Aftercare
Cleaning Information
"Facial and Body Aftercare"
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Facial and Body
Always wash your hands thoroughly before cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason !!
SUGGESTED AFTERCARE
Wash Daily Clean with a mild fragrance-free liquid soap… Do Not Use Foaming Hand Soap.
Use to WASH HANDS before touching or cleaning your piercing. Apply 2 x daily, diluted with water, to clean entry/exit of your piercing. Rinse with running water.
AND Saline Soak / Compress daily
We highly suggest NeilMed Piercing Aftercare Sterile Saline Fine Mist.
Soak piercing for 2 minutes, 2 times daily and rinse with clean running water. Pat Dry the area.
Compress; soak clean gauze or a cotton pad in warm saline solution and apply gentle pressure to the piercing for 5 – 10 minutes, rinse with clean water and dry the area. Do not rotate the jewellery through the piercing. This can damage skin cells during healing.
Rinse site with clean water, gently dry with clean tissues.
Face Cloths and Towels can carry bacteria and snag on jewellery.
If no Neilmed Saline is available, a homemade solution may be used as a temporary regime. Non-iodised / Additive Free / Fine Grain Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon added to 250 ml boiled, warm water (do not use a stronger solution, this can irritate)
Each body is unique, and healing varies considerably.
Ice packs (make up pads soaked and frozen) held for 2 minutes on, 2 minutes off, 5 times against the external area will help reduce localised swelling.
•100% Pure Emu Oil can also be very beneficial. Apply a small dab to healing piercings twice a day. Apply to troublesome piercings as required. Ideal for massaging into earlobes or other piercings before stretching and reinserting jewellery.
Flesh Wound stock small bottles of Emu Oil.
What is Normal?
Initially, some bleeding, localised swelling, tenderness, or bruising. During healing, some discolouration, itching, secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid (not pus) that will form some crust on the jewellery. Do Not Pick at the crust…soften with warm water and use a cotton bud to remove the crusting.
The tissue may tighten around the jewellery as it heals. Once healed, the jewellery may not move freely in the piercing; do not force it. If you fail to include cleaning your piercing as part of your daily hygiene routine, normal but smelly bodily secretions may accumulate. A piercing may seem healed before the healing process is complete. This is because tissue heals from the outside in, and although it feels fine, the interior remains fragile. 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, keep jewellery in — do not leave it empty.
Small bumps may appear on some piercings, these are Hypertrophic , not Keloids. Often caused by being knocked or sleeping on the piercing. Warm Saline Compresses can reduce the bump. Do Not Pick, Poke or Squeeze.
No Pull Silicone Discs are designed to reduce these bumps and are available at Flesh Wound.
General Well Being:
Wash your hands before touching the piercing; leave it alone except when cleaning. During healing, Do Not rotate your jewellery.
Stay healthy; the healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to heal. Get enough sleep and eat a nutritious diet. Exercise during healing is fine; listen to your body.
Make sure your bedding is washed and changed regularly, keep pets out of your bed. Wear clean, comfortable, breathable clothing that protects your piercing while you are sleeping. Ensure pillowcases are clean and regularly washed.
Showers tend to be safer than taking baths, as bathtubs can harbor bacteria. If you bathe in a tub, clean it well before each use and rinse off your piercing when you get out. Maintain cleanliness of phones, headphones, earbuds, eyeglasses, helmets, hats, and anything that contacts the pierced area.
What to Avoid:
Avoid cleaning with Alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide, Teatree Oil, Studex, Methylated Spirits, Iodine / Betadine, Benzalkonium Chloride (BZK), and harsh soaps, as these will irritate the piercing and damage cells. Avoid antiseptic ointments as they prevent necessary air circulation and attract dust to the piercing. Avoid over-cleaning. This can delay your healing and irritate your piercing. Avoid undue trauma such as friction from clothing, sleeping on the piercing, excessive motion of the area, playing with the jewellery, and vigorous cleaning. These activities can cause the formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue, migration, prolonged healing, and other complications. 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 unhygienic bodies of water, eg the Ocean, Lakes, Swimming Pools, Hot Tubs, Or protect your piercing using a waterproof wound-sealant bandage (such as Tegaderm). These are available at most pharmacies. Avoid all beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing, including cosmetics, lotions, and hair sprays.
For Particular Areas:
Navel: A hard, vented eye patch (sold at pharmacies) can be applied under tight clothing (eg Pantyhose or Tights) or secured using a length of Ace bandage around the body (to avoid irritation from adhesives).
This can protect the area from restrictive clothing, excess irritation and impact during physical activities such as contact sports. Avoid waistbands on the piercing during healing.
Ear / Ear Cartilage and Facial: Particularly for Helix /Cartilage piercings, use a travel pillow or use a clean T-shirt rolled up into a crescent shape. Rest the pierced ear in the hole.
Use caution when styling your hair and advise your stylist of a new or healing piercing.
Nipple piercings - the support of a tight cotton shirt or sports bra may provide protection and feel comfortable, especially for sleeping.
Use barriers such as condoms, dental dams and waterproof bandages, etc to avoid contact with your partner's body fluids, even in monogamous relationships.
Genital piercings - Wash your hands before touching (or near) a healing piercing.
Prince Alberts, Ampallangs and Apadravyas can bleed freely for the first few days. Be prepared. Cover with a clean glove to contain any bleeding that occurs during daily activities.
Urinate after using soap to clean any piercing that is near the urethra. In most cases, you can engage in sexual activity (use condoms or barriers to prevent your partners body fluids contacting the piercing site) as soon as you feel ready but maintaining hygiene and avoiding trauma are vital; all sexual activities should be gentle during the healing period. Use clean, disposable barriers on sex toys. Use a new container of water-based lubricant; do not use saliva. After sex, an additional saline soak or clean water rinse is suggested.
Each body is unique, and healing varies considerably.
For any questions, please contact Flesh Wound.
Oral Piercings
ORAL PIERCING AFTERCARE
Always wash your hands thoroughly before cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason !!
Suggested Aftercare
Wash External Areas 2x Daily
Use a mild fragrance-free liquid soap…Do Not Use Foaming Hand Soap. Use to WASH HANDS before touching or cleaning your piercing. Apply to a cotton bud, 2 x daily, diluted with water, to clean the piercing and jewellery.
AND Sea Salt Soak / Compress daily
Soak: piercing for 2 minutes, 2 times daily and rinse with clean running water. Dry with clean tissues....
Compress: soak clean gauze or a cotton pad in warm saline solution and apply gentle pressure to the piercing for 5 – 10 minutes, rinse with clean water and dry with clean tissues. Avoid face cloths and towels as they can harbor bacteria and snag your jewellery.F
We highly suggest NeilMed Piercing Aftercare Sterile Saline Fine Mist.
If no Neilmed Saline is available, a homemade solution may be used as a temporary regime. Non-iodised / Additive Free / Fine Grain Sea Salt. 1/4 teaspoon added to 250 ml boiled, warm water (avoid a stronger solution, this can irritate your healing)
For Inside the Mouth (Tongue, Lip, Cheek).
Rinse mouth with salt water or mouthwash solution for 30 seconds, In the morning, after meals and at bedtime, approximately 4-6 times daily, during the entire healing period. Cleaning too often or with too strong a rinse can cause discolouration and irritation of your mouth and piercing.
1 - Sea salt mouthwash mixture: dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of non-iodised sea salt into one cup (250mls) of Boiled, warm distilled or bottled water.
or
2 - An alcohol-free mouth rinse.
For Outside the Mouth (Vertical Labret, Lip, Cheek) Always wash your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.
Clean exterior with mild, fragrance-free liquid soap. diluted with water and applied carefully with cotton-buds.
Soap no more than twice a day. Leave the cleaner on the piercing for no more than Ten seconds. Rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of the soap from the piercing.
Saline compress 2 times daily. Using NeiMed Piercing Aftercare Fine Mist Spray
Wet gauze or cotton pads with warm saline solution and hold direct contact for 5-1 0 minutes.
Rinse with clean running water and a cotton-bud to remove any crusty residue.
Do Not rotate the jewellery through the piercing.
Dry by gently patting with clean, disposable paper towels. Cloth towels can harbor bacteria and
snag on jewellery, causing injury.
What is Normal?
For the first few days to a week, significant swelling, light bleeding, bruising, and tenderness is common. After the first week, some swelling may remain, and light secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid (not pus) is also normal. A piercing may seem healed before the healing process is complete. This is because tissue heals from the outside in, and although it feels
fine, the interior remains fragile. Be patient and keep cleaning throughout the entire healing period. Even healed piercings may shrink or close in minutes after having been there for years! This varies from person to person; if you like your piercing, keep jewellery in — do not leave it empty.
Help Reduce Swelling
Allow small pieces of ice to melt in the mouth. Ice packs / Make up pads soaked and frozen) held (2 minutes on 2 minutes off 5 times) against the external area will reduce localised swelling. Eat cold foods or beverages for the first few days. Take an over the counter, anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen according to package instructions. Don't speak or move your jewellery more than necessary. Sleep with your head elevated above your heart for the first few nights.
Eating during Healing
Slowly eat small bites of food placed directly onto your molars. Avoid eating spicy, salty, acidic, or hot temperature foods / beverages for the first few days. Foods like mashed potatoes and oatmeal may stick to your mouth and jewellery. For tongue piercings try to keep your tongue level in your mouth as you eat. For labret piercings be cautious about opening your mouth too wide as this can result in jewellery catching on your teeth.
Jewellery and Maintenance
Once the swelling has subsided, it is vital to replace the original, longer jewellery with a shorter piece to avoid tooth and gum damage.
Refer to the dates on this aftercare sheet for when downsize is suitable. Because this necessary jewellery change occurs during healing, it should be done by a professional piercer. When healed, be sure to regularly check threaded ends on your jewellery for tightness (Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey). It can be useful to carry a spare, clean ball in case of loss or breakage. Contact Flesh Wound for a non-metallic jewellery alternative if your metal jewellery must be temporarily removed. Should infection be suspected jewellery should not be removed. If jewellery is removed the piercing channel can close and any infection can become trapped inside.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
Use a new soft-bristled toothbrush and store it in a clean area away from other toothbrushes. Brush your teeth and use your chosen rinse (saline or mouthwash) at least twice a day. During healing, floss daily and gently brush your teeth. Once healed, brush the jewellery thoroughly to avoid plaque build-up. For smiley piercings, electric toothbrushes are easier to use.
What to Avoid
Do not play with or chew your jewellery. Long-term effects include permanent damage to teeth, gums, lumpy scar tissue. Avoid undue trauma; excessive talking, this can cause migration, or other complications. Do Not Pick, Poke or Squeeze any piercing bumps, this can cause bacteria to enter healing channel and cause extra scarring.
No Pull Silicon Discs are designed to reduce these bumps and are available at Flesh Wound.
Avoid mouthwash containing alcohol. Avoid oral contact, including French (wet) kissing or oral sex, during healing (even with a long-term partner). Avoid chewing on tobacco, gum,
fingernails, pencils, and other foreign objects that could harbour bacteria. Avoid sharing vapes, cigarettes, plates, cups, and eating utensils. Try to reduce smoking - do a saline rinse afterwards. Avoid aspirin, alcohol, recreational drug use, and large amounts of caffeine if you are experiencing bleeding or swelling. Avoid submerging the healing piercing in bodies of water such as the ocean, lakes, or swimming pools. For exterior piercings such as lip and Cheek, avoid all beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing, including cosmetics, lotions, and hair sprays.
Stay Healthy
The healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to heal. Get enough sleep and eat a nutritious diet. Avoid stress where possible. Help healing and boost immunity by taking nutritional supplements daily, including zinc, iron, and B/C vitamins.
Each body is unique, and healing varies considerably.
For any questions, please contact Flesh Wound.