GENERAL AFTERCARE (see below, for navel, nipple, genital and oral piercings)

The after care of your piercing is of the utmost importance. Continue to clean the piercing for a month after it has healed. If you follow everything on this page you should not have any problems.

Infections can develop easily on a new piercing since it is an open wound. Be sure to keep dirty fingers and tight or dirty clothing away from a new piercing. Avoid excessive tugging and pulling. Hair also tends to be a problem since it holds dirt and oil. Refrain from oral and sexual contact until the area is well healed, due to the fact that viruses, bacteria and germs can be passed through an open wound. Remember it is your body and an infection does hurt.

Clean your piercing twice a day with a Sterile Topical Saline Solution (ACL ). After a few days the piercing will start to excrete fluid, this is called lymph. This will dry hard on the ring and is what you are cleaning off. When cleaning hold the ring to stop it moving, clean the ring and then move it gently through the skin and with either cotton wool or cotton buds dipped in the cleaning solution, clean off all the lymph, making sure you don’t reuse the same cotton bud.

CAUTION: Ointments do not clean or disinfect piercings they are only a safe lubricant and not substitute for cleaning with. Do not use soap. To ensure your piercing heals as quickly as possible under no circumstances should you use antiseptic ointment e.g. Savlon, germolene, TCP, dettol and surgical spirit. All of these products will slow the healing process, make sure you clean with ACL. After the initial adjustment period piercings heal faster when clean and dry. We find the use of daily zinc supplements speeds the healing process or the application of vitamin E capsules not cream. Remember bath water and regular soap are not clean.

For facial piercings the only form of cleaning is ACL twice a day, every day.

For all piercings except oral: Swimming in chlorinated pools or the sea should be avoided for approximately one month

If excessive redness, swelling, bleeding, change of colour in tissue or soreness persists DO NOT remove jewellery, contact your piercer. If you are unable to contact your piercer visit your local GP. Do not take aspirin as a pain relief. An aspirin substitute such as ibuprofen is advised, available from chemists in 200mg and 400mg strengths.


NIPPLE PIERCINGS

When you leave the studio you will have a sterile dressing protecting the piercing. Leave this for approx. 24 hours giving the piercing time to settle

Then we recommend you take a bath or shower, if bathing fill a container with clean luke warm water pouring it over your piercing, if showering again allow luke warm water to flow over your piercing, in both cases this will allow the area to loosen. Before you get out of the bath, again fill the container with clean (not from the bath) Luke warm water and pour over the piercing. To remove all soap Etc. If showering, allow Luke warm water to flow over the area this will clear any soap away from the piercing. When you get out of the bath or shower towel as normal (taking care around your piercing).

Then with a cotton bud apply cleaning solution to bud and clean around the side of your piercing, turn cotton bud and repeat around other side of piercing, you should do this twice a day every day (try to keep to the same time of day if possible). Ensure your hands are clean prior to cleaning, try to avoid touching the area at any other time, if you feel that you must, ensure your hands are clean.

You do not have to clean your piercing more than twice a day, if you do it will not make it heal sooner it will just make it sore.

After approx. two days you may get a slight amount of bruising (from clamp) or you may get a slight discoloration of skin (from the local Anaesthetic), it might itch and you may see some redness around the piercing, all of these things are quite normal and will with time disappear. But if you are at all concerned please contact us. Also after a few days lymph (normal healing process not infection) will start to build around the piercing and on jewellery. So when you come to clean, it will feel stuck. Do Not Worry, apply cleaning solution and it will come free. Push jewellery approx. 1-2mm away from piercing and clean off lymph with cotton bud and cleaning solution, repeat on opposite side of piercing (remember to turn cotton bud to clean head).

Remember gentle cleaning and touching.

Try to avoid tight fitting clothing around the area of your piercing but if you are going to wear such items apply sterile dressing (Mepore type) only while you are wearing that item of clothing, remove dressing as soon as possible. This will give you some comfort whilst the piercing is healing. If you are involved in any heavy lifting or sporting activity you may wish to apply a dressing to your piercing. This will help you to avoid catching the area. Again remove dressing as soon as possible.

Remember only wear a dressing if really necessary.

Wear as much cotton clothing as possible, cotton breathes and absorbs body sweat, try to avoid nylon and lycra type materials until piercing is healed.

GENITAL PIERCINGS

Clean cotton underwear should be worn during the healing period. The piercing should be kept as dry as possible except when cleaning. Please do not cover the piercing all the time as this prevents air circulating. The use of plasters should be discouraged (use Mepore). For genital piercings use condoms to protect the piercing from bacteria, germs and viruses during intercourse.

Please note you should not consider removing or changing your jewellery for at least three months after initial piercing as this may cause infection or damage your piercing.


ORAL PIERCINGS

Glycerine/Thymol (Antiseptic Mouthwash) is to be used every time You eat, drink, smoke, sleep or after any form of oral contact

Brush teeth gently two or three times a day with toothpaste. Kissing or any other oral contact should be avoided for at least 6 weeks

Immediately after piercing the tongue will start to swell (It may swell up to two or three times its normal size) ice will reduce the swelling

TRY TO AVOID TALKING FOR 48 HRS.

Your tongue will look swollen, be hard to move and feel burnt on the tip, there may also be a white discharge underneath the tongue and may also feel dry so consume plenty of fluids, soups and ice-lollies (excellent for reducing swelling).

REMEMBER TO MOUTHWASH.

For the first few days check your piercing every few hours for changes in swelling.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUERIES, PROBLEMS OR WORRIES PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT US.

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