Our Aftercare

Read about how to take care of your piercing so it heals the quickest and easiest. Also find out what NOT to do.

General Aftercare

What to do:

1. Be healthy
   The healthier you are, the faster you heal. If your diet is less than ideal, consider taking a multi-vitamin.

2. Wash it if it gets dirty
   Use a mild soap such as a fragrance-free castille (ie Dr Bronner's baby mild) to wash your piercing if it gets dirty/sweaty/touched/etc. Rinse with distilled water, and dry with something disposable like sterile gauze.

3. Use hot compresses
   Dry soft heat, such as a heating pad or hot water bottle, will boost the circulation to the area allowing your body to heal faster. This is especially true for areas like ear cartilage and the navel where natural circulation can be poor.

4. Use ice packs
   If you catch, bump, or otherwise hurt your piercing, use an ice pack to reduce tenderness and swelling. The blue gel type from the first aide area of drug stores work great. Just remember to put something clean and disposable between your piercing and the pack.

5. Come in for a checkup in about 30 days
   Some piercings will be healed at this point and we will be able to confirm this and help you with your first jewelry changing. If not, we can make sure you're on track for normal healing.

6. Let us know if you have questions or concerns
   If anything isn't clear, feel free to call or email! We're here to help you through the healing process. Please let us know if your piercing hurts, has excessive swelling, or anything unexpected. We can offer advice to get things back on track.

What NOT to do:

1. DON'T Pick at it
   This just gets germs from your hands into the piercing, risking infection! Removing the scabs from your piercing is just like picking them off cuts. It only makes the scab grow back larger and causes longer healing times and more scar tissue.

2. DON'T Rotate it
   This is the same as picking at it. Your jewelry is mirror-smooth titanium, with no risk of your skin growing into the jewelry.

3. DON'T Get it wet/soak it in anything
   Getting the piercing wet will soften the scabs, making the piercing more suscetible to infection. It will also tend to make the piercing swell because there is no skin in your piercing to prevent it from soaking the water up like a sponge. Also realize that tap water is contaminated with bacteria and chemicals like chlorine and flouride which are very irritating.

4. DON'T Use antiseptics, alcohol, or other harsh chemicals
   Regular use of these types of chemicals will delay your healing. These chemicals are not sophisticated enough to tell bacteria/germs from the growing skin as your piercing heals. Most actually have distinct warnings not to use them on open wounds, which is what your piercing is while it heals.

5. DON'T Take your jewelry out
   First, touching your jewelry risks infection. Second, your body will start to close your piercing the moment you take your jewelry out. What delicate skin has formed so far is very easily damaged and most likely will be ripped off from removing and inserting your jewelry, effectively reseting your piercing to “brand new”. It will also be difficult and uncomfortable to try to get your jewelry back in.

Oral Aftercare (Lip & Tongue Piercings)

1. Keep it cold
   The more ice you put on your piercing, the less swelling you get and the faster it goes away.

2. Rinse with bottled water
   Anytime you eat or drink anything other than water, rinse your mouth with water until you don't taste anything. This removes food residue and helps keep the bacteria in your mouth to a minimum. It also has the nice side effect of keeping your breath fresher.

3. Brush your teeth with an electric toothbrush and water
   Do not use toothpaste while your piercing is healing - the complex chemisty and gritty bits will cause more extreme and prolonged sweling. An electric toothbrush moves fast enough that it makes up for the lack of toothpaste.

4. Eat real food, just not stuff that hurts.
   Living off baby food and oatmeal will only deprive you of the nutrision you need. You can eat normal food, just take small bites and chew slowly while you're getting used to your jewelry. The only things to avoid are spicy, acidic, really salty, and crunchy foods. These can irritate your piercing and make the swelling worse.

5. Protect yourself
   Kissing, oral sex, or any other exposure to others body fluids is simply asking for an infection. Use a protective barrier like condoms or dental dams while you're healing.

6. Shorten your jewelry
   After the swelling goes down, come in for a shorter post for your jewelry. Jewelry that fits flush will protect your teeth and gums from damage and just looks better.