please contact us. We sell retainers and can provide advice for this process.
  4. With many piercings, the initial jewelry will be of a slightly greater length or diameter to allow for any swelling that may occur and to facilitate cleaning. When you are ready to downsize your jewelry, you can purchase sterilized jewelry which one of our piercers will insert for you free of charge.
  5. Avoid pools, hot tubs, lakes, beaches, etc. They contain either a great deal of bacteria or chemicals. If you opt to swim, flush out and clean the piercing afterward, but please avoid sand, oils, lotions, excessive sun, etc. Whenever possible a watertight, waterproof patch may be used to protect your piercing while healing.
  6. Be careful of all contact with possible irritants such as phones, pillows, hair, cosmetics, combs, brushes, towels, pet hair, etc. Remember to change your bed linens and pillowcases frequently. Please DO NOT use any of the following products:  alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Listerine, Bactine, Betadine, Iodine, Neosporin, Bacitracin, Vaseline, Dial soap, other strong soaps, Hibiclens, pierced ear care solutions (these solutions contain Benzalkonium Chloride and Benzethonium Chloride). These are all very harsh for a new piercing and do more harm than good.
  7. Finally, the healthier you are, the faster you will heal. It is a fantastic idea to eat well, sleep well, drink lots of water, take a multivitamin, exercise, and follow our aftercare.

 

FACIAL AND BODY PIERCINGS

  1. To clean your piercing, please use warm water, chamomile tea, or a sterile saline wound wash such as NeilMed. 
  2. First, WASH YOUR HANDS. This is by far the most important step. Any cleaning done will have no effect if you are touching your piercing with dirty hands. Second, using the end of a cotton swab or folded gauze, swab the area around your piercing with warm water, chamomile tea, or NeilMed, wetting and gently removing any “crusties” from around the piercing. Third, rinse the area after cleaning and pat dry with gauze (cloth towels may harbor bacteria). You should NOT rotate your jewelry at all – the less contact and less irritation, the better.
  3. The perfect time to clean your piercing with water is in the shower. After you have washed your hair and the rest of your body, let the warm water run over the piercing to eliminate any accumulated “crusties” or dried skin.Be careful to keep shampoo, soap, etc. out of the piercing. With nasal piercings (such as nostrils, high nostrils, septums, and mantises) you can cup the water in your hands, bring them to your nose, and blow bubbles, gently irrigating the difficult-to-access nasal cavity.
  4. To use chamomile tea, brew the tea in a clean cup. Use the tea the same as water. Or for additional pampering, gently use the tea bag itself as a warm compress. Do not use chamomile tea if you have a ragweed allergy or if the area becomes irritated.
  5. When using NeilMed, be sure to let the saline come out without touching the tip to anything in order to avoid contaminating the can.

 

ORAL PIERCINGS 

  1. Oral piercings include any lip, cheek, or tongue piercing. If any part of the piercing is inside your mouth, you should follow this section in addition to the facial aftercare section.
  2. Avoid oral contact(kissing and sexual contact), alcohol, smoking, vaping, chewing tobacco, spicy foods, acidic foods, biting your nails, chewing on pen caps, gum, or anything else that may irritate the area or introduce bacteria into the piercing.
  3. Drink lots of cold water and use ice chips to help reduce the swelling and soothe the area. Now is a great time to get a new toothbrush! We suggest that you avoid toothpaste with baking soda and/or peroxide.
  4. The most important thing is to rinse with lots of cold bottled water throughout the day and after EVERY meal or snack. Rinsing well will remove particles around the new piercing.
  5. Please use Biotene, TheraBreath, or a similar mouthwash that is alcohol-free and peroxide-free. Twice a day is plenty – once in the morning and once in the evening. Use cold water throughout the day to rinse after meals and as needed. Do not overuse and DO NOT use alcohol-based mouthwashes.
  6. Please be very careful not to bite the jewelry while eating. It will take time to get used to having jewelry in your mouth. Be patient! Once the swelling goes down, PLEASE come back to Evolved for a shorter barbell. We include a coupon here for a discounted post and will be happy to sterilize it and change it for you for free. This is VERY important!!  The initial jewelry is much too long to wear for more than 1-3 weeks.

BALLS, ENDS, GEMS

  1. If your jewelry is internally threaded, it is a very good idea to get into the habit of checking to make sure the balls, ends, or gems are on tightly. To do this, you should first wash your hands thoroughly! Then carefully tighten clockwise.
  2. If your jewelry is threadless, you should make sure the ends are on tightly. First, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly! Then gently squeeze the ball, end, or gem and the post together. You don’t need to apply a lot of pressure. A gentle touch goes a long way!
  3. If your jewelry uses o-rings, you will want to keep them clean. 
  4. And finally, it is always advisable to keep extra balls, ends, gems, o-rings, and even insertion tapers on hand. We are more than happy to help, but having what you need at home is always best.