Piercing Aftercare 

Once you leave the studio it is your responsibility to take care of your new piercing.

This sheet will give you all of the information you need but if you have any questions or concerns at all please get in contact with us, we are happy to help! It is very common for fresh piercings to be red, painful and swollen - the area may even bruise!

This should gradually go down after a few weeks and taking anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen may help. The piercing is very likely to produce a cream/pink/clear or pale green discharge which forms a crust once dry, this is perfectly normal and will stop once the piercing is fully healed. This is whats known as lymphatic fluid and should not be confused as pus. Pus has a very strong odour with darkness in colour but lymph fluid does not. Please always remember to come back after 6-8 weeks for the downsizing of your jewellery for optimal healing.

Cleaning: To clean your piercing, you will need to purchase a sterile saline solution or spray (I would suggest the brand NeilMed). APP no longer recommends making your own saline solution as it is very difficult to get the ratio perfect and make it safe for a fresh wound. You will need to clean your piercing twice a day and you may need to clean it after certain activities such as exercising. Before cleaning your piercing, wash your hands thoroughly or wear gloves. You clean your piercing by spraying the solution directly onto the piercing area and loosening any build-up with a Q-tip .

Alternatively, you can spray/apply the solution onto the Q-tip and use that to gently clean the area. There is no need to twist or move the jewellery or ever remove it during cleaning or healing.

Avoid using anything other than a sterile saline solution or spray to clean your piercing, do NOT use rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or antibiotic ointments.

These will only irritate your piercing and prolong the healing process. Try not to touch or move your jewellery unless necessary and be very careful not to catch it when changing, showering, etc. Try to sleep on the opposite side of your piercing. Shared water such as the sea, swimming pools, jacuzzis and hot tubs should be avoided during healing. Body lotions and perfumes need to be kept away from the piercing until healed to decrease the chance of irritation and/or infection. Please seek help from a PROFESSIONAL PIERCER for all your piercing needs and help. Pharmacys etc are not fully trained in body piercing and can often offer the wrong information.

WHAT NOT TO DO 

After getting a piercing, avoid touching it with unwashed hands, rotating or twisting the jewellery, using harsh cleansers, swimming in public pools or bodies of water, and changing the jewellery too soon alone. Also, refrain from sleeping on the piercing, and avoid excessive alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine consumption, as these can negatively impact the healing process. 

 

 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

 

 

Things to Avoid:

 

 

  • Touching your piercing:
    Avoid touching your piercing with dirty hands, as this can introduce bacteria and lead to infection. 
     
  • Twisting or rotating the jewellery:
    Do not rotate or twist the jewellery.
     
  • Harsh cleansers:
    Avoid using harsh cleansers like alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or antibacterial soaps, as these can irritate the piercing and delay healing. 
     
  • Swimming:
    Avoid swimming in pools, hot tubs, lakes, and oceans until the piercing is fully healed. 
     
  • Changing the jewellery too soon:
    Do not change the jewellery before the piercing is fully healed, as this can disrupt the healing process and potentially cause the piercing to close. 
     
  • Sleeping on the piercing:
    Avoid sleeping on the piercing, as it can cause pressure, swelling, and incorrect healing angles. 
     
  • Submerging the piercing:
    Avoid prolonged submersion in any water source, including bathtubs, as it can introduce bacteria. 
     
  • Using ointments:
    Avoid using ointments, as they can prevent necessary air circulation. 
     
     
  • Excessive alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine:
    These substances can thin the blood and potentially hinder the healing process. 
     
  • Harsh personal care products:
    Avoid using makeup, lotions, or perfumes near the piercing, as they can cause irritation. 

 

Oral piercings 

 

 

Cleaning:

  • Rinse regularly: Use an alcohol-free mouthwash twice daily.
  • External cleaning: For lip and cheek piercings, use saline to soften any discharge, then gently clean the entry and exit points with a cotton bud or gauze dipped in the solution. 
  • Avoid picking: Do not pick at any discharge or crust that may form around the piercing. 
  • Dry gently: Use a clean paper towel to pat the area dry after cleaning. 

Things to Avoid:

  • Alcohol and smoking:
    Avoid alcohol and smoking for the first 24 hours, and minimize them during the healing process. 




  • Irritating substances:
    Avoid spicy, acidic, or sharp foods which can cause irritation and inflammation. 




  • Excessive movement:
    Avoid playing with or unnecessarily moving the jewellery during healing. 




  • Certain oral activities:
    Avoid kissing, oral sex, and activities that could snag the piercing, like using straws, for the first few weeks. 




  • Makeup and skincare products:
    Keep beauty products away from the piercing site, especially for lip piercings. 

    After getting a tongue piercing, it's crucial to avoid certain foods and drinks to promote healing and prevent complications. Spicy, salty, acidic, and hot foods and drinks, as well as hard or crunchy foods, should be avoided to minimize irritation and swelling. Additionally, it's best to steer clear of alcohol and smoking during the healing process. 

     

    Foods and drinks to avoid: 

     

     

     

      • Spicy foods: These can cause irritation and increase pain in the pierced area. 
         
  • Acidic foods and drinks: Citrus fruits can also irritate the piercing. 
     
  • Hot beverages: Drinks like coffee, tea, and hot chocolate can increase swelling and pain. 
     
  • Solid, crunchy foods: Foods like chips, raw vegetables, and hard candies can strain the piercing and increase the risk of irritation. 
     
  • Alcohol: Alcohol can thin the blood and potentially increase swelling and bleeding. 
     
  • Smoking: Smoking can introduce bacteria and delay healing. 
     

     

Choosing the Right Products

 

It’s critical to be mindful of the products you use while your piercing is healing. Many toothpastes and mouthwashes contain whitening agents such as hydrogen peroxide. While effective for brightening smiles, these ingredients can be too harsh on healing oral piercings and may cause significant irritation.

 

For this reason, we recommend switching to gentle, alcohol-free, and non-whitening oral care products during the healing process. As for toothpaste, opt for formulas that do not contain peroxide or whitening agents just check the ingredient list on the packaging.

 

Lastly, if you’re currently using at-home teeth whitening treatments, it’s best to pause until your piercing is fully healed to avoid further irritation.

 

⸻

 

By following these oral hygiene and product-use guidelines, you can greatly support the healing process of your oral piercing and reduce the risk of complications. If you have any concerns or symptoms during healing, don’t hesitate to reach out.

What saline do we recommend ?

 

The Product we recommend the most would be NeilMed. 

Simple, Effective, Sterile Saline

The formula is just USP‑grade water and 0.9% sodium chloride—no preservatives, no unnecessary additives. It’s exactly what medical professionals recommend for wound care  .

 

  • USP water + sodium chloride — proven clean & safe
  • Bag-on-valve design — maintains sterility and works even upside-down  

 

✅ 2. Fine Mist Nozzle for Precision

 

 

 

Unlike typical saline bottles, the fine-mist spray delivers a gentle, controlled application:

 

 

  • Gentler than stream sprays — avoids over-saturating or irritating the piercing  
  • More economical — a light “spritz” goes a long way, so the can lasts longer  

Where can I get this ? 




Most piercing studios will carry this however sometimes we run out of stock. However it can be purchased online also from many websites :) Link below ⬇️ 

https://shop.bodyjewellery.co.uk/products/neilmed-piercing-aftercare-sterile-saline-spray

There are other saline solutions that you can purchase from local pharmacies etc. However it must be only a two ingredient saline. With no additives or antiseptics present .