General Piercing Aftercare
Rejected Products
Basic Aftercare for Soft Tissue and Cartilage Piercings
Basic Aftercare for Oral Piercings
Interesting Piercing Myths
Tattoo Aftercare
Aftercare certainly varies from piercer to piercer. After your piercing at Enchanted Ink, we provide verbal and written after care tailored for you, your life style and your piercing. We have carefully formulated our aftercare after years of experience in the medical profession, clinical practice, lots of experience and common sense. It's simple to do. Your piercing is not an infection; it's a piercing.
After lots of research, we have found what works best for soft tissue, and cartilage is non-iodized sea salt mixed with water and a really good soap. For oral piercings, we recommend the sea salt and a non-alcohol based mouth rinse. The only soaps we endorse as really good are: Enchanted Ink Castile Soap®, Provon® or Satin®. Any other soap we consider to be inferior. Your body will do a really good job at healing if you don't provide a whole lot of other gunk that only interferes with the healing process.
We like the sea salt because it is natural, mild and has about 80 different minerals that are wonderful for healing. The warmth also helps to increase circulation to help your piercing heal. You can certainly pick your own soap brand, but we carry our own label of castile soap that has just the right ingredients for your piercing. Whatever you choose to do, use the seal salt and stay with one soap. No mixing and matching. Castile soap is mild and will not dry your tissue, as harsh antibacterial soaps will. Other soaps we recommend are soaps like Provon Medicated Soap®. Ivory®, or Basic Bar® are fine, but inferior to the others mentioned. If the soap stings a bit, dilute it 1:1 with distilled, sterile, or bottled water. Non-antibacterial soaps and those without perfumes and alcohol work best. All you need to do with the cleaning process is to remove the secretions that have dried on your jewelry. That would be the crusty stuff. That's all.
There are many products that meet the no-no list. Here are some of those products and why not to use them:
- Alcohol: This is way too drying. Those tiny, delicate skin cells are trying hard to grow to make a tunnel for your new piercing. Don't dry them out.
- Anti-bacterial Soaps: These products are too drying. Also, we use too many anti-bacterial products in our society. These products kill off germs without discrimination. They can kill off some of the good germs that help keep the bad germs in check.
- Bactine®: First off, read the label. Products such as this are not to be used in puncture wounds or in deep wounds. A piercing meets that description. This product is intended for use on superficial wounds, like scrapes. Many people are sensitive to products that contain BZK or BAK[1]. They are incompatible with some soap and are ineffective against killing some bacteria that cause infections.[2]
- Betadine: Too drying. This hasn't been used directly in wounds for a very long time. It is for external use only.
- Hibiclens®: This product is too harsh and overly drying.
- Hydrogen Peroxide: This chemical destroys protein, which is the basic building block for skin cells. Think about what it does to hair.
- Listerine® or Scope®: Any alcohol based mouth rinses are too harsh on your piercing. Remember what alcohol does?
- Neosporin®, Bacitracin®, or other products (such as Vaseline®) that contain petroleum jelly: These are not advisable. We recommend no ointments of any kind. Your piercing needs air to heal. These products inhibit air from getting to the piercing. Because of this, they can also create a host of other problems.
- Oils, such as tea tree or lavender: These essential oils are too harsh for a piercing. There are different qualities of essential oils. The cheap ones are really not good to use on anything. The cheapie products can really cause much harm to your tissue or simply don't work. We have seen the results of the piercing and surrounding area following the use of some of the oils. Some of the oils are meant to treat infections. You don't have an infection. You have a piercing. If you suspect infection, come by and see us so we can assess the problem for you. Don't cause another problem by using the wrong product.
Basic Aftercare for Soft Tissue and Cartilage Piercings
First off, wash your hands with soap and water. You should never touch the piercing with anything other than freshly washed hands. Otherwise, you are introducing a lot of nasty bacteria to your piercing. It is not necessary to pick at the piercing with your fingernails. The soaking and washing process will take care of this. You may also gently remove the crust with warm water and your favorite cotton swab if necessary. Wash your hands after touching your piercing as well. No body wants your cooties. So, don't share.
For the first two weeks do aftercare on your piercing twice a day. In the morning and again at night usually works fine. More than twice a day is not good for the piercing.
Dissolve 1/4-teaspoon non-iodized sea salt[3] in 8 ounces of hot, bottled, sterile or distilled water in a glass container. (Pyrex® for instance.) Don't use plastic because it's porous. That means it can harbor bacteria. Don't use more than the recommended amount of sea salt or you could dry out your piercing too much. Soak the piercing first with the sea salt water. Whether you make a compress for it or soak it with a small glass of sea salt water be sure the item you are using is clean. If you are not going to wash the piercing right after soaking it, go ahead and rinse the sea salt solution off when done soaking it.
If your piercing is in ear cartilage (Daith, Rook, Cartilage, Conch, etcetera), then we recommend that you alternate ice packs with the sea salt soaks for the first three days. We have found this to help heal cartilage piercings more efficiently. A bag of frozen vegetables works great. (Just leave them in the bag!).
The next step is to wash with soap and warm water. Some people like to do this part in the shower. Be sure to remove all of the crust from the jewelry. If the crust is stubborn, use a cotton swab. Do not pick at it with your fingernails. After removing the crust, gently move the jewelry in the piercing and then rinse it well to remove the entire soap residue. Never force jewelry to move in the piercing (especially when it is dry). You will damage it. Avoid getting other soaps you use to bathe with into the piercing. If you do, don't panic. Just be sure to rinse the piercing out very well. After two weeks, cleaning your piercing once a day is fine.
Nostril piercings are a little different for aftercare. You may not want to wash your nostril or septum piercing in the shower. DO be careful not to snag the jewelry on the washcloth. For cleaning nostril or septum piercings, don't use the soap on the inside of your nose. That membrane in there won't like that. Clean all the crust off of the inside with salt water and a cotton swab. When you are cleaning the nostril jewelry, be sure to push the stem up from the inside with an unused cotton swab. Use a cotton swab to clean real well under the bead of the jewelry on the outside.
Just remember that it is normal for piercings to flare up now and then. You can go back to cleaning twice a day if your piercing gets irritated. If your piercing just doesn't seem right, we will be happy to assess it for you. If you choose to go see a physician, remember that not all physicians are piercing friendly. S/he may not be familiar with how to treat a piercing. If you like, we can recommend a piercing friendly physician who can assist you.
Normal Things to Happen
It is not unusual for a fresh piercing to bleed for about the first 24-36 hours. It may also sting, or burn a little, be bruised, swell a tiny bit, feel uncomfortable, or feel itchy. Things like that are to be expected. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories work well to help reduce swelling and alleviate discomfort. Examples of products that fit that description would be something containing ibuprofen or aspirin[4]. You may take either unless your physician has directed you otherwise.
You may notice a whitish to creamy discharge after about the first week. No, it's not pus. (Pus is yellow, green or grey.) This is lymphatic drainage, dead cells, a little bit of blood and is your body's garbage remover. It is just taking care of business for you.
After your piercing heals, you may notice a thicker peculiar smelling, white substance called sebum. In the piercing world you may hear it called: " body butter" or "body goo". It is from your oil glands, nothing to worry about. You will notice it more in larger gauge piercings because of more piercing surface area.
Things to Keep in Mind
When you decide to get a piercing, don't shop around for the cheapest price. This is not something to bargain hunt for. Piercers who offer cheap piercings are cutting corners on something else ...like your health and safety for instance. It is important that inferior grade metal (costume jewelry) not be used in any piercing. Your body can have a serious reaction to it. Don't take the risk. If something doesn't seem right to you, don't have the piercing done at that particular business or place. It's also not a good idea to have a friend poke a hole in you and jam a piece of jewelry in. I am sure s/he means well, but s/he is really not doing you a favor. So, do yourself a favor and pay a reputable, professional piercer to do it correctly. That's why we are here.
To assist with the healing process for the first few weeks, we recommend that the piercee take a multivitamin containing vitamin C and Zinc or take Vitamin C 1000 mg three times a day and Zinc 60 mg once a day for women or 120 mg a day for men.
The starter jewelry should not be changed for the first 3 months for most piercings. The exceptions are earlobes and oral piercings. That jewelry can be changed in about 6 weeks. The only deviation is if there is problem with the piercing, then we will consider changing the jewelry sooner. You are welcomed to consult with us to assess the problem. If you like your piercing, don't take out your jewelry as recommended. The fresher the piercing, the quicker it can close. We will be happy to help you with your first change out. Then we can assess your piercing and teach you how to continue care for your piercing and change your jewelry.
Be sure to check the beads on the jewelry a few times a day. Righty tighty, lefty loosey for screw on beads. The best time to check is when you do your cleaning ritual. (Be sure your hands are clean!)
There are about three different overlapping phases of healing for the new piercing. Healing takes more than just a few days or weeks. The first part of healing will take about 3 months for most piercings. Biologically, it will take the next few phases anywhere from about 6 months to 20 or 24 months[5] to create the thickened, toughened tunnel of flesh for the piercing.
If you have to have a medical or dental procedure, an examination or a medical test that needs to be done, come see us before hand. We will place monofilament or a non-metal retainer in the piercing to hold it open for you.
Some of the things that can cause harm or delay healing are: stress, bad nutrition (You need the nutrition to heal, so don't skip meals.), smoking, alcohol consumption and recreational drugs.
Do not touch your piercing or let others touch it. If you do, you're inviting a problem. Do not wear tight or constrictive clothing or accessories (like belts) that keeps hitting the jewelry. You will irritate your piercing.
Do not use bandages. The tape from a band-aid can tear up your skin or the band-aid may press the jewelry into your skin. Bandages can also interfere with air circulation. If you play sports, we do recommend that you apply an eye patch or a few cotton balls over the jewelry. Tape that down, but be careful to not press the jewelry into your skin. This will help pad your jewelry and protect your piercing. Alternate where you place the tape so your skin doesn't get torn up from the tape.
No soaking the piercing in lakes, rivers, streams, hot tubs, bathtubs, oceans, and etceteras for the first several weeks. Chlorine found in pools and hot tubs and bacteria found in other open bodies of water can cause serious problems for your fresh piercing. If you like to soak in the tub, all the grime and bacteria has to go somewhere. Guess what's in the tub water you're bathing in?
Dirty sheets are not o.k. Do your piercing a favor and change your sheets and pillowcases. If animals sleep in your bed, you may need to change your sheets more frequently. Do not allow someone's body secretions or saliva (spit) come in contact with your piercing until it is well healed. Avoid rough play. Exercise is o.k. as long as it is not hurting your piercing. For any ear piercings, avoid contact with phone receiver. Hold the receiver away from your ear. Be careful combing, brushing or styling your hair.
Keep hair products away from and out of your piercing. Hair spray, dyes, gels, perfumes, shampoo, conditioner or any other chemical can irritate your piercing badly. Avoid squeezing your nose hard when you blow it. Your jewelry will act as a pressure release valve and you will end up blowing mucus up into the piercing. Colds, hay fever and allergies are not piercing friendly. Beef up cleaning the inside with sea salt water or saline nose spray (for instance Ocean Nasal Spray®).
Wherever the piercing is, if the activity hurts, ease up or stop doing it. It's a good idea to listen to your body. No, you don't have to stop having sex following a genital piercing. But even in monogamous relationships it is a good idea to have protected sex for the first few weeks after having a genital piercing done. Give your body a chance to do some healing. Water based lubricants are fine to use. Condoms are a good idea for penetration (toys or penile) or oral sex. A food wrap (like Saran Wrap®) or dental dams for oral sex are fine as well.
Basic Aftercare for Oral Piercings
Wash your hands with soap and water before doing your aftercare. Anytime you put your hands in your mouth, please wash your hands when you're done. Don't share whatever is in your mouth.
There will be basically three types of rinses for you to focus on during the first 2 weeks.
Biotene® or Tech 2000® are non-alcohol based products we highly recommend. Rinse with one capful twice a day to clean your piercing. After two weeks, stop. Over use of mouth rinses can cause harm to the natural flora in your mouth.
Dissolve 1/4-teaspoon non-iodized sea salt in 8 ounces of hot, bottled, distilled or sterile water in a glass container. (Pyrex® for instance.) Don't use plastic because it's porous. That means it can harbor bacteria. Don't use more than the recommended amount of sea salt. If you have high blood pressure or heart problems, consult with your physician before using salt water. Otherwise, use warm water. Just don't add the salt. Take a mouth full of solution; hold it in your mouth to bathe the piercing. Swishing it around and gargling won't help your piercing. Hold the solution in your mouth for a few seconds and spit it out. Go through the whole 8 ounces. Do this 3 to 4 times a day for the first 7-10 days.
The most important rinse: Water. Every time something goes in your mouth besides water including smoke of any kind, rinse with water when you're done. We recommend that you should do this for an oral piercing for however long you have an oral piercing. This helps to keep food from getting lodged into the piercing.
Normal Things to Happen
The piercing may bleed on and off for the first 24-36 hours. You can also expect peak swelling in about 36 hours. Then it gradually goes away. If the swelling is still filling the jewelry after 3 days, come see us to assess the piercing.
You will notice a whitish drainage. It is perfectly normal and part of the healing process. It will not crust because it is in a moist place. For the tongue, you will notice this more on the bottom than the top because of gravity. If you smoke, the drainage in your mouth will be yellow tinged.
Your lymph nodes under your jaw may get tender during the first few days. This is normal for 1-4 days after the piercing.
You may have a slight speech impediment following the tongue or lip piercing. Usually you notice it more so than anyone else. This happens generally for 2 reasons: 1. Guarding. Ow. And 2. Your brain recognizes something foreign is in the mouth. So, the response is to make you speak as though you have something in your mouth that you might inhale. Then the brain gets used to the idea that the object in your mouth is going to stay and you aren't going to inhale it. Usually when your brain gets it, you speak normal again. This usually takes less than an hour.
Increased salivation is also a normal thing to expect. There are tons of salivary glands in the mouth. Most of the time the salivation decreases with time. Again, your body gets the clue that the jewelry is now a part of you.
Things to Keep in Mind
Oral piercings are tricky. You definitely want an experienced person to do it. There are nerves, blood vessels and ligaments that are not to be pierced. There are documented cases when piercers didn't know what s/he was doing and messed up. The piercer should be familiar with anatomy and the correct metal to use for piercings. Substandard (costume) jewelry can lead to severe swelling. If your tongue, for instance, has bad jewelry in it and you have a reaction and your tongue swells up too much, it can block your airway. Not good, huh? Cheap piercings may end up costing you more than you bargained for. It pays to go to someone who knows what s/he is doing. Don't have a friend do it at his/her home for you. It is worth it to pay someone to do it correctly. That's why we are here.
To assist with the healing process for the first few weeks, we recommend that the piercee take a multivitamin or Vitamin C 1000 mg three times a day and Zinc 60 mg once a day for women or 120 mg a day for men.
Typically the initial jewelry is a little longer for oral piercings to allow room for swelling. To protect your tissue, teeth and gums, we recommend that you come by for us to help you change the jewelry in 4-6 weeks. That's plenty of time for the swelling to subside. When lip rings are placed too tightly around the lip, the lip can split.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like aspirin or Ibuprofen are okay to take unless your physician has told you not to. For oral piercings, it is particularly wise to take either of these about an hour before you eat a meal. This will help reduce discomfort so you can eat. Never dissolve aspirin in your mouth.
Eating may be tricky, but it is important. You need the nutrition to heal. For the first few days, we recommend a soft diet. Avoid foods that require big bites or a lot of chewing. If spicy foods bother your piercing, avoid them for the first few weeks.
With clean hands, check the bead(s) on your jewelry a few times a day. It's a good idea to check the beads first thing in the morning, after meals and before you go to bed. Wash your hands when you're done messing with it.
If you have an oral piercing that is in your mouth and on the outside of your mouth, also follow the directions above for soft tissue aftercare.
The inside of your mouth has lots of salivary happenings. Therefore, plaque may form on your jewelry. After the first three months, we recommend that you remove the jewelry to clean it, then, at least once a month do the same. A toothbrush and toothpaste will clean it well.
Deep kissing or oral sex is not recommended for several weeks following the piercing. You don't want someone else's germs in your fresh piercing.
Jewelry in your mouth can cause damage to your teeth and gums. Oral problems are very expensive. To help avoid chipping or breaking your teeth, follow our recommendation for a shorter piece of jewelry after that first 4-6 weeks. Come see us, we'll help you change it.
If you decide to get a larger bead for your tongue jewelry, stay with the smallest one possible for the bottom to avoid chipping your bottom teeth or eroding the gums. When gums are gone, they don't grow back.
We do not recommend an oral piercing if you are a candidate for any type of oral surgery. You will have to remove the jewelry for the procedure.
If you have braces, that's enough metal in your mouth. Your teeth will be shifting during the orthodontics. A piece of jewelry only adds to complications.
We do recommend that you see a dentist at least twice a year to be sure that all is groovy on the inside of your mouth.
If you have heart problems, check with your physician prior to getting an oral piercing. There have been documented cases of serious problems.
If it is required that you take antibiotics before getting your teeth cleaned, check with your dentist or physician prior to getting an oral piercing.
Myth: If you drink beer after a tongue piercing, you can get a yeast infection.
Truth: The yeast infection usually occurs from overuse of mouth rinses. Too much mouth
wash or rinses can kill off the germs that help keep the yeast in check.
Myth: Milk will curdle in your tongue piercing.
Truth: This probably came from someone who didn't know what the white stuff was in the
tongue piercing. No, it isn't curdled milk. That's gross. It is lymphatic drainage helping to clean your
piercing.
Myth: Eating meat will cause a piercing infection.
Truth: If you got sick from eating the meat, something was wrong with the meat.
Myth: Following a genital piercing, you have to wait 6 months to have sex.
Truth: Oh, my. Now who came up with this one? For the first 2 weeks, must have protected sex.
Myth: If you pierce your navel cartilage, you'll die.
Truth: There is no cartilage in the navel. It is soft tissue. No, you won't die.
Myth: If your tongue is too short for a piercing, the piercer can clip the ligament so
you can be pierced.
Truth: This is just stupid. Do not allow anyone other than a licensed physician who is
experienced in frenulectomies do this procedure.
Myth: If you want a nose screw, you have to start with a ring.
Truth: This is not true. Now. Do you know just how big that ring will have to be? The
piercer should measure your nose so as to be sure the jewelry is the correct length for your nose. One
size does not fit all. The same rumor was circulated about navel piercings. We have seen many bad navel
piercings because of this. Don't let someone mess up your piercing.
Myth: Nostril piercings can be done with guns.
Truth: Nope, this is so not right. We do not advocate the use of piercing guns for
any piercing. We don't use them on anything. You can't sterilize them. You can change out the cartridge,
but you can't really sterilize the gun. ...and there is no such thing as "cold sterilization". The jewelry
used in the gun is typically costume jewelry. Piercing guns were invented to pierce earlobes. So, the studs
are meant to go into earlobes. Did you want your nose cartilage pierced, too? We have seen some pretty bad
piercings and infections as a result of piercing guns. Do not let someone pierce various body parts with a
piercing gun. It is certainly not intended for navels, nipples, cartilage, noses or any other piercing.
Myth: If the ear cartilage is pierced wrong, it can cause paralysis.
Truth: No. Not even close to true. If ear cartilage is not pierced right, it can sure mess
up your cartilage, though.
Myth: Women do not have to remove jewelry from genital piercing(s) when giving birth.
Truth: Jewelry should definitely be removed prior to birth incase of an emergency. Mom sure
doesn't want any other tears because of the jewelry, either.
Myth: If a woman has her nipples pierced, then she will not be able to breast feed.
Truth: There are roughly 30 milk ducts. About 10% get pierced. Yes, she can breast feed.
(Be sure to remove the jewelry!) There are some women who will have a lot of mechanical stress to the
piercing. If this happens, scar tissue can develop and occlude the milk ducts. Should this happen, then
it will be very difficult to breast feed. The chance of not being able to breast feed is very slim.
Myth: When a piercing is done, the needle removes a plug of tissue.
Truth: Nah. The piercing needle is about 2 inches long, hollow and has a lacet-point.
It is tri-beveled, razor sharp and looks very similar to the hypodermic needles used at your doctor’s
office or in the hospital. When the piercing is done, an incision is made that resembles a crescent. The
larger the needle, the larger the crescent. If you want a plug of tissue removed, that would be done with
a dermal punch. This is a surgical procedure and unless your piercer has “M.D.” behind his or her name,
you might reconsider having that done.
If you've heard any rumors, get in touch with us. We'd love to hear them.
[1] Benzethonium Chloride (BZK) and Benzalkonium Chloride (BAK).
[2] Association of Professional Piercers: The Point; Issue 12, 1999.
[3] Non-iodized sea salt can be found at a local health food store or in the spice section of the grocery store.
[4] Studies have shown that products containing Ibuprofen help reduce inflammation.
[5] Noses and certain parts of the ear are cartilage and take up to 24 months to be totally healed.
Tattoo Aftercare: Spider's Rules for a Healthy, Happy Tattoo
1. Leave the bandages on for no less than 2 hours, and no more than overnight.
2. Remove the bandage in the shower (to keep it from sticking), and wash it gently with soap and water. NO WASHCLOTHS, just your fingers! Anti-bacterial soaps are too harsh. Use a mild soap, ok?
3. Apply a good lotion (No aloe. No alcohol. No dyes. No perfumes.) to the tattoo 3 or 4 times a day, more often if necessary. (If it feels dry, lotion it!) We recommend Lubriderm® or Curel®. Ask your artist if you are unsure.
4. NO PICKING! NO PEELING! NO SCRATCHING! (NO KIDDING!) Peeling, flaky, itchy skin is a part of the normal healing process. If you pick, or scratch the healing tattoo, you will damage the delicate new skin cells and thus the tattoo itself. Keep it well lotioned, and let those cells do their thang!
5. NO SOAKING! (Hot tubs, bathtubs, swimming pools, saunas.) For at least 2 WEEKS. The longer you can stay out, the better. Keep showers quick and to the point.
6. Avoid tight clothing or anything that might irritate the healing skin. Elastic waistbands, bra straps, or anything that rubs up against the tattoo can do big time damage, so DON'T WEAR THEM until you have healed!
7. And remember: NO SUN for 2 weeks! After that, ALWAYS use sunscreen.
