Recommended Aftercare
WHAT IS NORMAL?
Intially, with all piercings you can see some bleeding, localized swelling, experience tenderness, or bruising.
During the healing process, seeing some discoloration, the piercing being itchy, having secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid that will form some crust on the jewelry are all totally normal and expected!
A piercing may seem healed well before the healing process is actually complete. This is because this type of wound will heal from the outside to the inside. Although it may feel fine on the outside, the interior could still be fragile. Be patient, and keep the piercing clean throughout the entire healing period. For most piercings, healing time is anywhere from six months to a year!
Once healed, the jewelry may not move freely in the piercing; do not force it. Cleaning your piercings as part of your normal hygiene routine can help them stay clean and avoid having normal, possibly smelly, secretions accumulate.
TIP: Piercings, even healed ones, can shrink or close in minutes, even 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.
CLEANING
We recommend to wash your hands prior to any cleaning or touching of your piercing.
Spray your piercing with the e11ement solution provided to you or use some form of a sterile saline to clean.
We recommend using warm moving water (ex. in the shower) to aide in the removal of piercing crusties. If this doesn’t remove them all, gently use a moistened cotton swab to remove the build up.
Remember it is best to avoid moving the jewelry in the piercings as much as possible during the healing process.
It is also recommended to have a downsized piece of jewelry installed roughly 6-8 weeks after the initial piercing.
WHAT TO AVOID
Avoid cleaning with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antibacterial soaps, iodine, or any harsh products.
Avoid Bactine®, pierced ear care solutions, and other products containing Benzalkonium Chloride (BZK).
Avoid undue trauma such as friction and pressure from clothing, excessive motion of the area, playing with the jewelry, and vigorous cleaning. Avoid all oral contact, rough play, and contact with others’ bodily fluids on or near your piercing during healing.
Avoid submerging the piercing in bodies of water such as lakes, pools, oceans, hot tubs, etc. Or, protect your piercing using a waterproof transparent film dressing. These are available at most pharmacies and are ideal for nipple, navel, and surface piercing placements.
**Most of these instructions come from the APP website!