Piercing Aftercare: Your Complete Guide to Safe Healing

Thanks for coming!

We have dedicated this page to instructing you on our best recommendations when it comes to healing for your piercing post getting it!

Your piercer will also give you aftercare instructions during your appointment. If you have any questions regarding the healing of your tattoo, you can message the studio on email or our instagram linked below.

Body piercings

CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS FOR BODY PIERCINGS

WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.

SPRAY with sterile saline wound wash while healing. Moving or rotating jewelry is not necessary during cleaning/rinsing and may actually irritate the piercing.

DRY with clean, disposable products like gauze or cotton swabs, gently removing any crusty debris or build up. Cloth towels should be avoided as they can harbor bacteria and snag on jewelry.

WHAT IS NORMAL?

Initially: some bleeding, localized swelling, tenderness, and/or bruising.

During healing: some discoloration, itching, secretion of a whitish- yellow fluid that will form some crust on the jewelry. The tissue may tighten around the jewelry as it heals. A piercing might seem healed before the healing process is complete. This is because this type of wound heals from the outside to the inside. Although it may feel fine on the outside, the interior could still be fragile. Be patient, and keep cleaning throughout the entire initial healing period.

Once healed: the jewelry may not move freely in the piercing; do not force it. Cleaning your piercings as part of your normal hygiene routine can help them stay clean and avoid having normal, possibly smelly, secretions accumulate.

Tip: Piercings, even healed ones, can shrink or close in minutes, even after having been there for years! This varies from person to person; if you like your piercing, keep jewelry in - do not leave the hole empty.

WHAT TO DO

Wash your hands prior to touching the piercing; leave the piercing alone except when cleaning. During healing, do not twist, spin, or rotate your jewelry. Exercise and sweating during healing is fine. Avoid activities that could jostle or aggravate the piercing. Keep the piercing protected from bacteria present on gym equipment or exercise mats. 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 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 and pressure 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.

Avoiding things like excessive stress, drug use, excessive caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are suggested as they can prolong the healing process.

Avoid submerging the piercing in bodies of water such as lakes, pools, oceans, hot tubs, etc. Or, protect your piercing using a waterproof transparent film dressing. These are available at most pharmacies and are ideal for nipple, navel, and surface piercing placements.

HINTS AND TIPS JEWELRY:

Unless there is a problem with the size, style, or material of the initial jewelry, leave it in place for the entire healing process. Many piercings require a downsize before the piercing is healed. See a qualified piercer to perform downsizes or any jewelry changes during healing.

Leave jewelry in at all times. Even well-healed piercings can shrink or close in minutes! If removed, reinsertion can be difficult or impossible. Contact your piercer for a non-metallic jewelry alternative if your metal jewelry must be temporarily removed (such as for a medical procedure).

With clean hands or paper products, be sure to regularly check threaded and threadless ends on your jewelry for tightness. Should you decide you no longer want the piercing, simply remove the jewelry (or have a professional piercer remove it for you) and continue cleaning the piercing until the hole closes. Body piercings create a permanent change to the body, while most scarring is minimal, piercings will leave scars in their absence.

In the event an infection is suspected, we advise you to seek medical attention immediately. Our quality jewelry may be left in place to allow for drainage of the infection, if approved by your physician.

Oral piercings

CLEANING SOLUTIONS

Use one or more of the following solutions for inside the mouth:

Alcohol-free and hydrogen peroxide-free mouth rinse.

Plain clean water. Bottled or filtered water is preferred.

Packaged sterile saline solution (read the label: the only ingredients should be water and 0.9% sodium chloride).

CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS

INTERNAL: Wash your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason. Keeping good oral hygiene practices is important in maintaining a healthy mouth and piercing. You will want to floss, brush and use mouth wash twice a day. It is vital to not overuse the mouth wash. Rinse with water (bottled or filtered) thoroughly after every time you eat, drink or smoke.

EXTERNAL: Wash your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason. Be sure to rinse your piercing thoroughly with warm water in the shower once a day. Then rinse with saline twice a day. Gently remove any discharge or crust that may have built up on your jewelry, then dry the area carefully with gauze.

WHAT IS NORMAL

For the first three to five days you may experience swelling, light bleeding, bruising, tenderness, and/or a whitish to yellowish secretion that may form crust on the jewelry. After the first week, you may still continue to experience some minor swelling and secretion. A piercing might seem healed before the healing process is complete. This is because piercings heal from the outside in. Although it feels fine, the tissue remains fragile on the inside. Be patient, and keep cleaning throughout the entire healing period. For lip piercings, it is typical for the jewelry to “nest” slightly into the lip (on the inside) once it is healed. Even healed piercings that you have had for years can shrink or close within a few hours if the jewelry is removed. This varies from person to person; if you like your piercing, keep jewelry in! Do not leave the hole empty for a long period of time.

WHAT TO DO TO HELP REDUCE SWELLING

Cold water rinses may help reduce swelling. Reduce movement of the area and don’t play with your jewelry. Sleep with your head elevated above your heart during the first few nights. If you feel the skin is actually growing over the jewelry (inside or outside), visit your piercer immediately for a longer bar to avoid embedded jewelry.

MAINTAIN GOOD ORAL HYGIENE: Maintain good oral hygiene by flossing, brushing your teeth and using mouth rinse daily. Once healed, check the jewelry regularly to avoid plaque build up. While it heals use clean water to regularly rinse throught out the day. Apply isotonic saline solution around the piercing to ease inflammation.

STAY HEALTHY: The healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to heal. Get enough sleep. To help healing and bolster your ability to fight infection, eat a nutritious diet or consider taking nutritional supplements daily. Avoid emotional stress, which can increase healing times by up to 40%.

EATING: Take your time with eating until you are used to the piercing and the jewelry is downsized to prevent irritation or prolonged healing. Avoid eating spicy, salty, acidic, or hot temperature foods or beverages for the first two weeks (no specific foods need to be avoided). Cold foods and beverages can be soothing and help reduce swelling. For labret (cheek and lip) piercings: be cautious about opening your mouth too wide as this can result in the jewelry catching on your teeth.

WHAT TO AVOID

Do not play with your jewelry. Long term effects include permanent damage to teeth and gums. See the APP’s brochure Oral Piercing Risks and Safety Measures for more information. Avoid undue trauma; excessive talking or playing with the jewelry can cause scar tissue, migration, and other complications. Avoid using mouthwash containing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. It can irritate the piercing and delay healing. Avoid oral sexual contact including wet kissing or oral sex during healing. Avoid chewing on tobacco, gum, fingernails, pencils, sunglasses, and other foreign objects that could harbor bacteria. Avoid sharing plates, cups, and eating utensils. Avoid using straws. Straw use can increase the risk of swelling and bleeding. Minimize the intake of smoking and vaping (tobacco or cannabis). It increases risks and prolongs healing time. Avoid aspirin, alcohol, and large amounts of caffeine as long as you are experiencing bleeding or swelling. Avoid submerging healing piercings in bodies of water such as lakes, pools, oceans, and even the bathtub. Each body is unique and healing times vary considerably. If you have any questions, please contact a professional piercer.

ORAL PIERCING TIPS

Sleep with your head elevated in the beginning to minimize overnight swelling.

Once the swelling has subsided, it is vital to replace the original, longer jewelry with a shorter post or barbell to avoid damage to the teeth and gums.

Because this necessary jewelry change often occurs during healing, it should be done by a qualified piercer. This information should have been given to you during the piercing. If not, consult with a professional piercer about your downsize.

With clean hands or paper products, be sure to regularly check threaded ends on your jewelry for tightness. For threadless jewelry make sure there is no gap between the post (inside) to the top (outside). In case of a gap, place your index finger and thumb on both sides of the jewelry and press them together. Be sure to check that the gap is closed.

Contact your piercer for a non-metallic jewelry alternative if your metal jewelry must be temporarily removed (such as for a medical procedure). See the APP brochure Preparing for Medical and Dental Procedures for more information.

Should you decide you no longer want the piercing, simply remove the jewelry or have a professional piercer remove it and continue cleaning the area until the hole closes. In most cases, only a small mark will remain.

Child/Minor piercings

CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS FOR BODY PIERCINGS

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.

WHAT IS NORMAL

Initially: some bleeding, localized swelling, tenderness, and/or bruising.

During healing: some discoloration, itching, secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid (not pus) that will form some crust on the jewelry. The tissue may tighten around the jewelry as it heals.

Once healed: the jewelry may not move freely in the piercing; do not force it. If you fail to include cleaning your piercing as part of your daily hygiene routine, normal but smelly bodily secretions may accumulate.

A piercing might 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 initial healing period.

Even healed piercings that you have had for years can shrink or close in minutes! This varies from person to person; if you like your piercing, keep jewelry in - do not leave the hole empty.

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.

TO STAY HEALTHY

The healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to heal. Get enough sleep. To help healing and bolster your ability to fight infection, eat a nutritious diet.

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 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 contact sports, rough play, and physical contact near your piercing during healing. Avoid submerging the piercing in unhygienic bodies of water such as lakes, pools, hot tubs, etc for at least 4-8 weeks or until approved by your piercer.

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.

HINTS AND TIPS / JEWELRY:

Unless there is a problem with the size, style, or material of the initial jewelry, leave it in the place for the entire healing period. See a qualified piercer to perform any jewelry change that becomes necessary during healing. Contact your piercer for a non-metallic jewelry alternative if your metal jewelry must be temporarily removed (such as for a medical procedure). Leave jewelry in at all times. Even healed piercings that you have had for years can shrink or close in minutes! If removed, reinsertion can be difficult or impossible. See the APP brochure Preparing for Medical and Dental Procedures for more information. With clean hands or paper products, be sure to regularly check threaded and threadless ends on your jewelry for tightness. Should you decide you no longer want the piercing, simply remove the jewelry (or have a professional piercer remove it) and continue cleaning the piercing until the hole closes. In most cases only a small mark should remain.

In the event an infection is suspected, quality jewelry or an inert alternative may be left in place to allow for drainage of the infection, if approved by your physician. On rare occasion, when the jewelry is removed, the surface cells close up, which can seal the infection inside the piercing channel and result in an abscess. Until an infection is cleared up, discuss with your physician if you should leave in quality jewelry or an appropriate substitute. Use the t-shirt trick: Dress your pillow in a large, clean t-shirt and turn it nightly; one clean t-shirt provides four clean surfaces for sleeping. Maintain cleanliness of phones, headphones, eyeglasses, helmets, hats, and anything that contacts the pierced area. Use caution when styling your hair and advise your hairdresser and family of a new or healing piercing.