If you have any questions about cleaning your piercing or your healing process, please do not hesitate to reach out to us! Even if we didn’t pierce you, we’re here to help ♡
TLDR: Don’t touch, clean and dry 2-3 times a day, and downsize in 1 month. Please keep reading for full instructions and more details.
❁ The Basics ❁
• DO NOT touch, twist, or move the jewelry in your piercing. Avoid manipulating the surrounding area (e.g., please avoid folding your ear while cleaning)
• DO NOT use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, soap, tea tree or other essential oils, or any other products on your piercing
• DO NOT use contact solution, homemade salt water mixtures, saline that is not in an aerosol spray can, or any other saline solutions with additives
• DO NOT soak your fresh piercing in pool, ocean, bath water, etc. OR in saline for the duration of the initial healing period
• DO NOT sleep on your piercing – we know this is hard to do! Piercing pillows can be a lifesaver! There’s a link to our favorite piercing pillow below
• DO NOT remove the jewelry in your piercing, even for a short period of time while healing
• DO NOT pick at your piercing or any build up/crusties that accumulate
• DO be cautious to avoid snagging your piercing on clothing, towels, hair brushes, etc.
• DO avoid direct contact between your fresh piercing and pets and other debris from things like exercise, gardening, etc. These activities are totally safe but it’s important to be cautious!
• DO follow the cleaning instructions below – please avoid over cleaning!
• DO periodically check your jewelry for tightness with clean hands and a clean piercing – if you can’t remember how your jewelry works, please reach out and we’ll be happy to help!
• DO reach out with any questions and come in to all recommended check up/downsizing appointments
• DO NOT touch, twist, or move the jewelry in your piercing. Avoid manipulating the surrounding area (e.g., please avoid folding your ear while cleaning)
• DO NOT use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, soap, tea tree or other essential oils, or any other products on your piercing
• DO NOT use contact solution, homemade salt water mixtures, saline that is not in an aerosol spray can, or any other saline solutions with additives
• DO NOT soak your fresh piercing in pool, ocean, bath water, etc. OR in saline for the duration of the initial healing period
• DO NOT sleep on your piercing – we know this is hard to do! Piercing pillows can be a lifesaver! There’s a link to our favorite piercing pillow below
• DO NOT remove the jewelry in your piercing, even for a short period of time while healing
• DO NOT pick at your piercing or any build up/crusties that accumulate
• DO be cautious to avoid snagging your piercing on clothing, towels, hair brushes, etc.
• DO avoid direct contact between your fresh piercing and pets and other debris from things like exercise, gardening, etc. These activities are totally safe but it’s important to be cautious!
• DO follow the cleaning instructions below – please avoid over cleaning!
• DO periodically check your jewelry for tightness with clean hands and a clean piercing – if you can’t remember how your jewelry works, please reach out and we’ll be happy to help!
• DO reach out with any questions and come in to all recommended check up/downsizing appointments
General Aftercare:
• Flush your piercing 2-3 times a day with warm water and/or a sterile saline spray. After the first month, you can clean your piercing a bit less—check your 1-month follow-up email for more details!
• Sterile saline spray should come in an aerosol bottle and contain only 0.9% sodium chloride and water. If you didn’t get any at your piercing appointment, check the link below for our favorite saline!
• Build up on your piercing is totally normal but shouldn’t be left to accumulate in excess. The easiest way to remove build up is to loosen by spraying well with warm water in the shower and then to gently remove excess with a paper towel
• Rinse piercings well with warm water when you shower – there’s no need to use saline if you’re already cleaning with warm water, so you can use either saline or warm water interchangeably 2-3 times a day!
• Always dry your piercing after cleaning with either a clean paper towel or a blow dryer. When using a blow dryer, set it to cool and low pressure, ensure it’s thoroughly cleaned, and dry for 30-45 seconds.
Oral Piercings:
• For lip piercings, follow the general aftercare guidelines as well as the oral piercing guidelines below
• Rinse your mouth well with clean, cold water after eating, drinking, smoking, etc.
• Use alcohol free mouthwash normally. There’s no need to use more mouthwash than you typically use!
• It’s a good idea to get a new toothbrush while healing an oral piercing
• Downsizing is EXTRA important for oral piercings to avoid tooth and gum damage
˚⊱ What to Expect ⊰˚
• Swelling, tenderness, and itching are all normal and will vary from person to person and from piercing to piercing
• You’ll likely notice a clear, yellow, or white secretion that can form some build up (aka “crusties”) on your piercing
• Nearly all piercings will need to be downsized about 1 month after getting pierced. Keep an eye out for your reminder email if you haven’t already scheduled it, and check the downsizing diagram below!
♡Tips & Tricks! ♡
• Stay well-hydrated while healing your piercing – it makes a huge difference in how your piercing heals!
• Exercise and getting the proper amount of sleep are super helpful, too!
• Check out our Troubleshooting page to learn about how piercings heal, what’s normal, and signs of irritation!
• If you don’t want to clean your blow dryer and potentially change its filter, just cover your ear with a paper towel to block dust and debris.
• Remember to avoid over cleaning – this can cause issues just like under cleaning can!
• Septum and daith piercings do not need to be downsized. Industrial and navel piercings rarely need to be downsized. Eyebrow piercings do not always require downsizing. Tragus and forward helix piercings often stay swollen longer than other piercings. Many piercings benefit from being downsized 2 or even 3 times.
• Sleeping with wet hair can leave your piercings damp and irritated, so make sure you dry your hair before bed or tie it up away from your new piercings!
❤︎ Helpful Links ❤︎
Troubleshooting
Piercing Pillow
Just a quick heads up – the two above links are Amazon affiliate links so we will make a small commission from qualifying purchases but this doesn’t cost you any extra!!
It is important to remember that all piercings carry some risk of infection. Signs of infection may include, but are not limited to, redness, swelling, tenderness at the procedure site, red streaks extending from the procedure site toward the heart, elevated body temperature, or purulent drainage from the procedure site. If you have an irritated piercing, please contact us immediately. If you suspect your piercing is infected, seek medical attention right away.
