AFTERCARE INSTRUCTIONS
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How to clean your new piercing -
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What to use. Piercemed/Neilmed Sterile Saline Solution. Saline is isotonic, this means it neither over hydrates or dehydrates the skin to cause minimum disruption to the wound.
How often. Twice a day. Over cleaning will cause disruption to wound healing and under cleaning can lead to infection.
Wash your hands! You must wash your hands before and after you clean your piercing to prevent the spread of infection. If you do not wash your hands prior to cleaning, you will be actively transferring bacteria to the wound site.
How to apply it. Hold the canister a few inches away from the piercing and spray the exit wounds, front and back for a few seconds.
If any crusts have formed, soak a cotton bud with the spray and very gently remove them.
Drying your piercing. Once cleansed with sterile saline or after showering, you must gently dry the skin. Use lint free gauze or clean kitchen roll. Leaving your piercing damp can cause irritation bumps and will impede the healing process.
After cleaning ensure ends are tight as they can come loose with natural movement.
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​Do’s and Dont’s -
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Do check your jewellery is secure regularly. Threaded ends tighten to the right.
Do change your bedding regularly.
Do regularly disinfect any items that might come into contact with your piercing such as glasses, phones, headphones etc.
Do rest and eat vitamin rich foods. Drink lots of water, dehydration will slow and prevent wound healing.
Do wear clean comfortable or loose fitting clothing if covering the wound site.
Do return to the studio if you have any concerns, if you need to downsize or upsize your jewellery.
Do continue to clean your piercings weekly once healed, to remove the build-up of dead skin cells/cosmetics etc.
Do keep the area free from products and make up.
Do not leave your piercing damp. Dry gently after cleaning and showering with lint free gauze or clean kitchen roll.
Do not twist, turn or remove your jewellery. This will disrupt the formation of the new skin cells, delaying the healing and potentially causing an irritation bump.
Do not touch your piercing or allow others to touch your piercing. Handle only when necessary for aftercare with hands that have been washed thoroughly with warm soapy water.
Do not sleep on your piercing.
Do not submerge your piercing in unhygienic bodies of water such as pools, hot tubs, lakes etc. If necessary, use a waterproof wound sealant bandage, these work best for nipple/navel placements.
Reduce smoking and alcohol consumption, as these will slow down the wound healing process.
​Downsizing -
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Certain piercings will need the bar downsizing (this will incur a cost).
A downsize is very important as failure to do so can cause the piercing to heal at an angle. Too much room on the bar causes extra movement and can lead to irritation bumps. Times vary due to the piercing and how you heal. Guidelines are below.
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Helix - Flat - Conch - Tragus - Forward Helix - Bridge - 4/6 weeks.
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Snug - Anti Tragus - 8/10 weeks.
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Tongue - Lip - 1/2 weeks.​​
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Healing Times -
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All healing times are approximate, some people will take much longer than this.
It is very important that your piercing is fully healed before you change the jewellery. Do not change your jewellery before the minimum time stated below.
Check with us before changing your jewellery if you are unsure. Don't change your jewellery regularly within the first 12-18 months as the new scar tissue is fragile. Guidelines are below.
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Lobes - 3/6 months.
Nose - Lip - Septum - Bridge - Eyebrow - 4/6 months.
Helix - Flat - Conch - Tragus - 6/9 months.
Daith - Rook - Forward Helix - Navel - 9/12 months.
Industrial - Snug - Nipple - 12/18 months.
General Information -
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Your piercing will be tender. Bruising and/or bleeding can occur. During the healing period you may experience any of the following - itching, localised pain and swelling, discharge of a clear or cloudy fluid, crusting on the jewellery caused by the discharge.
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In rare occurrences (usually if it has been knocked) swelling may exceed the length of the bar and a longer bar will need to be fitted. Contact us as soon as possible if you suspect this. In the meantime, cold compresses and (if it is safe for you to do so) anti-inflammatory tablets may help to bring the swelling down.
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Piercings are very slow healing wounds. We ask a lot of our body when we ask it to heal a wound with a foreign object in it! Complications can occur at any time and are usually nothing to be worried about, but do need to be addressed. Please contact us at any time if you have concerns. Complications will be minimised by the following the correct aftercare.
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