Keep your piercing clean, dry and safe!
 

  WHAT TO AVOID 

There are a number of things that definitely shouldn’t be done in the first stages of the healing process,
below is a list of the most important things
that you should not do while your piercing is healing.

** Sleeping on your fresh piercing can cause the formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue,
migration, prolonged healing, and other complications.
**Avoid moving jewelry in an unhealed piercing,
or picking away dried discharge with your fingers.
**Avoid cleaning with Betadine®, Hibiclens®, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide,
Dial® or other soaps containing triclosan, 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 (such as 3M™ Nexcare™ Clean Seals).
These are available at most drugstores.
**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.

WHAT IS NORMAL

**Initially: some bleeding, localized swelling, tenderness, or bruising.
**During healing: some discoloration, itching, secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid (not pus)
that will form some crust on the jewelry.
The tissue may tighten around the jewelry as it heals.
**Once healed: the jewelry may not move freely in the piercing; do not force it.
If you fail to include cleaning your piercing as part of your daily hygiene routine,
normal but smelly bodily secretions may accumulate.
**A piercing may seem healed before the healing process is complete.
This is because tissue heals from the outside in, and although it feels fine,
the interior remains fragile.
Be patient and keep cleaning throughout the entire healing period.
**Even healed piercings can shrink or close in minutes after having been there for years!
This varies from person to person; if you like your piercing,
keep jewelry in—do not leave it empty.

 
 HOW TO CLEAN/WASH
**WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.
**Spray to both sides of your fresh piercing for 5-6 second.
  **Gently clean the skin around your piercing and the jewelry.
  **Make sure no crusts or body fluids are on the jewelry or skin around.
  **Gently dry the skin around your piercing using a clean paper towel.  
  ! DO NOT KEEP THE SOLUTION ON YOUR SKIN !
**If your piercer suggests using soap, gently lather around the piercing and rinse as needed.
  Avoid using harsh soaps, or soaps with dyes, fragrances, or triclosan.
Best to use the soap you got from the shop.
**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.
 

    HOW OFTEN TO CLEAN 
**1st week: cleaning is recommended 3-4 times a day.
**2nd-4th weeks: cleaning is recommended twice a day.
**4th-12th weeks: cleaning is recommended 3 times a week.
! DO NOT OVERUSE THE SPRAY/CLEANING SOLUTION !
Cleaning more than 4 times a day might affect your healing.


 WHAT TO DO  
**Wash your hands prior to touching the piercing; leave it alone except when cleaning.
During healing, it is not necessary to rotate your jewelry.
**Stay healthy; the healthier your lifestyle,
the easier it will be for your piercing to heal.
Get enough sleep and eat a nutritious diet.
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.

 

FOR PARTICULAR AREAS

NAVEL:
**A hard, vented eye patch (sold at pharmacies)
can be applied under tight clothing (such as nylon stockings)
or secured using a length of Ace® bandage around the body (to avoid irritation from adhesive).
This can protect the area from restrictive clothing, excess irritation,
and impact during physical activities such as contact sports.
EAR/EAR CARTILAGE AND FACIAL:
**Use the t-shirt trick: Dress your pillow in a large, clean t-shirt and turn it nightly;
one clean t-shirt provides four clean surfaces for sleeping.
**Maintain cleanliness of telephones,
headphones, eyeglasses, helmets, hats,
and anything that contacts the pierced area.
**Keep your hair away from the piercing until it's fully healed.
Use caution when styling your hair and advise your stylist of a new or healing piercing.
NIPPLES:
**The support of a tight cotton shirt or sports bra may provide protection
and feel comfortable, especially for sleeping.


LOVE YOUR BODY. LOVE YOUR PIERCING.