CLEANING SOLUTIONS

• Packaged sterile saline is a gentle choice for piercing aftercare. Mixing your own sea salt solution is no longer a suggested practice. 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 .09% 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. Also avoid harsh cleansing solutions such as Bactine, Rubbing alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide.

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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.

   

  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.