PIercing AFtercare

Firstly, congratulations on your new piercing! I hope you love it. This is a copy of your aftercare form for your body piercing.

Secondly, thanks for choosing to get pierced at Electric Tiger Tattoo. The scary part is over BUT you still need to take great care of your piercing throughout the healing process. The rest is up to you!
The success rate of healing is very dependent on you and how committed you are to following aftercare. If you neglect aftercare and mess around with your fresh piercing (playing with it and touching it) then your likelihood of complications are going to be much higher.

Whilst making salt water or using saline usually works great I really recommend buying a piercing spray, there is less cross contamination risk and It is easier so you are more likely to actually clean it 😊 NEILMED and PRONTOLIND are the ones I really recommend. Both equally as good as each other, you can buy both on amazon.

If you Choose to use salt water then instructions are below.

Twice daily: rinse your piercing out with clean water. Either in the sink or shower. Salt water is natural and a fantastic way to help heal your piercing. An egg cup sized amount of water from the kettle and a ¼ teaspoon of salt should do it. Do not over do the salt as it can cause dryness around the piercing and/or cause salt burns. 

If you have any stubborn ‘crusty stuff’ around the piercing, you can gently wipe it away with a cotton pad or bud. Use water that has been in the kettle to do this. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water first.


DOWNSIZE!
Not all piercings require a downsize but many do so make sure to check back in. Your piercing might have longer jewellery to accommodate for swelling during the initial healing. Afterwards, it's very important to come back and get shorter jewellery as your piercing is much more prone to getting irritated while the jewellery is too long. Also sleeping on the piercing when jewellery is too long may cause the angle to shift. Once it's downsized it will be much more comfortable AND look way nicer! Nobody wants an antenna poking out from their ear, nostril, lip etc!

Clean bedding can help prevent complications. A clean t-shirt over your pillow, changed regularly until your pillowcase is washed, is strongly encouraged for ear and facial piercings.

Travel pillows can help you avoid sleeping directly on your ear while healing an ear piercing. Sleeping on ear piercings before downsizing may cause the angle to shift and make your piercing sore from pressure. Don't sleep on it until you get shorter jewellery!

Stay healthy! The healthier you are the faster you heal. Eat well, drink lots of water, get plenty of sleep etc. If you're run down or sick you will take longer to heal your piercing.
If you're having any troubles:

Most problems are NOT infection. Often this is the first thing many jump to. Get in touch if you have concerns about your piercing. I'm always happy to answer questions.


When to Seek Medical Assistance:

While infection is very rare, it is crucial to contact a Doctor if you do have one. Things to watch out for are sudden onset of excessive swelling, excessive bleeding, discharge of bright yellow, green, or dark fluids. Some redness, swelling and discharge clear/light yellow) is normal, but excessive redness and/or red stripes coming from the piercing site are indicative of serious problems. Fever, upset stomach, dizziness, or vomiting may also be signs of infection. Should any of these symptoms occur, immediately contact a doctor. But don't worry as these are very rare occurrences if you follow aftercare

What to Avoid:

Avoid touching your piercing . This is the best way to get an irritated or infected piercing. Think about all the nasty stuff you might touch every day. Money, public transport, doors, handrails and pretty much everything in public places. If you need to touch your piercing for any reason make sure to wash your hands thoroughly first.

Do not remove your jewellery during the healing process. The only exception would be if required for medical reasons. Even healed piercings will shrink when jewellery is removed, potentially resulting in loss of the piercing.

Prevent makeup, health and beauty products, suntan lotion and other cosmetics from touching the piercing site or jewellery.

Do not rotate, twist, or turn jewellery while healing. This is like your piercing equivalent of picking at a scab!

That should cover most of it! However there is no such thing as a silly question. Don't hesitate to get in touch if you're unsure of anything, it's what I'm here for! I want your new piercing to heal as quickly and problem free as you do.