Suggested Aftercare for Body Piercings

---

THE AFTERCARE REGIMEN IS SUGGESTED ONCE A DAY / AFTER SHOWERING FOR THE FIRST 3 WEEKS 

1) Always WASH YOUR HANDS thoroughly before touching/cleaning your new piercing.

2) Rinse/Clean your piercing with your Wound Wash to clear away any debris that has collected. 

3) After using your Wound Wash CLEANSE the area with clean water to remove any excess Wound Wash/ Product  residue ( a precision tip cotton swab soaked in clean water is suggested)

4) Allow time for the area to air dry naturally

 (If needed you may dry around the area with a clean precision tip cotton swab  a clean paper towel.)

5) Check around your jewelry to be sure the area is clean of debris/residue

1) Packaged Sterile Wound Wash (supplied in complimentary aftercare kit)

2) Clean Precision Tip Cotton Swabs

 DO NOT USE:

• Alcohol
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Neosporin
• Ear Care Solutions

(Use of these products can cause delayed healing times and undue issues)  

DO NOT REMOVE OR ROTATE YOUR JEWELRY TO CLEAN 

This Aftercare should be Followed Daily for the First 3 weeks:

• When showering be sure to rinse  thoroughly with clean running water after you have finished with any/all of your other hygiene products
• Be careful using wash cloths, towels, or sponges as they may snag your jewelry.
• It is recommended to shower, as opposed to bathing, during the healing process.
• Soaking your new piercing in any bodies of water (tubs, pools, hot tubs) is to be avoided during the initial healing time. (4 weeks minimum)
• If your piercing is placed where you encounter clothing or your sheets, think about wearing a clean cotton garment to protect your piercing from getting irritated.

Day 1-10:

Some residual bleeding, swelling, redness, and soreness.

Day 1-21 (3 weeks):

During this initial healing you may experience discoloration/ bruising, itching, and the

formation/secretion of a whitish/yellow fluid (not pus) which can build up around

your jewelry.

3 weeks – 12 months:

During this time your skin will tighten around the jewelry and it may not move freely. 

Your piercing may look healed from the outside, but the inside tissue is still weak (piercings heal from the outside in due to availability of oxygen at the surface).

It’s very important to downsize the jewelry as instructed by your piercer!

Ear Lobe: 3 - 5 months to switch jewelry

(6-8 months before switching to a Hopp/ ring or dangling earrings)

Helix/Cartilage: 5 weeks - 10 weeks to downsize

CARTILAGE /HELIX  PIERCINGS with a Straight Post  REQUIRE A DOWNSIZE

( switching to a ring/ hoop 8-10 months)

Rook: 4 - 6 months to downsize / change jewelry

(rings 12 - 18 months)

Eyebrow: 5 - 10 weeks for downsize 

Nostril: 10 - 12 weeks to downsize / change jewelry

(switching to a ring 8 months minimum)

It’s normal for your new piercing to be a little red, discolored, and tender initially, no worries! 

Because your piercing will swell, your initial jewelry will have extra room to accommodate the inflammation.

Ear & Cartilage:

• Keep hair, and hair care products, away from your piercing during the initial healing period
• Avoid sleeping directly on your cartilage piercing
• Sleeping on a cartilage/helix piercing can cause your jewelry to migrate/move, and even in extreme cases reject.
• Sleeping on a clean surface with your hair away from the area is important (you can use a clean tee shirt over your pillowcase).
• Avoid using wash cloths, towels, and sponges, near your jewelry as they may snag.

Navel & Nipple:

• Be careful not to wear clothing that puts pressure on the piercing.
• Be careful to wear clothing that is clean and dry near the area during the healing process.
• Be sure to keep your bedding, bed clothes, bras, that may make contact with your new piercing clean.
• Avoid using wash cloths, towels, and sponges, near your jewelry as they may snag.

Nostril:

• Avoid using hygiene products, make up, or lotions on the piercing site during the initial healing
• Avoid using wash cloths, towels, and sponges near your jewelry as they may snag
• Be careful to keep your bedding, bed clothes, bras, that may make contact with your new piercing clean.
• Avoid using wash cloths, towels, and sponges, near your jewelry as they may snag

Other:

 Please, always consult with your piercer before changing/removing jewelry from your piercing.

• Rotating, spinning, or otherwise moving your jewelry around in the piercing channel.
• Playing with your jewelry, getting it hit or pulled, sleeping on it
• Changing the jewelry too soon - this can cause irritation, excessive swelling, and piercing bumps
• Submerging your new piercing in potentially dirty water - pools, bathtubs, hot tubs, etc.
• Showering is important but be sure to rinse any/all residue from your hygiene products away
• Touching With Dirty Hands
• Thoroughly wash your hands before cleaning your new piercing
• If you have any questions or concerns, please email your piercer.
• Please do NOT listen to  advice from your friends or the internet. 
• Always seek your piercers advice

Troubleshooting For Irritated Piercings:

• The most common reason a piercing becomes irritated is caused by touching unnecessarily, overcleaning (cleaning too frequently / using products that are too harsh), and removing / changing jewelry too soon
• Always contact spicabodypiercing@gmail.com if your piercing becomes irritated, or you just have a question.
• Be wary of the internet, and well-meaning friends, who are not professional piercers, for advice.

There's a Bump on my Piercing:

• It's almost NEVER a keloid (as they are extremely rare) so please do not he alarmed!
• Irritation bumps are quite common, are not permanent, and will go away with some minor adjustments, as bumps are typically caused by a form of irritation.
• The most common way to get a bump is by touching it, picking at it, hitting/snagging it, sleeping on it, removing the jewelry too soon/ too frequently / or poor hygiene.

My Jewelry Is Sinking Under My Skin:

• This just means you need a longer piece of jewelry to accommodate for the swelling.
• Sometimes people get a lot of swelling!
• Our piercer always tries to make sure there is room for swelling when you first get pierced, but occasionally a client just needs a longer piece of jewelry.
• This kind of problem will not fix itself, so don't be afraid to email the studio for assistance - @spicabodypiercing@gmail.com

Signs of an Actual Infection:

• Signs of infection are excessive swelling and redness, red streaks spreading outward, a secretion that is brown or black with blood mixed in.
• Running a fever, pain, swollen lymph nodes, and feeling nauseous/ unwell.
• If you are experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms seek a medical professional’s advice.
• Aways have the medical professional run a bacterial culture to determine the best treatment for the lab results  /  infection present .