Do. Not. Touch. Your. New Piercings.
...And other aftercare instructions.
General Aftercare
Piercing Aftercare
Keep your new piercing clean, dry, and do not touch it.
Wash your hands thoroughly.
Spray inside and outside holes with Neil med wound wash saline solution (.9% sterile saline) twice per day.
Wipe away any discharge and/or debris from the jewelry with a non-woven gauze or a Q-tip saturated with saline.
If you are using a soap (such as Original, Orange, antibacterial Dial soup or soft-soap) gently lather around the piercing and rinse well. Avoid any harsh soap with dyes, fragrances, triclosan.
Make sure you rinse all traces of any soap away from the piercing site.
Dry the piercing after cleaning by fanning it with your hand or gently dabbing it with a clean paper towel.
Clean the piercing through the entire healing time. Piercings heal from the outside, in so even if it seems to be healed, the tissue is very fragile and most likely is still healing.
Please consult a healthcare professional at first sign of infection.
Other tips
Use a clean t-shirt over your pillow every night during the healing process for facial and ear piercings.
Use an airplane or donut pillow on top of your pillow for ear piercings. It is not good for your piercings to sleep on them.
Make sure you return to downsize your jewelry when your piercer says to. Ill-fitting jewelry can result in irritation or a migration of the hole.
Don’ts
Don’t touch your piercing if you are not cleaning it. This will always contaminate the area and will most likely create irritation or infection.
Do not remove your jewelry during the healing process unless absolutely necessary or instructed to by a medical professional.
Do not apply soaps or cosmetics on or near the piercing site.
Do not use harsh chemicals such as bacitracin, Neosporin, or any “natural” aftercare products such as tea tree oil or chamomile.
Avoid swimming or submerging the piercing into water for 2-4 months.
MICRODERMAL
Congratulations on your new microdermal implant! This is a basic guide on how to take care of your new microdermal.
First thing’s, first. Please, wash your hands!
Clean the microdermal area with sterile saline around the base of the jewelry. Do not attempt to move the jewelry or clean beneath it.
Dry the site off after cleaning using a clean, disposable paper towel.
Cloth towels can harbor bacteria or snag on the jewelry, causing injury or irritation.
Keep the microdermal covered fully by bandage for 1 week. Remove the bandage only to clean the microdermal and then replace the bandage.
Do this one time per day.
Keep your microdermal covered at nighttime for the 2nd week. You should now be cleaning it morning and night and covering it back up before bed.
Avoid putting makeup, skincare, or other irritants anywhere around the piercing site during the healing process.
The standard healing time for microdermals is between 1-3 months.
Check in with your piercer if you suspect any migration or rejection.
Most microdermals stay intact for 5-10 years.
Oral Piercing Specifics
The main thing to watch with oral piercings is the swelling. It is very uncomfortable but should greatly subside within the next couple days.
To help with the swelling you can take an over the counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium. Also, you can sip on ice water and allow ice chunks to dissolve on the tongue. This should help with the swelling and also keep you and your piercing happy.
Combat your swelling even more by sleeping with your head elevated above your heart for the first couple days, if possible.
Rinse your mouth twice per day with an alcohol free and hydrogen peroxide free mouth rinse.
Rinse a new oral piercing with bottled or filtered water any time you eat, drink, or smoke.
On a bit of a side note, it is pretty important for you to have great oral hygiene in order for your piercing to heal properly and in a timely manner. Please remember to brush and floss daily during the healing process to avoid any bacteria that could cause unnecessary irritation or infection. You can also use your toothbrush to gently remove any debris on or around your jewelry. Avoid any whitening products while the piercing is healing.
Another good idea is to purchase a new toothbrush as well as a natural toothpaste that doesn’t contain any sodium lauryl sulfate.