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AftercarePiercing Aftercare – Look after Your New Piercing!A Normal Piercing May be tender, itchy, and slightly red or bruised for a few weeks. May bleed a little for the first few days. May secrete a whitish-yellow fluid (plasma) which crusts on the jewellery, this is not pus. May tighten around the jewellery as it heals, making turning somewhat difficult. Cleaning/Healing Process It is important to keep the piercing site clean and dry and undisturbed. Clean the piercing no more than is necessary to maintain cleanliness. Frequent cleaning may damage the delicate skin cells. If cleaning of the pierce becomes necessary then always wash hands well and dry thoroughly with a clean towel and then keep the site dry and clean. With an oral piercing, after eating, smoking or putting anything in the mouth, rinse with antibacterial mouthwash at a dilution of 50% -75% to avoid damaging new skin cells. It is also necessary to disinfect the piercing twice a day with warm salt water or a mild antiseptic mouthwash. Hot soaks and compressors, with the optional addition of 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt per cup of clean water are strongly suggested for navel piercing. Avoid wearing belts, tight trousers or restrictive clothing for about 6 months – 1 year. Changing and Removing Jewellery Everyone heals at a different rate. The average healing times for piercing, provided they are cleaned twice daily and treated like new healing tissue, are shown below. It is important to remember that even after the initial healing period; the piercing will still need one full year or longer to completely heal. Always treat the piercing with care and gentleness. ♦ Ears: 2-3 months ♦ Lip, Labret; 6-8 weeks ♦ Tongue: 4-6 weeks ♦ Cheek: 2-3 months ♦ Navel: 6 months to 2 full years ♦ Nipple: 2-6 months ♦ Genital piercing: 4-8 weeks Jewellery should not be changed during the initial healing (often at least 6 months). Clients should be advised to always wear the appropriate jewellery in the piercing, even when fully healed. The piercer should be contacted for further advice if removal of the jewellery is being considered on a temporary or permanent basis. There should be no attempt to increase the size of the piercing until it is completely healed. Such increasing should be carried out gradually by the insertion of progressively larger gauge sterile jewellery. No subsequent bleeding or tearing should occur. What to do in the Case of Infection: Infections are caused by contact with bacteria, fungi or other living pathogens. Piercing infections can usually be traced to one of the following activities: ♦ Touching the piercing with unwashed hands; ♦ Oral contact with the piercing, including your own saliva; ♦ Contact with hair, cosmetic, oils, infrequently washed bedding or other agents; ♦ Going into a pool, hot tub, lake, ocean or other body of water. The following are indications of infections: ♦ Redness and swelling; ♦ A sensation of heat at the piercing site; ♦ Pain, especially throbbing or spreading pain; ♦ Unusual discharge. It may be yellowish, greenish or greyish. While it is never inappropriate to contact the doctor a visit to the piercer may be as beneficial. Do not remove the jewellery as this may aggravate the problem by closing off the drainage for the discharge matter. You might consult the doctor regarding the use of oral antibiotics. Common Problems that can be Avoided ♦ Over cleaning, vigorous cleaning, or using a cleanser that is too strong can produce symptoms very similar to an infection. The skin may be very tender and appear shiny, and there may be a clear discharge. ♦ Friction caused by tight or heavy clothing or excessive movement of the area can cause dark redness, a hard growth of skin over he scar (keloids), discharge and rejection/migration. ♦ Stress, poor diet or illness can cause longer healing times or migration of the piercing. ♦ Occasionally, the selected jewellery may not be appropriate. This may or may not be due to circumstances that occurred after the piercing. If the jewellery is too thin or too heavy, too large or too small in diameter, or not the appropriate style, healing problems may be experienced. The piercer should be contacted if a change in jewellery is required.required. |