INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE AFTERCARE OF PIERCINGS

Treat your new piercing as an open wound.  It is important that you keep clean.  Make sure that you do not touch your new piercing with dirty hands!

There are several different styles of body piercings, so instead of giving you a general overview, we are going to break down these healing instructions based on the type of piercing you have.

Cartilage Piercing:

• Cartilage Piercings include the following: Anti- Tragus, Conch, Daith, Helix, Industrial, Rook, Snug and Tragus.
• Cartilage Piercings can take 2-4 months to heal completely.
• Use anti-bacterial soap 3-4 times a day during the healing process.  Saline Solution is a good alternative for cleaning.  It is sterile salt water and can be used along with the anti-bacterial soap.
• As best you can, try to keep your hair from getting tangled in your new piercing.
• Also, keep hair products (such as hair spray) away from your piercing as it can cause an infection while healing.
• If swelling occurs, Ibuprofen or Motrin (as long as you are not allergic to it) can be used to bring the swelling down.

Eyebrow Piercing:

• An eyebrow piercing can take 4-6 weeks to heal completely.
• Use anti-bacterial soap 3-4 times a day during the healing process.  Saline Solution is a good alternative for cleaning.  It is sterile salt water and can be used along with the anti-bacterial soap.
• Keep make up and hair products away from your piercing during the healing process.
• If swelling occurs, Ibuprofen or Motrin (as long as you are not allergic to it) can be used to bring the swelling down.

Hood/Labia (female genital) Piercing:

• A hood (vertical or horizontal) or labia piercing takes 4-6 weeks for the piercing to heal completely.
• Use anti-bacterial soap 3-4 times a day to help with the healing process.
• If swelling occurs, Ibuprofen or Motrin (as long as you are not allergic to it) can be used to bring the swelling down.
• Sexual activity should be based on your own comfort level though we suggest waiting at least 2 weeks.
• The skin in this area is thin and can tear easily if not healed completely.

Labret/Lip Piercing:

• A labret or lip piercing can take 4-6 weeks to heal.
• The tissue on the inside of your mouth is different from the outside so you will need two sets of healing instructions.
• For the inside, rinse your mouth anytime you eat or drink something.  We suggest that you purchase an antiseptic mouth wash and a bottle of water.  Make a 50/50 mix with the mouth wash and water and carry the bottle with you all day during the healing process.
• Do not use straws.
• Stay away from spicy foods and foods containing yeast products for the first week.
• For the outside, was the piercing 3-4 times a day with anti-bacterial soap.  Saline Solution is a good alternative for cleaning.  It is sterile salt water and can be used along with the anti-bacterial soap.
• Keep make up away from your piercing while it is healing.
• If swelling occurs, Ibuprofen or Motrin (as long as you are not allergic to it) can be used to bring the swelling down.

Micro Dermal Anchor:

• A micro dermal anchor takes roughly 4 months to heal completely.
• The top of the surface can heal in as little as 3 weeks but the scar tissue which forms around the anchor itself can take a number of months.
• After your implant is inserted we place a small band-aid over it that we strongly suggest you leave on for 24 hours.
• You will only need to wash your micro dermal once daily.
• Soak a cotton ball with warm soapy water.  Place the cotton ball on top of the micro dermal for no less then 2 minutes and clean away any clear fluid or crust that might be discharging around it.  Once you believe it has been cleaned thoroughly, use saline solution to spray under the anchor top removing any excess fluid or soap.
• We recommend that you come back into the studio one week after receiving the micro dermal so that we may make sure it is healing properly and prevent any early stages of migration.

Nape Piercing:

• A nape piercing takes 4-6 weeks to heal completely.
• Use anti-bacterial soap 3-4 times a day during the healing process.  Saline Solution is a good alternative for cleaning.  It is sterile salt water and can be used along with the anti-bacterial soap.
• If swelling occurs, Ibuprofen or Motrin (as long as you are not allergic to it) can be used to bring the swelling down.

Naval Piercing:

• A naval piercing takes 6 months to 1 year to heal completely.
• Use anti-bacterial soap 3-4 times a day during the healing process.  Saline Solution is a good alternative for cleaning.  It is sterile salt water and can be used along with the anti-bacterial soap.
• If you work out, dance, cheer-lead, play sports, etc. place a band-aid over your piercing so that it doesn’t get caught on your shirt and ripped out.  Once you are done, remove the band-aid immediately and wash thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap.
• If swelling occurs, Ibuprofen or Motrin (as long as you are not allergic to it) can be used to bring the swelling down.

Nipple Piercing:

• A nipple piercing takes 6 weeks to heal completely.
• Use anti-bacterial soap 3-4 times a day during the healing process.  Saline Solution is a good alternative for cleaning.  It is sterile salt water and can be used along with the anti-bacterial soap.
• If swelling occurs, Ibuprofen or Motrin (as long as you are not allergic to it) can be used to bring the swelling down.
• A word to the wise.  Nipple tissue is soft and can tear easily.  Handle with care.

Nose Piercing:

• A nose piercing takes 6 weeks to 3 months to heal completely.
• Use anti-bacterial soap 3-4 times a day during the healing process.
• Saline Solution is a good alternative for cleaning.  It is sterile salt water and can be used along with the anti-bacterial soap.
• Keep make up away from your piercing.
• If swelling occurs, Ibuprofen or Motrin (as long as you are not allergic to it) can be used to bring the swelling down.

Septum Piercing:

• A septum piercing can take 4-6 weeks to heal completely.
• Use anti-bacterial soap 3-4 times a day during the healing process.  Saline Solution is a good alternative for cleaning.  It is sterile salt water and can be used along with the anti-bacterial soap.
• If swelling occurs, Ibuprofen or Motrin (as long as you are not allergic to it) can be used to bring the swelling down.

Tongue Piercing:

• A tongue piercing takes 4-6 weeks to heal completely.
• Do not use straws during the healing process.
• Eat soft foods for the first week.
• Stay away from spicy foods and yeast products for the first week.
• Your tongue will swell for the first few days.  Ibuprofen or Motrin (as long as you are not allergic to it) will help bring excess swelling down.  Ice chips also help.  Do not suck on them, just let the ice dissolve in your mouth.
• Rinse your mouth anytime you eat or drink something.  We suggest that you purchase an antiseptic mouth wash and a bottle of water.  Make a 50/50 mix with the mouth wash and water and carry the bottle with you all day during the healing process.

Other Important Guidelines to Remember

• The following products should NOT be used to clean your piercing: Rubbing Alcohol or Peroxide
• Never use jewelry that is nickle based or made of silver.  Most people are allergic to these types of metals and will most definitely cause their piercing to get infected.
• Do NOT change the starter jewelry out before the piercing is fully healed.
• Stay out of pools, jacuzzi hot tubs and lakes for at least 4 weeks while the piercing is healing.  Lakes and hot tubs carry bacteria.  Chlorine from pools can cause bleeding.
• When cleaning your piercing, gently move the jewelry up and down so that the anti-bacterial soap can make itself inside the area pierced.  Be careful not to tear the piercing as scar tissue is trying to form.
• Sea salt, Vitamin-E oil and Saline Solution are all products we recommend for healing along with using antibacterial soap.
• Again, always remember to keep your hands clean before touching your piercing.  I can not emphasize this enough.

Consult a health care provider for:

• Unexpected redness , tenderness or swelling at the site of the tattoo
• Rash
• Unexpected drainage at or from the site of the tattoo
• Fever within 24 hours of the tattoo

In most situations, please contact the studio first.  In our opinion, we tend to have a better idea of how your body might react to your new body art as we deal with all aspects of the healing process daily.

If you have any issues, questions or concerns please contact us at Flesh By Design (978)345-4300.  We are here for you!