top of page

Piercing Aftercare

20230228_124948 (1).jpg

What?

Wound Wash

Packaged sterile saline is a gentle choice for piercing aftercare. Mixing your own sea salt solution is no longer a suggested practice from the APP. 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 0.9% sodium chloride as the only ingredient. Mixing your own sea salt solution will commonly result in the product being far too salty and strong, this can over dry the piercing and interfere with healing.

OR

Anti-Bacterial Soap

A clear, unscented antibacterial soap is a safe alternative to saline, should the wound wash not work for a particular area. Specially designed to eliminate bacteria without irritating sensitive skin, this soap helps keep your piercing clean and healthy during the healing process.

How?

Steps for Cleaning

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

  • SALINE rinse as needed during healing. For certain placements it may be easier to apply using clean gauze saturated with saline solution. A brief rinse with clean water afterward will remove any residue.

  • If your piercer suggests using soap, gently lather around the piercing and rinse THOROUGHLY. Avoid using harsh soaps with dyes, fragrances, or triclosan.

  • RINSE thoroughly to remove all traces of the soap from the piercing. It is not necessary to rotate the jewelry through the piercing.

  • DRY by gently patting with clean, disposable paper products because cloth towels can harbor bacteria and snag on jewelry, causing injury.

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 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.

Downsizing

As your piercing heals and swelling reduces, downsizing your jewelry is essential for proper healing. Wearing jewelry that's too long can cause unnecessary movement, irritation, and even damage to the piercing channel. Downsizing helps minimize these risks, promotes better healing, and ensures a comfortable, snug fit.

Talk to your piercer about the right time to downsize—typically a few weeks to months after your initial piercing. A quick adjustment can make all the difference for a healthy, happy piercing

Tips and Tricks

NAVEL:
  • A hard, vented eye patch (sold at pharmacies) can be applied under tight clothing (such as nylon stockings) or secured using a length of elastic bandage around the body (to avoid irritation from adhesive). This can protect the area from restrictive clothing, excess irritation, and impact during physical activities such as contact sports.

EAR/EAR CARTILAGE AND FACIAL:
  • 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 telephones, headphones, eyeglasses, helmets, hats, and anything that contacts the pierced area.

  • Use caution when styling your hair and advise your stylist of a new or healing piercing.

NIPPLES:
  • The support of a tight cotton shirt or sports bra may provide protection and feel comfortable, especially for sleeping.

GENITAL:
  • Genital Piercings – especially Triangles, Prince Alberts, Ampallangs, and Apadravyas – can bleed freely for the first few days. Be prepared. Additional cleaning after urination is not necessary

  •  Wash your hands before touching on (or near) a healing piercing.

  •  In most cases you can engage in sexual activity as soon as you feel ready, but maintaining hygiene and avoiding trauma are vital; all sexual activities should be gentle during the healing period.

  •  Use barriers such as condoms, dental dams, and waterproof bandages, etc. to avoid contact with your partners’ body fluids, even in long-term monogamous relationships.

  •  Use clean, disposable barriers on sex toys.

  •  Use a new container of water-based lubricant; do not use saliva.

  •  After sex, an additional saline rinse is suggested.

SURFACE ANCHORS:

  •  These piercings require maintenance during their entire lifetime because matter can build up underneath the threaded top causing the piercing to become irritated. Saline and/or shower rinses may be helpful with removing matter from underneath the threaded top.

  •  Avoid putting makeup on these piercings even after healing.

  • Even with proper care, surface anchors may be less permanent than other body piercings.

What to Avoid:

  • Avoid cleaning with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, 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

  • Instagram

Keep up with us!

Thanks for submitting!

Visit Us: 2672 Avenir Place Ste. M Vienna, VA 22180 USA

Email: wickedgoddesstattoo@gmail.com

Phone: 703-708-4870

©2021 by Wicked Goddess Body Art. Proudly created with Wix.com

bottom of page