General instructions for piercing care and cleaning.

Slacking off on your aftercare or using harmful products will only prolong your discomfort and the healing process. Be sure to see your local SHOP if redness, swelling, or extended fluid continues to discharge from your piercing.

1. NEVER touch a healing piercing with anything but your own freshly washed hands.

2. All oral and genital piercings must be kept to themselves until fully healed.

3. Wash external piercing with soap and water three to five times a day to remove buildup. Rinsing with a Listerine/water mixture can be used to clean and sanitize oral piercings. Sea Salt (1 tablespoon sea salt per 8oz. water mixed thoroughly) should be used to soak and cleanse all piercings at least three to five times a day. Table salt is NOT an acceptable substitute for sea salt.

4. NEVER use :

Hydrogen Peroxide - Hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria, but it also kills the white blood cells attempting to heal your piercing. It can cause irritation and lengthen overall healing time.

Rubbing Alcohol - Alcohol will dry the skin and irritate the raw piercing, which could actually lead to infection.

Glyoxide - This is a product that contains hydrogen peroxide and hinders healing rather than aiding it.

Ear Care Solution - Solutions that are provided by jewelry boutiques and department store piercers usually contain alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and other harmful chemicals that only aggravate a new piercing.

Ointments - Antibacterial ointments or similar products only clog pores and/or kill good cells trying to heal the piercing.

5. Acceptable Solutions :

Tea Tree Oil - This soothing liquid cools and refreshes an irritated piercing. Use only high quality tea tree oil that has been diluted with distilled water.

Emu Oil - A universal healing product that has been discovered to also produce exceptional results when healing a piercing.

H2Ocean - Most do report excellent healing results with this product.

Saline Solution - Less expensive and more available than most other products, saline solution is very effective in soothing and healing a new piercing. It's also an acceptable substitute for sea salt soaks.

Cloth towels, especially those that have been already used, can harbor germs and bacteria. It is safest to use a disposable paper towel. Other products such as gauze, napkins, etc. can also be used. If you must use a fabric cloth or towel, make sure it is clean from the laundry. Don't use band-aids on a healing piercing. They limit air circulation and the adhesive can irritate the surrounding area.

6. Some tenderness or discomfort in the area of a new piercing is not unusual. You may feel stinging, burning, aching or other unpleasant sensations off and on for several days or longer. During healing there may be some itching. Secretion of a fluid which contains blood plasma, lymph and dead cells is perfectly normal. It is fairly liquid, whitish-yellow in color and forms a crust on the jewelry at the openings of the piercing. This is not pus, but indicates a healing piercing. Tightness is normal. Do not expect jewelry to swing freely in most body piercings, even after they are thoroughly healed.

Daily Care – Naval, Nipple, Surface and Ear
Clean with soap and water several times a day, removing buildup. Loose clothing should be worn for the first few days to avoid irritation. Submerge the piercing in a cup of sea salt solution for 5 minutes three to five times a day. For your ear, use a cotton swab or ball to soak your piercing. Avoid playing with the jewelry until healed. People with long hair should keep it up and away from the fresh piercing.

Daily Care – Oral Piercings ( tongue, labret and lip )
Do NOT smoke! Avoid all oral contact until piercing is fully healed. Listerine mixture should be used between and after every meal. Again, sea salt is the best all around healer and should be used liberally and around the mouth.

Daily Care – Below The Belt
These piercings should be cleaned several times a day with soap and water. Soak three to five times a day or more if desired in sea salt solution. If irritation occurs after the use of any cleaning solution, discontinue use and consult your physician or piercer. Loose clothing should also be worn the first few days of healing as well.