Body piercings have become very popular as a form of body modification. Where other forms of body modifications are permanent, body piercings can be taken out when the piercee
is no longer interested in it. However the goal to being pierced is to heal it, and wear it happily.
Healing times for body piercings will vary from one person to the next, and from one piercing to the other.
To heal a piercing successfully you must never touch or pick at your new piercing with unclean hands.
Always wash your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial soap before touching your piercing, this means before cleaning the piercing also.
Most piercings will require cleansing two times a day as instructed by your piercer and as follows.
1. Always follow your piercers instructions. If your piercer gives you the information it's up to you to adhere to it. By not following instructions you may infect the piercing. And by following instructions it eliminates much of the need for your piercer to do his or her best to get to the origin of your problem.
2.Wash your hands thoroughly.
3. Wet a cotton swab with warm water and wipe away gently any crusting or scabbing that may be on the jewelry and surface around the jewelry.
4. Choose a cleaning product. In the past you may have been instructed to use anti bacterial soaps, and or bactine. However we try and keep our clients updated with the most current, and best information. There is a certain amount of bacteria in the body that is crucial to the body healing itself and your new piercing. Unfortunately anti bacterial soaps and bactine cleanse too effectively killing not just harmful bacteria but good bacteria as well. So if you choose to use them, use them cautiously.
The best cleansing agent is a simple saline solution. Saline cleanses effectively and mildly and does not harm the body when ingested so rinsing is not necessary as it is with soaps and bactine. Remember also, that all soaps are anti bacterial to a certain degree when lathered for 30 seconds or more and rinsed under warm water. So if you choose to use a soap product avoid antibacterial soaps and simply later a small amount in the palm of your hand and cleanse the area gently with your finger tips or cotton swab and thoroughly rinse when cleaning is completed.
Do this two times a day until the crusting stops, when the crusting stops clean once a day.
DO NOT remove the jewelry to clean the piercing.
It is important during the healing time of your body piercing that you stay out of hot tubs, public pools, and bath tubs. All of these harbor a lot of dangerous bacteria that may cause your piercing to become infected. Hot tubs and pools contain not only bacteria but harmful chemicals and are to be avoided for at least 2 months after getting your new piercing.
Tongue piercings will swell a great deal after the procedure. The first 3 days are commonly the worst for the swelling. To combat swelling it is good to keep cold fluids on the tongue, ice water, ice cubes, popsicles etc. all work well to keep the swelling down, ibuprofen may also be used every 4 hours as well to minimize the swelling. If you have allergies to ibuprofen DO NOT use it.
In the first month it is important that you do not engage in tongue kissing, oral sex, also avoid hot and spicy foods, and hot teas and coffee.
Use an anti septic mouth wash once in the morning, once in the evening before bed and after any meal. It is important to dilute the mouthwash with water. Half water, and half mouthwash works well.
Be careful eating, biting down onto the ring will cause pain and possibly tearing. Do not drink from a straw for the first month as the suction will cause tearing at the unhealed piercing.
It is not unusual to see a yellowish white ring on both the top and bottom of the tongue during healing time, this is the tongues way of scabbing and forming scar tissue as it?s healing.
Healing times are generally as followed if piercings are taken care of properly.
Lip piercings 2-3 months
Nostril 3-12 months
Tongue 4-6 weeks
Navel 3-8 months
Eyebrow 2-3 months
Nipple 2-3 months
Cartilage piercings vary from 3-12 months depending on depth of piercing.
Female genital piercings typically 8-14 weeks
Male genital piercings 3-6 months
It is important to urinate after cleaning genital piercings as this will allow any cleaning solution remaining on or in the piercing to be expelled. It is very important to avoid oral contact with any genital piercing. It is necessary to use an oral damn if oral contact occurs. Males need to wait until any and all bleeding stops before performing, and should not engage in rough sex. Females may engage in sex, but again be careful and gentle, it?s important not to tear the tissue during the healing process.
If you think you have an infection it is important that you do not remove the jewelry. Once you remove the jewelry from an infected piercing the infection cannot be treated, both entry and exit of the piercing will scab and the infection remains inside causing excessive healing time and scarring. If you have an infected piercing contact your piercer immediately.
Signs of infection are
1. Extreme swelling and redness at the piercing site.
2. Feverish and hot piercing site.
3. Excessive greenish yellowish discharge.
Do not use alcohol or peroxide to cleanse your piercings with. Both of these products will over clean the area, cause excessive dryness and eat away at good healing tissue.
Do not use ointments of any type on your piercing. Ointments have a petroleum base and is not water soluable. This means that once it gets inside of the body that it will remain inside of the body trapping in harmful bacteria as the body cannot break it down and get rid of it.
Keep make up off of facial piercings, also keep tanning products off of the pierced area. Tanning however is not harmful to piercing and in some cases is beneficial.
Saline Recipe; 1 tsp of Sea Salt and 8 oz of distilled water. Both items can be found at your grocery store, the salt in the spices isle. Mix salt with water shake until dissolved.
Any questions or concerns regarding your piercing, please call
Off the Wall @ 1-616-786-9273 or email
