Piercing Aftercare

We own and run the Real Piercing Studio in UK - and are very serious about aftercare. Here is a quick guide to looking after your body piercing.

After a body piercing it is important that you look after it – Below are some general body piercing aftercare tips. Once you have read the general section please click on the link to find out how to deal with your specific body piercing.

Don’t touch your piercing until it is healed without first washing your hands with an antibacterial liquid soap. Nipple piercings, Navel piercings and some surface piercings should be dressed (covered with a low tack dressing) only during the first 6/10 hours, and at night for the first 4 nights only to prevent bacterial contact with your bed clothes and/or partner. All body piercings should be left dry, exposed to air and not restricted by tight clothing as this could lead to migration of the piercing, with the obvious exception of internal oral piercings.

Most piercings will secrete body fluid called lymph; this will dry in a hard deposit around the jewellery. It is an important to ensure that all the lymph is soaked off twice daily until your piercing has healed. We recommended using an antibacterial cleaning solution with arnica to speed up the healing for the first few weeks. After this, as the piercing begins to settle, a sea salt and water mix can be used however it is important not to use too much salt (one teaspoon of sea salt per full cup of cool pre-boiled water). You can start to clean your piercing on the first morning after you are pierced. The easiest way to clean the lymph from your piercing is to shower first; this will soften the lymph and enable you to remove it with a clean cotton bud. If you have been pierced with a ring you can start rotating the jewellery through the piercing (gently) after about two weeks. Please ensure that all external lymph has been completely removed from the ring before you rotate otherwise you will scratch the internal part of the piercing which will cause itching and discomfort.

Extra piercing aftercare tips:

1. A mild medicated, antibacterial soap like 'Provon' can be used after the first 2 weeks. About twice a week during showering you can apply a small amount this to the piercing and rotate the ring or move the bar to take some of this into the piercing, after washing the soap must be washed away carefully with luke warm water from the showerhead or a jug.
2. Sea salt can be added to your bath water to give your piercing a good soak.
3. Vitamin C, arnica, echinazia and zinc supplements can be taken orally to help boost your immune system. In turn this will reduce your risk of infection and speed up the healing time of your piercing.

Your piercer should be able to give you any information athat you need about aftercare, but we are always happy to help if not.