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Piercing Aftercare Instructions

These guidelines are based on a combination of many professional experience, common sense, research, and extensive clinical practice. This is not to be considered a substitute for medical advice from a doctor. 

Body Piercing Aftercare

  • WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.

  • SALINE rinse as needed during healing. For certain placements it may be easier to apply using clean gauze saturated with saline solution. A brief rinse afterward will remove any residue.

  • RINSE thoroughly to remove all traces of the soap from the piercing. It is not necessary to rotate the jewelry through the piercing.

  • DRY by gently patting with clean, disposable paper products because cloth towels can harbor bacteria and snag on jewelry, causing injury.

Oral Piercing Aftercare

Cleaning Instructions for the Exterior 

  • WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.

  • SALINE spray three to five times daily. A brief rinse afterward will remove any residue.SOAP(optional) While showering, lather up a pea size drop of the soap(antimicrobial/castile)  to clean the jewelry and the piercing. Leave the cleanser on the piercing no more than thirty (30) seconds.

  • RINSE thoroughly to remove all traces of the soap from the piercing. It is not necessary to rotate the jewelry through the piercing.

  • DRY by gently patting with clean, disposable paper products. Cloth towels can harbor bacteria and snag on jewelry, causing injury.

Cleaning Instructions for Inside the Mouth

  • RINSE mouth for 30 seconds with an antimicrobial or antibacterial alcohol-free mouth rinse (Biotene) or SPRAY with packaged sterile saline solution with no additives (read the label) after meals and at bedtime during the entire healing period, three to five times daily. Cleaning too often or with too strong a rinse can cause discoloration and irritation of your mouth and piercing.  

  • BRUSHing with a new soft bristled toothbrush, is recommended for brushing of food debris and plaque.

 

Genital Piercing Aftercare

  • Genital Piercings –can bleed freely for the first few days. Be prepared. Additional cleaning after urination is not necessary

  •  Wash your hands before touching on (or near) a healing piercing.

  •  In most cases you can engage in sexual activity as soon as you feel ready, but maintaining hygiene and avoiding trauma are vital; all sexual activities should be gentle during the healing period.

  •  Use barriers such as condoms, dental dams, and waterproof bandages, etc. to avoid contact with your partners’ body fluids, even in long-term monogamous relationships.

  •  Use clean, disposable barriers on sex toys.

  •  Use a new container of water-based lubricant; do not use saliva.

  •  After sex, an additional saline rinse is suggested.

Dermal Piercing Aftercare

  •  These piercings require maintenance during their entire lifetime because matter can build up underneath the threaded top causing the piercing to become irritated. Saline and/or shower rinses may be helpful with removing matter from underneath the threaded top.

  •  Avoid putting makeup on these piercings even after healing.

  • Even with proper care, surface anchors may be less permanent than other body piercings.

 

TIPS

  • Wash your hands prior to touching the piercing; leave it alone except when cleaning. During healing it is not necessary to rotate your jewelry

  • Exercise during healing is fine; listen to your body.

  • Make sure your bedding is washed and changed regularly. Wear clean, comfortable, breathable clothing that protects your piercing while you are sleeping.

  • Showers tend to be safer than taking baths, as bathtubs can harbor bacteria. If you bathe in a tub, clean it well before each use and rinse off your piercing when you get out.

AVOID

  • Avoid cleaning with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antibacterial soaps, iodine, or any harsh products, as these can damage cells. Also avoid ointments as they prevent necessary air circulation.

  • Avoid Bactine®, pierced ear care solutions, and other products containing Benzalkonium Chloride (BZK). These can be irritating and are not intended for long-term wound care.

  • Avoid over-cleaning. This can delay your healing and irritate your piercing. • Avoid undue trauma such as friction from clothing, excessive motion of the area, playing with the jewelry, and vigorous cleaning. These activities can cause the formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue, migration, prolonged healing, and other complications.

  • Avoid all oral contact, rough play, and contact with others’ bodily fluids on or near your piercing during healing.

  •  Avoid stress and recreational drug use, including excessive caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.

  •  Avoid submerging the piercing in unhygienic bodies of water such as lakes, pools, hot tubs, etc. Or, protect your piercing using a waterproof wound sealant bandage. These are available at most drugstores and work best for nipple, navel, and surface piercing placements.

  •  Avoid all beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing including cosmetics, lotions, and sprays, etc.

  •  Don’t hang charms or any object from your jewelry until the piercing is fully healed. • Sleeping directly on a healing cartilage piercing can cause irritation, even causing shifts in the piercing’s angle. Placing a travel pillow, on top of your pillow, and then placing your ear in the opening can be helpful to avoid this

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