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.   Rinse with saline to 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 with saline to remove all traces of the soap from the piercing.

4. DRY with disposable paper products such as gauze or tissues.   (Cloth towels can harbor bacteria and catch on new piercings causing injury.)   Pat gently to avoid trauma.

CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSIDE THE MOUTH

• Rinse mouth 4-5 times daily with cleaning solution for 30-60 seconds after meals and at bedtime during the entire healing period.   If you over clean, it may cause discoloration or irritation of tongue.   (Use either Antimicrobial or antibacterial alcohol-free mouth rinse or sterile saline solution.   If you have high blood pressure or a heart condition, please check with your doctor before using a saline product inside the mouth as your primary cleaning solution.)

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.   Piercings typically heal from the outside in.   BE PATIENT, and keep cleaning throughout the entire healing period.   Healed piercings can close in minutes even if you’ve had the piercing for years.

WHAT TO DO

• 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 playing with the jewelry and causing undue trauma.   Excessive talking or playing with the jewelry during healing can cause the formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue, migration, and other complications.   With oral piercings - long term effects of playing with and clicking jewelry against teeth can result in permanent damage to teeth and mouth.

• Avoid any mouthwash containing alcohol.   It can irritate the area and delay healing.

• Avoid oral sexual contact including French (wet) kissing or oral sex during healing (even with a long term partner).

• Avoid chewing on gum, tobacco, fingernails, pencils, sunglasses, etc.

• Avoid sharing plates, cups, and eating utensils.

• Avoid smoking as it increases risks and lengthens healing time.

• Avoid stress and all recreational drug use.

• Avoid any aspirin or alcohol, and large amounts of caffeine.

• Avoid submerging in bodies of water such as lakes, pools, etc.

Hints and Tips

Jewelry

• Leave jewelry in place for the entire healing period.   A qualified piercer should perform any necessary jewelry changes.

• 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.

• If an infection is suspected, quality jewelry should be left in place to allow for drainage of the infection.

Maintain good oral hygiene

• Use a new soft-bristled toothbrush and keep it clean.
• Brush your teeth, and use your chosen rinse (saline or mouthwash) after every meal.
• During healing floss daily, and gently brush your teeth, tongue and jewelry.   Once healed, brush the jewelry more thoroughly to avoid plaque buildup.

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