Aftercare
What products to use
I recommend a sterile saline solution called NeilMed Piercing Aftercare.
It is a 0.9% Sterile Saline which is an isotonic solution, this means it neither over hydrates or dehydrates your skin, to cause minimum disruption to the wound healing process. This is why it’s so important to not use soaps, oils and alcohol based products.
Before you spray the Sterile Saline direct on to your piercing, test the stream by spraying it once into the sink to help gauge the pressure of the flow - you can usually hold your canister a couple of inches away from your piercing.
How to clean your new piercing
Do not remove, twist or turn the jewellery.
Soak both sides of the piercing with sterile saline to soften any ‘crust’.
Soak a clean cotton bud with saline and carefully wipe away any crust formation.
Soak a new cotton bud and clean around the piercing and jewellery.
Repeat on both sides of the piercing until fully clean.
Carefully dry with a piece of non woven gauze or clean kitchen towel. Do Not use toilet tissue.
This process needs to be repeated twice a day for the first two months, then reduced to once a day for the rest of the healing period.
Oral piercings
For the inside of the mouth, you need to rinse with an alcohol-free mouthwash every time you eat, drink or smoke for the first 2-6 weeks.
Avoid citrus, spice and anything too hot (in temperature).
To help reduce the discomfort of swelling, you can drink some ice water.
We also advise that you change your toothbrush as your old one may harbour bacteria.
For lip and cheek piercings use the Sterile Saline on the out side.
What to expect from a new piercing
You may experience some bleeding, localised swelling, tenderness or bruising around the piercing site.
During the healing process you may have some discolouration, itching, and secretion that will form some crusting. Do not pick!
There are various factors which will determine the healing time of your piercing.
Problematic piercings can often be caused by aggravation due to clothing, sleeping on, fiddling or playing with the piercing.
By using the appropriate aftercare solution and regime, also keeping the irritation to a minimum, you will ensure the best possible healing environment for your piercing.
Healing tips and tricks
There are no tricks that will help your piercing heal faster, but you can help your piercing heal easier by doing the following:-
Stay healthy
Maintaining a good immune system, staying healthy and stress-free is key to healing a new piercing. Eat well and drink plenty of water, dehydration will slow and prevent wound healing. Getting enough sleep can really make a difference too.
Downsize your jewellery
Downsizing your jewellery is incredibly important. Once the swelling has subsided after 4-8 weeks, if you find there’s some space on the bar, pop back to studio for a check up and a shorter bar. Shortening the bar reduces the amount of movement and helps to keep the aggravations to a minimum.
Check the jewellery
Tighten any threaded ends once a week to ensure the jewellery isn’t lost.
Have warm showers
Showering before you clean the piercing allows the warm water jets to soften and help remove stubborn crust formations. After showering as normal, rinse your piercing thoroughly to remove any soaps that can aggravate the piercing. Then start the cleaning regime.
DO NOT Twist/Turn the jewellery
If the jewellery moves freely, that’s fine. Don’t force the jewellery to move as it can reopen the wound and delay the healing process. It can also drag dirt and bacteria in to the healing piercing, increasing the chances of developing an infection.
DO NOT Sleep on it
Sleeping on a new piercing can cause irritation and migration. Get a travel pillow for ear piercings as they can be tricky to heal, positioning your ear in the gap will prevent you from sleeping on your new piercing.
DO NOT use Harsh chemicals
Don’t clean your piercing with any alcohol, TCP, surgical spirit, tea tree etc. These products are often too harsh for our skin and can be incredibly counter-productive during the healing process. We only recommend sterile saline to clean your piercing.
AVOID Baths and Swimming
Avoid steam rooms and submerging your piercing in baths, the sea and pools for the first 4 weeks. These places harbour an array of bacteria that will have easy access to your new piercing.
And Finally…
With any piercing, you must be aware that there is a risk of Migration or rejection which can cause scarring.
A piercing may seem healed before its healing time is complete. This is because the tissue heals from the outside inwards, and although it feels fine, the interior remains fragile. Be patient and continue cleaning your piercing throughout its entire healing period.
If you have any questions, or concerns please get in contact with me.
Happy Healing