PIERCING CARE

    • Never handle a new piercing with dirty hands. Always wash your hands thoroughly before cleaning your piercing.

    • Rinse thoroughly with sterile saline solution, then pat dry using a q-tip or gauze while gently removing any debris.

    • All body piercings will secrete fluid as they heal. This fluid will dry and attach itself to the jewelry. In case of buildup, soften with warm water and gently remove the “crusties” with a q-tip or gauze.

    • Do not harass the piercing while it is healing by bumping or moving the jewelry excessively or by wearing constrictive clothing.

    • Listen to your body’s reactions to various products. Scented body wash or makeup can cause irritation or reactions to your new piercing. Avoid getting makeup or cover-up on or close to your piercing, as it can cause irritation or problems healing.

    • Do not remove the jewelry until the recommended healing time has been reached. Removal at an early stage can damage new cell growth, delaying the healing cycle and causing irritation.

    • Avoid swimming for the duration of the healing process. Your new piercing is a healing wound, and you could contract an infection when submerging it in bodies of water. Bathtubs can harbor bacteria and are best avoided while the piercing heals. Showers are perfectly fine.

    • New piercings will heal with the use of sterile saline. This is a wound-wash saline (water and 0.9% sodium chloride) that is NOT the same as contact solution. DO NOT USE alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Bacitracin, Bactine, betadine, benzalkonium chloride, Hibiclens, Epsom salts, oils, Neosporin, or any other home remedies.

    • If your jewelry falls out, attempt to re-insert it as quickly as possible. New piercings close very fast. If assistance is needed, please contact the studio.

    • Practice good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing twice per day. Alcohol-free mouthwash can be used, but not overused.

    • Sterile saline solution is only to be used outside the mouth, such as for a lip piercing.

    • Rinse your mouth with clean, bottled water after eating, drinking, or smoking.

    • Listen to your body! You may want to avoid foods that are particularly spicy or acidic during the initial healing process.

    • To help ease discomfort, you may take an over the counter anti-inflammatory according to package instructions. Ice chips or cold beverages can also be soothing.

    • Downsizing is crucial for comfort and safety. Any oral piercing carries a risk of damage to teeth and gums, but this can sometimes be minimized by wearing jewelry that fits properly once swelling has subsided.

    • Aftercare from the body piercing section above should be followed.

    • For surface anchors, gently cover the anchor with a bandage for the first 3-5 nights to prevent snagging it while sleeping.

    • All surface piercings are considered “long term temporary” - they will eventually reject. Rejection often first appears as a small pimple-like bump beside the top of the jewelry and/or the top no longer sitting flush to the skin.

    • Surface bars occasionally require a downsize when the tops no longer sit flush to the skin. This must be done within a week of first noticing this change in the piercing.

    • When it’s time for removal, surface bars are removed like any other body piercing. Anchors can often be gently massaged out and rarely require any invasive removal process.

    • Many piercings require a downsize (shortening the post/bar) to help them heal with minimal irritation and migration. This is often recommended early in the healing process and should be performed by a piercer.

    • Piercings should still be routinely cleaned as-needed even after they are fully healed. Secretions, smells, and buildup are all possible and can be minimized or eliminated with added cleaning.

    • Aim to always leave jewelry in your piercing. Even well-healed piercings can shrink or close after many years. If a piercing is partially open, a recovery stretch is sometimes possible to help re-insert jewelry. Non-metallic spacers can be installed by a piercer when metal jewelry cannot be worn.