What to Know About Piercing Aftercare

So you have decided to get a piercing (or two) and we could not be more excited for you. All the piercings done at Vivid Ink are done with the highest grade titanium jewellery. This means that long-term allergies or other complications are highly unlikely to occur. However, as with any wound, a piercing needs care and attention to heal nicely and properly without any risk of infection.

The piercing itself is done in a flash, really, with some potentially lingering minor tension and pain. However, the real work begins when you walk out the studio doors and are left to your own aftercare devices. It is imperative that you listen to your piercer how you should go about caring for yourself and your new piercing, to avoid any risk of infection. 

No touching!

Do not touch your piercing randomly while it is healing! The only time you will touch it is when you clean it, and never do that without first making sure to clean your hands. Then gently lather the area around your piercing and the jewellery itself with a fragrance, dye, and triclosan-free soap for about 30 to 60 seconds. Rinse thoroughly afterwards to remove all trace of soap from the piercing. Then dry the piercing by gently patting with clean and disposable paper towels. Cloth towels can both harbour unwanted bacteria, and catch on the jewellery. 

Do not remove your jewellery while the piercing is healing. The hole may shrink, making it much more difficult, or even impossible, to get the jewellery back in, and then you’d have to start all over again. 

What to expect while your piercing is healing

During the healing process, it is entirely normal to experience some minor bleeding, bruising or swelling of the pierced area. There may also be some tenderness, itchiness, or general discomfort along with redness for a few days after the procedure. There can also be a white-yellowish fluid secreting from the wound – this is not pus – which will dry up and become like a crust. 

A piercing may seem healed to the naked eye before it actually is. Make sure to listen to your piercer when they tell you the expected healing time for the one you have chosen, as they differ significantly – anything from four to six weeks for a tongue piercing to up to six months for a navel or industrial, or even a year for a Tygon surface piercing. They can also go through various stages, where the healing process seems to regress for a while. If you have any doubts on whether or not your piercing is fully healed, go see your piercer. 

While it is healing, you also want to avoid the piercing getting into contact with other people or their bodily fluids. You also want to avoid getting lotions or makeup on it, as well as getting into pools, hot tubs, lakes or rivers. Salt water is fine. But most importantly, while taking all the precautions in the world – don’t forget to enjoy your new piercing. Show it off, and buy jewellery you will want to wear once it is healed.