Piercing Aftercare
These recommendations are based on professional experience and common sense. This should not substitute for medical advice from a medical professional.
The following is usually the minimum amount of time needed to heal before it is safe to change your jewelry. Because many factors influence how quickly a piercing will heal, some people will heal faster while others will take longer. Please be aware that these are only initial healing times. Most piercings will take years before they can be left out for any extended length of time without shrinking or closing. Multiple piercings healing simultaneously may result in longer healing times.
What is Normal?
Initially
Some bleeding, localized swelling, tenderness, or bruising
During healing
Some discoloration, itching, secretion of whitish-yellow fluid, and crusting may occur
Once healed
Jewelry may not move freely in the piercing; do no force it
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.
Cleaning Solutions
Sterile Saline
Packaged sterile saline is a gentle choice for piercing aftercare. We strongly encourage you to use a sterile saline labeled for use as a wound wash. 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.
Cleaning Instructions
WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.
SALINE rinse as needed while healing. For certain piercings it may be
easier to apply using clean gauze saturated with saline solution.RINSE site as needed to remove cleaning solution residue. Moving or
rotating jewelry is not necessary during cleaning or rinsing.DRY by gently patting with clean, disposable paper products. Cloth towels can harbor bacteria and snag on jewelry causing injury.
To Do’s
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.
Keep bedding clean 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.
Thing 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
FIND YOUR PIERCING
Select your piercing below to jump directly to your aftercare instructions
Ear Work / Nostril
PIERCING AFTERCARE
2X
DAILY
MONTHS 1-6
12
MONTHS
AFTERCARE
1X
DAILY
MONTHS 7-12
HOW TO CLEAN
Wet the piercing.
Use a pea-sized drop of soap.
Apply a pea-sized amount of non-scented antimicrobial soap to the piercing.Lather and clean.
Lather the soap on the piercing, then gently glide the jewelry back and forth for 15–20 seconds to work the soap into the piercing site.Rinse thoroughly.
Rinse thoroughly under pressurized water while continuing to glide the jewelry back and forth in order to flush out all bacteria.
CHANGING JEWELRY
The piercing needs time to heal and establish before the healing process is interrupted. The jewelry used for the initial piercing should remain in place for the first three months before changing to a new piece.
We recommend waiting until you are halfway through the healing process—approximately six months—before wearing hoops.
Earlobes
PIERCING AFTERCARE
2X
DAILY
MONTHS 1-3
6
MONTHS
AFTERCARE
1X
DAILY
MONTHS 4-6
HOW TO CLEAN
Wet the piercing.
Use a pea-sized drop of soap.
Apply a pea-sized amount of non-scented antimicrobial soap to the piercing.Lather and clean.
Lather the soap on the piercing, then gently glide the jewelry back and forth for 15–20 seconds to work the soap into the piercing site.Rinse thoroughly.
Rinse thoroughly under pressurized water while continuing to glide the jewelry back and forth in order to flush out all bacteria.
CHANGING JEWELRY
The piercing needs time to heal and establish before the healing process should be interrupted. The jewelry you were pierced in should remain in the piercing for the first 6–8 weeks before changing to a new piece.
We recommend always having jewelry in the piercing site for the first 6 months before leaving it out for any period of time.
Oral / Facial
PIERCING AFTERCARE
External Care
Non-Scented Soap
2X
DAILY
MONTHS 1-3
6
MONTHS
AFTERCARE
1X
DAILY
MONTHS 4-6
HOW TO CLEAN (External)
Wet the piercing.
Use a pea-sized drop of soap.
Apply a pea-sized amount of non-scented antimicrobial soap to the external portion of the piercing.Lather and clean.
Lather the soap on the piercing, then gently glide the jewelry back and forth for 15–20 seconds to work it into the piercing site.Rinse thoroughly.
Rinse thoroughly under pressurized water while continuing to glide the jewelry back and forth in order to flush out all bacteria.
Internal Care
Sea-Salt Water
HOW TO CLEAN (Internal)
For the internal portion of the piercing, the sea-salt water should be utilized as a form of mouthwash.
Whenever you finish:
A meal
A beverage other than water
Smoking
Take the salt water and swish it in your mouth for 30 seconds to flush the piercing of any particles.
Maintain this routine every day for the first 2 months.
AFTER EATING
AFTER DRINKING
AFTER SMOKING
2
MONTHS
AFTERCARE
30 SECONDS
SWISH
SEA SALT MIXTURE
16 oz of water + 1 teaspoon of sea salt
CHANGING JEWELRY
The piercing needs time to heal and establish before the healing process should be interrupted. The jewelry you were pierced in should remain in the piercing for the first 3 weeks before changing to a new piece.
We recommend that hoops should not be worn until 6 months.
Oral
PIERCING AFTERCARE
30 SECONDS
SWISH
2
MONTHS
AFTERCARE
HOW TO CLEAN
Whenever you finish:
A meal
A beverage other than water
Smoking
Take the sea-salt water and swish it in your mouth for 30 seconds to flush the piercing of any particles.
SEA SALT MIXTURE
16 oz of water + 1 teaspoon of sea salt
CHANGING JEWELRY
The piercing needs time to heal and establish before the healing process should be interrupted.
The jewelry you were pierced in should remain in the piercing for the first 3 weeks before changing to a new piece.
Septum
PIERCING AFTERCARE
2X
DAILY
MONTHS 1-3
6
MONTHS
AFTERCARE
1X
DAILY
MONTHS 4-6
HOW TO CLEAN
Prepare a disposable compress.
Grab a cotton ball, cotton round, gauze, or another one-time disposable towel.Saturate with sea-salt water.
Saturate the disposable material with the sea-salt water.Apply the compress.
Hold it onto the piercing, compress-style, for 3–5 minutes.Gently move the jewelry.
Once soaked, gently shift the jewelry back and forth 4–5 times to work the solution into the piercing tunnel.
SEA SALT MIXTURE
16 oz of water + 1 teaspoon of sea salt
CHANGING JEWELRY
The piercing needs time to heal and establish before the healing process should be interrupted. The jewelry you were pierced in should remain in the piercing for the first 6–8 weeks before changing to a new piece.
We recommend always having jewelry in the piercing site for the first 6 months before leaving it out for any period of time.
Dermal
PIERCING AFTERCARE
6
MONTHS
AFTERCARE
3-5
MINUTES
COMPRESS
5-7
DAYS
Maintenance *
2x DAILY
MONTHS 1-3
1x DAILY
MONTHS 4-6
HOW TO CLEAN
Prepare a disposable compress.
Grab a cotton ball, cotton round, gauze, or another one-time disposable towel.Saturate with sea-salt water.
Saturate the disposable material with the sea-salt water.Apply the compress.
Hold it onto the piercing, compress-style, for 3–5 minutes.
SEA SALT MIXTURE
16 oz of water + 1 teaspoon of sea salt
LONG TERM MAINTENANCE
EVERY 5-7 DAYS
Due to the style of this specific piercing, maintenance cleans after the piercing is fully healed are highly recommended every 5–7 days.
CHANGING JEWELRY
The piercing needs time to heal and establish before the healing process should be interrupted.
With dermals being an implant-style piercing, we always recommend going to a piercer to have the jewelry changed. Jewelry should not be changed until after the first month.
Nipples / Navel / Surface Bar
PIERCING AFTERCARE
2x
DAILY
MONTHS 1-6
12
MONTHS
AFTERCARE
1X
DAILY
MONTHS 7-12
HOW TO CLEAN
Wet the piercing.
Use a pea-sized drop of soap.
Apply a pea-sized amount of non-scented antimicrobial soap to the piercing.Lather and clean.
Lather the soap on the piercing, then gently glide the jewelry back and forth for 15–20 seconds to work it into the piercing site.Rinse thoroughly.
Rinse thoroughly under pressurized water while continuing to glide the jewelry back and forth in order to flush out all bacteria.
CHANGING JEWELRY
The piercing needs time to heal and establish before the healing process should be interrupted.
The jewelry you were pierced in should remain in the piercing for the first 3 months before changing to a new piece.
We recommend that hoops should not be worn until you are halfway through the healing process, which is approximately 6 months.
Industrial
PIERCING AFTERCARE
2x
DAILY
YEAR 1
2
YEARS
AFTERCARE
1X
DAILY
YEAR 2
HOW TO CLEAN
Wet the piercing.
Use a pea-sized drop of soap.
Apply a pea-sized amount of non-scented antimicrobial soap to the piercing.Lather and clean.
Lather the soap on the piercing, then gently glide the jewelry back and forth for 15–20 seconds to work it into the piercing site.Rinse thoroughly.
Rinse thoroughly under pressurized water while continuing to glide the jewelry back and forth in order to flush out all bacteria.
CHANGING JEWELRY
The piercing needs time to heal and establish before the healing process should be interrupted.
The jewelry you were pierced in should remain in the piercing for the first year before changing to a new piece.