Aftercare

Aftercare of your piercing is of great importance. It can greatly affect the healing time.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the instructions you are given are strictly followed.

The most common problems are caused by:not following the aftercare advice given, touching the piercing with unwashed hands, not cleaning the piercing often enough, changing or removing the jewellery too soon or soap/shower gel or shampoo coming into contact with the piercing.

                      CARING FOR YOUR PIERCING

A piercing is a wound. You should expect tenderness, swelling and possibly bruising, bleeding and itching. A natural part of the process for healing any wound includes the secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid called plasma. This fluid will dry and form a crust around the piercing and jewellery. Do not pick this off with your fingernails. It can be removed during routine aftercare or by using an antibacterial soap whilst bathing or showering.  You should always wash your hands thoroughly before handling the piercing or jewellery. Do not touch the piercing for at least 48 hours. Try to keep the piercing as dry as possible during the healing period. If excessive swelling occurs on any piercing and it looks like the jewellery is tight you should come in and see us and we will fit a more appropriate size of jewellery. 

                                                                  SALT WATER SOLUTION

We suggest that you use a salt-water solution to clean your piercing during the healing process.  Use one part salt (preferably sea salt) to 10 parts water. Put salt into a small pot and add boiling water.  Leave it to cool down for a few minutes and then it should be ready for you to use.  Never apply hot solution to the skin.

                                                            HOW TO CLEAN YOUR PIERCING

Soak the piercing with salt water for 1-2 minutes to soften any dried discharge. This can be done by either holding the pot over the piercing to form a vacuum and leaning back or by dipping a cotton bud or cotton wool into the solution and applying it to your piercing. Then you should clean around the piercing and jewellery with a cotton bud. Finally, use a clean tissue to dry the piercing. You should clean your piercing 2-3 times a day until it has fully healed.

Check that the balls on your jewellery are tight at least once a day.  You should do this for the duration of your piercing, not just for the healing period.

                                                        DO’S AND DON’TS DURING HEALING

DO NOT stretch, pick or pull the piercing.

DO NOT subject the piercing to any form of dirt, oral contact or other bodily fluids.

DO NOT remove the jewellery to clean it.

DO NOT change the jewellery until the piercing is healed.

DO NOT try to enlarge the piercing.

REMEMBER: Smoking and drinking excessively, ill health, tiredness, stress, worry and poor
diet will cause a delay in the healing time.

DO try to get at least 8 hours sleep every night.

DO try not to sleep on your piercing as this can cause irritation and may prolong the healing process.

DO check that any balls on the jewellery are tight at least once a day.

DO come back if you have any problems.

There is not an exact time limit for a piercing to heal as we are all individuals and everyone's body heals differently.
 

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Harlow Piercing Studio
9a Adams House
East Gate
Harlow
Essex
Tel: 01279 414115

Enquiries@piercing.co.uk

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