The most important
part of piercing aftercare is not touching it.
Physical trauma caused by touching, turning or moving a piercing
is one of the most common causes of problems we see and it is a
very easy way to transmit bacteria to the wound which can lead to
more serious complications so please, don't touch your
piercing.
To clean your
piercing we recommend using a sterile saline wound
wash to remove any dirt, debris or build up from the piercing
site. Simply spray your wound wash directly onto the piercing to
clean it all away.
If you have any stubborn build up a warm shower is a brilliant way
to remove it.
If it's still being stubborn you can use a piece of sterile non-woven gauze soaked in your wound wash to gently wipe away any matter.
But remember if there is no build up, you do not need to wipe it.
You only need to clean your piercing twice a day, just morning and evening. Over cleaning can cause some problems so please don't get carried away.
It is also very
important to keep your piercing dry.
After cleaning you can very gently dab the area dry with a piece
of sterile, non-woven gauze or you can very gently dry it with a
cool hairdyer.
Downsizing is important.
We will have invited
you back to the studio for a check up at a certain point in the
initial healing period of your piercing. This will have been sent
you in an email along with your consent form.
This is important as we may need to downsize the jewellery once
any swelling has subsided. Please ensure you come to your check up
or at least get in touch via email or social media if you aren't
from the area so we can refer you to another quality studio.
Some things to look out for.
Piercings will be a little red, sore and swollen initially. This is a normal part of the process and you may notice it flares up and down over the first few weeks. You may also notice a clearish honey coloured secretion. This is also entirely normal and nothing to be concerned about.
However, please, feel free to come into the studio any time for a check up. We are used to all of these things happening and can often put you at ease if you're new to the healing process.
Some things to avoid.
There are some things you really need to avoid during the healing process to ensure a happy healthy piercing.
Firstly, please don't touch your piercing. This is so important it was worth mentioning twice.
Swimming, or submerging the piercing under water should be avoided for as long as possible during the healing process. We would typically say at least 3-4 months but sometimes longer depending on the piercing.
Please try to avoid sleeping on your new piercing. This can cause piercings to drift and angle which can lead to further issues.
Finally, please do not use any harsh products on your piercing. That means no TCP, Surgical Spirits, Tea Tree Oil, Savlon Spray, etc etc. These are all far too strong for a delicate piercing and can lead to more issues.
