Piercing Aftercare

Here, we will help guide you into different options of aftercare, for your piercings and tattoos. We will give you previews with descriptions, as well as, providing you with links to more research. We hope this helps!

What to Expect: Fresh Piercing

In separate margins, you will see message inserts from outside sources. These are trusted sources that talk about piercing care and what to expect. Each message will be titled with the business name and a link to the website, where the quote can be found, is attached under each quote, in the color blue.

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.

Initially: some bleeding, localized swelling, tenderness, or bruising.
During healing: some discoloration, itching, secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid that will form some crust on the jewelry. The tissue may tighten around the jewelry as it heals.
A piercing may seem healed 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.
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.

https://safepiercing.org/aftercare/

The first step to caring for your piercing is choosing a qualified piercer. Choose an experienced piercer in a licensed studio.

Once you have your new piercing, keep it looking and feeling good by following these aftercare tips from board-certified dermatologists.

Leave your jewelry in your new piercing for six weeks or more, even at night. Removing your starter jewelry too early may cause the piercings to close.
Keep clean:
- Always wash your hands before touching newly pierced areas. This helps prevent infection.
- Gently wash your piercings with a mild, fragrance-free cleanser and water at least once a day. This, too, helps to prevent an infection.
- Thoroughly rinse your piercings after washing them. You want to thoroughly rinse away the soap. Be sure to avoid getting water in places like your ear.
- Avoid cleaning your piercing with hydrogen peroxide or antibacterial soaps, which can damage your healing skin.
Using petroleum jelly that comes in a squeeze tube, gently apply a thin coat around each opening. You always want to use a squeeze tube because it will prevent you from transferring any germs that may be in an open jar to your piercings. The petroleum jelly will keep the piercings moist. A moist wound heals faster.
Keep an eye on your piercing. If the skin around your piercing gets sore, red, or puffy, or a hole oozes yellowish liquid, you may have an infection. If any of these don’t go away quickly, see a board-certified dermatologist. If the skin around your piercing becomes raised, you may be developing a type of scar called a keloid.

If you feel a keloid developing or have questions about caring for your piercings, partner with a board-certified dermatologist.

https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/tattoos/caring-for-pierced-ears

Follow these tips to help your piercing heal:

Clean both the front and the back of the piercing twice a day.
Wash your hands well before touching your piercing.
Make sure the earring backing is secure, but not too tight.
Avoid touching your piercing when you’re not cleaning it.
Stay out of pools and hot tubs until it’s healed.

In the past, it was recommended to rotate your piercing regularly. It was said that would keep the jewelry from sticking to your skin. That’s not recommended anymore.

“It’s better to wait until the healing process is well underway, which may be weeks to months, before purposefully spinning a piercing,” Dr. Thompson clarifies. “A piercing is essentially a puncture wound. And the more it’s disturbed, the more it can complicate the healing process.”

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-to-expect-when-getting-your-ears-pierced

You can wash your piercing with either a saline solution or with soap and water. Whichever you choose, you will first want to wash your hands thoroughly. It's important not to introduce any bacteria to the piercing because it's an open wound that is vulnerable to infection. So it's crucial to never touch your piercing or jewelry with dirty hands.

If you want to go the DIY route, you can whip up your own saline solution by boiling 2 cups of water (covered) for 15 minutes, then allowing it to cool and adding 1 teaspoon of salt. Or you can also buy saline solution from the drugstore or from your piercer—they usually have it on hand for you to purchase after your new piercing appointment.

"Wet a gauze pad with saline solution and hold it on the piercing site for 10-15 minutes. I recommend opting for a sterile saline solution, like what is used for contact lenses," says dermatologist Dr. Hadley King. Just don't squeeze the piercing too tight while you're holding the gauze to it, and make sure to be gentle so that the gauze doesn't get wrapped around the jewelry.

First, saturate a cotton ball with warm water, and gently wipe away any "crusties" that have gathered around the piercing site. If you have a scab, do not pick at it. Toss the cotton.

Next, apply a generous amount of unscented liquid soap to your fingertip, and apply it to the piercing site and jewelry. Make sure you get the soap everywhere, but rotating your jewelry is not necessary as long as you work the soap around the piercing and jewelry completely. If you do rotate the piercing, this could introduce bacteria from the jewelry into the wound, causing irritation or even infection. "It’s incredibly important to avoid manipulating the area and the jewelry which can cause microtears in the skin and prevent adequate healing," says dermatologist Rachel Nazarian. In other words, it's best to just clean the piercing and jewelry thoroughly without actually moving it.

Rinse the piercing and jewelry several times with warm water, ensuring that all soap has been removed. Dry your piercing with a clean paper towel.

https://www.byrdie.com/body-piercing-aftercare-new-piercing-care-to-common-piercing-problems-4077438

A piercing makes an opening in a part of the body where you can wear jewelry. All piercings carry a risk of health problems developing afterward. Those risks include:

Allergic reactions. Some jewelry used with a piercing can cause allergic reactions. That's especially true for jewelry made of nickel.
Skin infections. An infection can cause redness, pain and swelling after a piercing. A fluid that looks like pus also may come out of the pierced hole when there's an infection.
Other skin problems. Piercing can lead to keloids. Keloids are raised areas on the skin caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue.
Mouth concerns. Jewelry worn in tongue piercings can chip and crack teeth. Jewelry also may damage the gums. Tongue swelling and inflammation after a piercing may affect chewing, swallowing and sometimes breathing.
Diseases spread through blood. If piercing equipment has infected blood on it, you can get diseases that are spread through blood. Examples include hepatitis B, hepatitis C and tetanus.
Tearing or trauma. Jewelry in piercings can get caught and torn out accidentally. Those injuries may need stitches or another type of repair.

You might need medicine or other treatment if you develop an allergic reaction, infection or other skin problems near the piercing.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/piercings/art-20047317

There are different types of tissue in different parts of your ear. How long it takes to heal depends on your body and the place you've pierced.

Ear piercings heal from the outside rim of the wound inward. So, you may think your ear piercing has healed, but what’s inside may still be fragile and need more time to heal.

Earlobes usually take 6 to 8 weeks to heal. If you pierce the cartilage on the side of your ear, it can take 4 months to a year. Ask your piercing professional for an estimate.

You should clean the area around your piercing two to three times a day. Follow these steps to clean the skin:

Wash your hands with soap and water before touching your ears.
Use a saline solution spray labeled for use as a wound wash. Your piercing professional may recommend a specific cleanser. Spray the area thoroughly.
If you want to use soap and warm water to wash the area, choose a gentle, fragrance-free soap. Make sure to rinse the area well.
Dry the area with clean or sterile gauze or cotton swabs.
Use the gauze or swabs to gently remove any crusty buildup.
Don’t use rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antibacterial soap, or homemade saline solutions which can dry and irritate the skin. This can increase the healing time of your piercing.
Avoid twisting or twirling the ear jewelry, which may irritate your wound.

https://www.webmd.com/beauty/ear-piercing-what-you-should-know

Piercing Aftercare Products

Best Piercing Aftercare Products

According to 'Destine':

Anti-bacterial Soap
Wound Wash
Saline Spray
Baby Dove Sensitive Skincare Wash
H2Ocean
Organic Skin Oils
Base Laboratories Keloid Bump Removal
Ointments

-Destine, Piercer

According to 'Byrdie':

Acceptable Healing Aids and Products

If you want to take your cleaning routine further than just soap and water, these products can help keep your piercing nice and clean.

Emu Oil
H2Ocean:
Saline Solution
Ointments

What Products to Avoid

Hydrogen Peroxide
Rubbing Alcohol
Glyoxide
Ear Care Solution

New piercings and sometimes irritated piercings might benefit from a sea salt soak. This simple remedy is meant to soothe pain and draw out infection.

https://www.byrdie.com/body-piercing-aftercare-new-piercing-care-to-common-piercing-problems-4077438

According to 'Beauty Insider':

https://beautyinsider.sg/best-piercing-aftercare-sprays/

According to 'MSN':

Studex After Piercing Lotion
Keiko Beauty Piercing Aftercare
PIERCEMED Piercing Aftercare Spray
Base Laboratories Keloid Bump Removal
EasyPiercing Antibacterial Body Piercing Aftercare
The Aftercare Company BPA Piercing Aftercare Formula
TattooMed After Piercing Spray
NeilMed Piercing Aftercare Fine Mist Spray Wound Wash
Prontolind Spray
Briotech Topical Skin Spray
Piercing Mania Piercing Care Package

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/other/best-piercing-aftercare-products-that-help-clean-and-soothe/ar-AA1AMdwJ

What to Expect with a Fresh Piercing: According to AI

According to Google AI Overview:

With a fresh piercing, expect some redness, swelling, tenderness, and mild bleeding or crusting from clear/whitish fluid, but do not pick at it. It's essential to avoid harsh chemicals like alcohol or peroxide and keep the area clean with a mild cleanser and water. You will likely need your jewelry "downsized" after the initial swelling subsides, so follow up with your piercer for this. Patience and continued care are crucial, as the exterior may seem healed long before the interior fully heals.

According to Google AI Overview:

Normal Symptoms

Swelling, Redness, and Tenderness:A new piercing is a wound, so initial swelling, redness, and tenderness are normal.
Discharge and Crust:A clear, whitish-yellow fluid will discharge and dry on the jewelry. This is lymph, a normal part of the healing process, and it forms a crust. Do not pick at it, as it's a sign of healing.
Itching and Discoloration:Itching and some bruising or discoloration around the piercing are common as your skin regenerates.

According to Google AI Overview:

Essential Aftercare Steps

Keep it Clean:Wash your hands thoroughly before touching the piercing.
Gentle Cleansing:Gently cleanse the piercing once or twice a day with a mild, fragrance-free cleanser or sterile saline solution.
Rinse Thoroughly:Rinse the area well to ensure all soap and cleanser is gone.
Jewelry Management:Do not remove the jewelry during the initial healing period. However, you will need to return to your piercer to have the initial, longer jewelry downsized once swelling subsides to prevent irritation.

According to Google AI Overview:

Things to Avoid

Harsh Chemicals:Do not use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or other harsh disinfectants, as they can irritate the wound and slow healing.
Over-Cleaning:Cleaning more than once or twice a day can also cause irritation.
Touching or Rotating Jewelry:Avoid touching, rotating, or moving the jewelry.
Submerging the Piercing:Keep the piercing out of pools, baths, and oceans.
Beauty Products:Avoid getting makeup, hair products, or other cosmetics on or around the new piercing.
Picking:Never pick at the crust or dried fluid around your piercing.

Piercing Aftercare

What to Expect: Fresh Piercing

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.

​

Piercing Aftercare Products

Best Piercing Aftercare Products

According to 'Destine':

According to 'Byrdie':

According to 'Beauty Insider':

According to 'MSN':

What to Expect with a Fresh Piercing: According to AI

According to Google AI Overview:

According to Google AI Overview:

According to Google AI Overview:

According to Google AI Overview: