|
| |
| Piercing
Aftercare |
| |
|
|
| |
Cleaning Instructions |
| |
|
1) WASH your hands
thoroughly prior to cleaning, or touching on or near your piercing
for any reason.
2) SALINE soak at least two to three times daily. Simply invert a
cup of warm saline solution over.
the area to form a vacuum for a few minutes. The longer you soak,
the better. For certain placements it may be easier to apply using
fresh gauze or a cotton ball saturated with saline solution. A brief
rinse will remove any residue.
3) SOAP no more than once or twice a day. While showering, lather up
a pearl size drop of the soap to clean the jewelry and the piercing.
Leave the cleanser on the piercing no more than thirty seconds, then
rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of the soap from the piercing.
4) DRY with disposable paper products such as gauze or tissues,
because cloth towels can harbor bacteria and catch on new piercings
causing injury. Pat gently to avoid trauma |
| |
What is Normal |
| |
|
- Initially: some bleeding, localized
swelling, tenderness, or bruising.
- During healing: some discoloration, itching, secretion of a
whitish-yellow fluid (not pus) that will form some crust on the
jewelry. The tissue may tighten around the jewelry as it heals.
- Once healed: the jewelry may not move freely in the piercing; DO
NOT force it. If you fail to include cleaning your piercing as a
part of your daily hygiene routine, normal but smelly
bodily secretions may accumulate.
- A piercing may seem healed before healing is complete. This is
because piercings heal from the outside in, and although it feels
healed the tissue remains fragile on the inside. BE PATIENT, and
keep cleaning throughout the entire healing period.
- Even healed piercings can shrink or close in minutes after having
been there for years! This varies from person to person; if you like
your piercing, leave the jewelry in place. |
| |
What to Do |
| |
|
- Wash your hands prior to touching the
piercing; leave it alone except when cleaning. It is not necessary
to rotate the jewelry while healing except possibly during cleaning.
- Stay healthy. Get enough sleep and eat a nutritious diet. The
healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to
heal. Exercise during healing is fine, just ?listen? to your body.
- Make sure your bedding is kept clean and changed regularly. Wear
clean, comfortable breathable clothing that protects your piercing
while sleeping.
- Showering is safer than taking a bath, because bathtubs tend to
harbor bacteria. If you would like to take a bath, clean the tub
well before each use. |
| |
What to Avoid |
| |
|
- Avoid undue trauma such as friction
from clothing, excessive motion of the area, playing with the
jewelry and vigorous cleaning. These activities can cause the
formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue, migration,
prolonged healing, and other complications.
- Avoid the use of alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Betadine, Hibiclens
or ointment.
- Avoid over cleaning. This can delay your healing and irritate your
piercing.
- Avoid all oral contact, rough play, and contact with others?
bodily fluids on or near your piercing during healing.
- Avoid stress and recreational drug use including excessive
caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
- Avoid submerging the piercing in bodies of water such as lakes,
pools, jacuzzis, etc. Or protect your piercing using a special
waterproof bandage* such as Tegaderm, which is available at
drugstores.
- Avoid all beauty and personal care products on or around the
piercing including cosmetics, lotions, and sprays, etc.
- Don?t hang charms or any object from your jewelry until the
piercing is fully healed. |
| |
Suggested Jewelry |
| |
|
Unless there is a problem with the
size, style, or material of the initial jewelry, leave it in place
for the entire healing period. A qualified piercer should perform
any necessary jewelry change that occurs during healing. See APP
website for ?Picking your Piercer? brochure.
- Contact your piercer if your jewelry must be temporarily removed
(such as for a medical procedure). There are non-metallic jewelry
alternatives.
- Leave jewelry in at all times. Even old, well-healed piercings can
shrink or close in minutes after having been there for years! If
removed re-insertion can be difficult or impossible.
- With clean hands or paper product, be sure to regularly check
threaded ends on your jewelry for tightness. (?Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey?).
- Carry a clean spare ball in case of loss or breakage.
- Should you decide you no longer want the piercing, seek
professional help in the removal of the jewelry and continue
cleaning the piercing until the hole closes. In most cases only a
small indentation will remain |
| |
Suggested Products |
| |
|
-Saline Solution: .9% sterile isotonic
solution of "normal saline" or prepared saline
-Liquid anti-microbial or germicidal soap for cleaning: Provon or
Satin or other fragrance free mild anti-microbial soap
-Waterproof bandage: Tegaderm, CleanSeals, Polyskin or other
breathable, non-water permeable wound sealant bandage |
| |
Suggestions for
Genital Piercings |
| |
|
- In most cases you can engage in
sexual activity as soon as you feel ready. Comfort and hygiene are
vital.
- During healing all sexual activities must be gentle. To increase
comfort and decrease trauma, soak in warm saline solution or plain
water to remove any crusty matter, prior to sexual activity.
- Use barriers such as condoms, dental dams, and Tegaderm, etc.* to
avoid contact with a partner?s bodily fluids, even in long-term
relationships.
- Use clean, disposable barriers on sex toys.
- Wash hands before touching on or near the piercing.
- Use a new container of water based lubricant.* Do not use your own
saliva as a lubricant.
- After sex, an additional saline soak or clean water rinse is
suggested.
- Prince Albert and Apadravya piercings can bleed freely for the
first few days.
- If using soap, urinate after cleaning any piercing that is near
the urethra. Each body is unique and healing times vary
considerably. If you have any questions, please contact your piercer. |
| |
Suggestions for Nipple
Piercings |
| |
|
The support of a tight cotton shirt or
sports bra may provide protection and feel comfortable, especially
for sleeping. |
| |
Suggestions for Ear or
Facial Piercings |
| |
|
- Use the t-shirt trick: dress your
pillow in a large, clean t-shirt and turn it nightly; one clean
t-shirt provides four clean surfaces for sleeping.
- Maintain cleanliness of telephones, headphones, eyeglasses,
helmets, hats and anything that contacts the pierced area.
- Use caution when styling your hair and advise your stylist of a
new or healing piercing |
| |
Suggestions for Navel
Piercings |
| |
|
A hard, vented eye patch (sold at
pharmacies) can be applied under tight clothing (such as nylon
stockings) or secured using a length of ace bandage around the body
(to avoid irritation from adhesive). This can protect the area from
restrictive clothing, excess irritation, and impact during physical
activities such as contact sports. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
