Surface Piercing Aftercare
Cleaning Solution.
Packaged sterile saline is a gentle choice for piercing aftercare. Mixing your own sea salt solution is no longer a suggested practice. We strongly encourage you to use a sterile saline labeled for use as a wound wash that is packaged Sterile. Contact lens saline, eye drops, and other saline products should never be used on a body piercing. Your saline ingredients should list .09% sodium chloride as the only ingredient. Mixing your own sea salt solution will commonly result in the product being far too salty and strong, this can over dry the piercing and interfere with healing.
Cleaning Instructions.
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.
DRY by gently patting with clean, disposable paper products because cloth towels can harbor bacteria and snag on jewelry, causing injury.
Cover your clean, dry piercing with a water proof Band-Aid. Wear a Band-Aid over your fresh anchor for the first 2 days. Change bandage after each Cleaning. After the first 5 days only wear a Band-Aid while sleeping and/or anytime there’s a risk of being snagged or becoming excessively dirty. If you notice a reaction to the adhesive, discontinue use.
The more you leave your new piercing alone the quicker it will heal. Always keep your hands and any other foreign objects/chemicals away from your piercing, including soap.
After showering, you will need to spray it with Wound Wash to restore the natural Ph balance of the healing skin.
Let your piercing air dry instead of drying it with a towel. You can also use Wound Wash if your piercing feels sore or irritated and to rinse away any build up around your piercing.
Never take your jewelry top off to clean it.
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
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.
What To 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.