PIERCING AFTERCARE

Cleaning Instructions For Body Piercings

1. WASH: your hands thoroughly prior to beginning the cleaning process, or touching on/near your piercing for any reason.
2. SOAK: non-iodized sea salt mixture: Dissolve 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of non-iodized (iodine free) sea salt into one cup (8oz.) of warm distilled or bottled water. A stronger mixture is not better! Saline solution that is too strong can irritate the piercing. Soak piercing twice a day, morning and night, for 10-15 minutes. Simply invert a cup of warm saline solution over the area to form a vacuum. For certain placements it may be easier to apply using fresh gauze or cotton balls saturated with saline solution. A brief rinse will remove any residue.
3. DRY: with disposable paper products such as gauze or tissue, because cloth towels can harbor bacteria or catch on new piercings, causing injury. Pat gently to avoid trauma.

What Is Normal

• Initially: some bleeding, localized swelling, tenderness, 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 may seem healed before healing is complete. This is because piercings heal from the outside in, and although it feels healed the tissue remains fragile on the inside. BE PATIENT, and keep soaking 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, leave the jewelry in place.

 What To Do

• Wash your hands prior to touching the piercing; leave it alone except when soaking. It is not necessary to rotate the jewelry while healing.
• Stay healthy. Get enough sleep and eat a nutritious diet. The healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to heal. Exercise during healing is fine, just “listen” to your body.
• Make sure your bedding is kept clean and free of pet hair. Wear clean, comfortable breathable clothing that protects your piercing while sleeping.
• Showering is safer than taking a bath, because bathtubs tend to harbor bacteria.
• If signs of an infection occur please contact your piercer and consult a medical professional.

What To Avoid

• 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 the use of alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Bactine, Betadine, or any ointment.
• Avoid over cleaning. This can delay your healing and irritate your piercing.
• Avoid rough 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 bodies of water such as lakes, pools, hot tubs, etc. Use of a protective waterproof bandage such as Tegaderm, available at drugstores, is helpful but not 100%.
• Avoid all beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing including cosmetics, lotions, facial scrubs, and sprays, etc.
• Don’t hang charms or any object from your jewelry until the piercing is fully healed.

Hints & 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 period. A qualified piercer should perform any necessary jewelry change that occurs during healing.
• Contact your piercer if your jewelry must be temporarily removed (such as for a medical procedure). There are non-metallic jewelry alternatives.
• Clear jewelry options, called retainers, are available when a piercing is healed. Perfect when discretion is needed for work or school.
• With clean hands or paper products, be sure to regularly check threaded ends on your jewelry for tightness. (Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey)
• Carry a spare ball in case of loss or breakage.
• Should you decide you no longer want the piercing, seek professional help in the removal of the jewelry and continue cleaning the piercing until the hole closes. In most cases only a small indentation will remain.

For Particular Areas:

• Maintain the cleanliness of telephones, headphones, eyeglasses, helmets, hats and anything that contacts the pierced area.
• Try to avoid lying on fresh piercing and use the t-shirt trick: dress your pillow in a large cleans t-shirt and turn it nightly; one clean shirt provides four clean surfaces for sleeping.
• Use caution when styling your hair and advise your stylist of a new or healing piercing.
• For nipples, the support of a tight cotton shirt or sports bra may provide protection and feel comfortable, especially for sleeping.

Genital

• In most cases you can engage in sexual activity as soon as you feel ready. Comfort and hygiene are vital.
• During healing all sexual activities must be gentle.
• To increase comfort and decrease trauma, soak in warm saline solution or plain water to remove any crusty matter, prior to sexual activity.
• Use barriers such as condoms, dental dams, and Tegaderm, etc. to avoid contact with partners bodily fluids, even in long-term relationships.
• Use clean disposable barriers on sex toys.
• Wash hands before touching on or near the piercing.
• Use a new container of water based lubricant. Do not use your own saliva as a lubricant.
• After sex, an additional saline soak or clean water rinse is suggested.
• Prince Albert and Apadravya piercings can bleed freely for the first few days.

Each body is unique, and healing times may vary considerably. If you have ANY questions, please contact your piercer. At Phantom 8, we care about the entirety of the professional service we provide.

Oral Piercing Aftercare Instructions

Cleaning Solutions

Use either one or both of the following solutions for inside the mouth.

• Antimicrobial or antibacterial alcohol-free mouth rinse, such as Biotene
• Non-iodized sea salt mixture: Dissolve 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of non-iodized (iodine free) sea salt into one cup (8oz.) cup of warm distilled or bottled water. A stronger mixture is not better! Saline solution that is too strong can irritate the piercing. (If you have high blood pressure or a heart condition, please check with your doctor before using a saline product inside the mouth as your primary cleaning solution.)

Cleaning Instructions

For the inside of the mouth:

• Rinse mouth 5-7 times daily with cleaning solution for 30-60 seconds after meals, after smoking, and at bedtime during the entire healing period. If you over clean, it may cause discoloration or irritation of tongue.

For the exterior of the labret, cheek, and lip piercings:

1. WASH: your hands thoroughly prior to beginning cleaning process, or touching on or near your piercing for any reason.
2. SOAK: piercing twice a day, morning and night, for 10-15 minutes. Simply invert a cup of warm saline solution over the area to form a vacuum. For certain placements it may be easier to apply using fresh gauze or cotton balls saturated with saline solution. A brief rinse will remove any residue.
3. DRY: with disposable paper products such as gauze or tissues, because cloth towels can harbor bacteria and catch on new piercings causing injury. Pat gently to avoid trauma.

What is normal?

• For the first three to five days: Significant swelling, light bleeding, bruising, and/or tenderness.
• After that: Some swelling, light secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid (not pus).
• A piercing may seem healed before healing is complete. This is because piercings heal from the outside in, and although it feels healed the tissue remains fragile on the inside. 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, leave the jewelry in place.

What to do

To help reduce swelling:

• Allow small pieces of ice to dissolve in the mouth
• Take an over the counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen according to package instructions.
• Sleep with your head elevated above your heart during the first few nights.

To maintain good oral hygiene:

• Use a new soft-bristle toothbrush and keep it clean.
• Brush your teeth, and use your chosen rinse (saline or mouthwash) after every meal.
• During healing floss daily, and gently brush your teeth, tongue, and jewelry. Once healed, brush the jewelry more thoroughly to avoid plaque build up.

Stay healthy:

• The healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to heal.
• Get enough sleep and eat a nutritious diet.
• If signs of an infection occur please contact your piercer and consult a medical professional.

What to avoid:

• DO NOT PLAY WITH THE JEWELRY. Long-term effects of playing with, and clicking the jewelry against the teeth can result in permanent damage to teeth and other oral structures.
• Avoid undue trauma, excessive talking or playing with the jewelry during healing can cause the formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue, migration, and other complications.
• Avoid any mouthwash containing alcohol. It can irritate the area and delay healing.
• Avoid oral sexual contact including French (wet) kissing or oral sex during healing (even with a long term partner).
• Avoid chewing on gum, tobacco, fingernails, pencils, sunglasses, etc.
• Avoid sharing plates, cups, and utensils.
• Avoid stress and all recreational drug use.
• Avoid smoking! It increases risks and lengthens healing time.
• Avoid submerging in bodies of water such as lakes, pools, hot tubs, etc.
• Avoid all beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing including cosmetics, lotions, facial scrubs, and sprays, etc.

Hints & Tips

• Unless there is a problem with the size, style, or material of the initial jewelry, leave it in place for the ENTIRE healing period. A qualified piercer should perform any necessary jewelry change that occurs during healing.
• Contact your piercer if your jewelry must be temporarily removed (such as for a medical procedure). There are non-metallic jewelry alternatives.
• Clear jewelry options, called retainers, are available when piercing is healed. Perfect when discretion is needed for work or school.
• With clean hands or paper products, be sure to regularly check threaded ends on your jewelry for tightness. (Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey)

• Piercing Soaking Mugs. Aftercare Kits are available at front desk. Includes everything you need to start healing away!

Each body is unique, and healing times may vary considerably. If you have ANY questions, please contact your piercer. At Phantom 8, we care about the entirety of the professional service we provide.

What They Say

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