WARNING - Chemicals will not help your body to heal faster. Quite the opposite in fact. Chemicals of any kind will upset the balance within your newly forming cells and create a condition in which your piercing will heal tremendously slowly. (if ever.) DO NOT USE: Rubbing Alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide, Bactine®, Ear Care Solutions (or any other benzalkonium chloride solutions), or Antibacterial soaps (such as liquid Dial® or Softsoap®). Stay away from any and all active ingredients in daily-use products.
photo of the bearded lady
photo by: kinawilliams.com

Products You Can Use
How to Clean Your Piercing
What Else Can I Do?
A Normal Piercing...
Lips/Tongues/Labrets/Monroe
How Can I Tell If I Have an Infection?
I Think I Have an Infection. What Should I Do?
Common Problems You Can Avoid

Click here for a printable version of this info.

If you have questions not answered here, please contact me, Amiee (pronounced Ahmee): 413.586.0829, or beardedlady62@excite.com

Products You Can Use

  • Dr. Bronner's Baby Castille Proven Medicated Soap
  • Oatmeal Soap
  • Generic Saline Solution (for sensitive eyes only)
  • Olive Oil Soap
  • Sea Salt Mixture
  • Coconut Soap
  • Sodium Chloride
  • Glycerin Soap

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    How to Clean Your Piercing

  • Once you have a preferred soap, be sure to always wash your hands first before handling piercings!
  • You may find it easiest to do this in the shower for piercings below the neck. First let the water help you to remove any crusted matter, then apply soap gently topically to the piercing. Leave the soap on the surrounding area of the piercing for no more than 2-3 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Don't allow any residue to remain in the piercing.
  • If you want to clean the piercing without showering use a hot compress/soak (see below for instructions) or use saline solution for sensitive eyes contact formula and a q-tip to apply and clean the area.
  • Clean the piercing no more than 2-3 times a day. Cleaning more frequently may damage the delicate skin cells, and cleaning less frequently may invite an infection. When you're not cleaning the piercings, leave it alone.
  • Hot soaks, compresses, bathtub soaks: Add 1/4 tsp sea salt per 8oz., or roughly one cup of water. To soak, invert a cup of hot water over the piercing, forming a vacuum and soak for 5-10 minutes or make hot compresses with disposable paper towels or cotton balls for difficult soaking sites i.e. inner ear or nostril piercings. DO NOT use wash cloths. Bathtub soaks need to be done in a freshly cleaned tub with 2-3 cups of sea salt in very warm water and are great for all piercings. Rule of thumb: sea salt mixtures should taste no saltier than your tears. You can find sea salts in most health-food stores.

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    What Else Can I Do?

  • Know that a healthy mind, body and spirit can only help you in your healing process!
  • Many piercees have found that Vitamin C (3000 mg mineral ascorbate form) and multivitamins speed healing and regeneration of tissue.
  • Another option to include in the care of cartilage, lip and nostril piercings are chamomile tea compresses. To do so, brew a bag of chamomile tea and let the tea bag cool to bath tub temperature and apply as a compress to the piercing for 5-10 minutes.
  • Navel piercees should avoid wearing belts, tights, tight pants, or restrictive clothing for about 6 months. Let it breathe.
  • Avoid chemical products on all piercing sites. These may include, but are not limited to, cosmetics, shampoos and conditioners, sun tan lotions, moisturizers, hair gel and spray.

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    A Normal Piercing...

  • May be tender, itchy, or bruised for a few weeks
  • May be slightly red. Redness may persist for several months to a full year depending on the piercing.
  • May bleed a little for the first days.
  • May secrete a whitish-yellow fluid which may crust on the jewelry. This is lymph discharge.
  • May tighten around the jewelry as it heals, making turning when dry somewhat difficult - It's never gonna spin like a roulette wheel.

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    Lips/Tongues/Labrets/Monroe

    What to do:

  • Rinse your mouth with sea salt (Mix 1/4 teaspoon sea salt with 1 cup water) or Biotene® or Rembrandt® mouthwash for 30-60 seconds after you drink/smoke/eat or put anything else into your mouth for the first 4 weeks.

    What you'll need:

  • Sea Salt - mix 1 teaspoon sea salt to 4 cups of water or
  • Biotene® mouthwash or
  • Rembrandt® mouthwash
  • Ice for swelling the first 3-5 days with tongues. For external parts use the sea salt mix and apply using a q-tip or purchase saline solution like contact saline (not 3 in 1 or multi-purpose, because they contain detergents which can irritate) You might want to try Advil® or Alieve® (Ibuprofen) for swelling and soreness. Avoid hot and spicy foods. Hot drinks and salty foods can be irritating and make it swell more. No kissing or oral contact for at least 4 weeks.

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    How Can I Tell If I Have an Infection?

    While these symptoms may also indicate other problems, look for the following signs of infection. Also note that most irritations are not infections, but the result of excess friction, chemical irritation, or improper jewelry:

  • A sensation of heat at the piercing site
  • Pain, especially throbbing or spreading pain
  • Unusual discharge. It may be yellowish, greenish, or grayish.
  • Slight odor.

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    I Think I Have an Infection. What Should I Do?

  • DO NOT remove the jewelry! This may aggravate the problem by closing off the drainage of the matter.
  • Visit your piercer and show him/her the piercing. Also tell him/her about any circumstances which may have led to an infection.

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    Common Problems You Can Avoid

  • Over-cleaning or not following this after care sheet.
  • Friction caused by tight or heavy clothing, rough sexual activity, or excessive movement of the area can cause dark redness, keloids, discharge, and rejection/migration.
  • Stress, poor diet, or illness can cause longer healing times.
  • Occasionally, the selected jewelry may not be appropriate. This may or may not be due to circumstances that occurred after the piercing. Contact your piercer if you suspect that you may need different jewelry.

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