Caring For Your New Piercing

Once when you wake up, once before you go to bed. Be diligent about it, the first month is when consistency matters most.

The bottle should list exactly two things: sodium chloride (0.9%) and distilled water. Nothing else. That mixture matches your body's natural fluid balance. Make sure it's saline wound wash — not saline nasal spray, and not saline contact solution. And please don't try to make it at home.

Spraying saline over the piercing doesn't guarantee it actually reaches the fresh channel, and it can leave bacteria sitting on the jewelry. Soak a Q-tip and apply it directly to the area, then use the dry end afterward to wipe everything off. I compare it to washing your hands without rinsing the soap off, you have to finish the job.

Twisting creates micro-tears in the channel of skin your body is trying to heal, which restarts the healing process from the beginning. It also drives bacteria, dirt, and oils straight into the piercing. And always wash your hands before you touch it at all.

Moisture is one of the most common causes of irritation bumps. After showering or cleaning, dab gently with a dry Q-tip. If you use a towel, be careful not to snag the jewelry on the fibers. If you use a hair dryer, keep it far enough away that the titanium or gold doesn't get hot. The same goes for going to sleep with wet hair, sweating at the gym, or wearing headphones, anything that stops the piercing from breathing can cause problems.

Whether it's skincare or a full face of makeup, avoid the healing area as much as you possibly can. It's much better to overdo the caution than to be careless. Take care of this early and you'll be back to your normal routine before you know it — rush it and you could be waiting twice as long.

If you feel a third cleaning is needed, choose that moment carefully, and don't make it a daily habit. Cleaning too often washes away the beneficial bacteria your piercing needs to heal. Your job is to assist your body, not to take over for it.

Continuing to clean twice a day can actually dry the piercing out when it's healing perfectly well on its own. Move to once a day, or every other day. You'll know when it wants attention, it might feel tingly or hot, or you'll notice extra crust around the base of the jewelry.

When a downsize is due, follow the timeline I give you at your appointment. If the jewelry stays too long or too heavy for the stage you're at, it can cause trauma or send the piercing into reverse healing.

If you come down with the flu, don't be surprised if your piercing acts up, that often looks like needing to go back to a bar size from earlier in your healing, and a few more crusties than usual. If that happens and you're worried, message me or another piercer you trust. Over-cleaning is not the answer, and I'm always happy to help.

Something I often recommend for fresh or upset cartilage piercings is letting warm shower water run gently over the area to encourage blood flow. Cartilage has much lower blood flow than fleshier spots like an earlobe or an eyebrow, so it needs the help. The water shouldn't hit it aggressively or be hot enough to scald, it should never cause you more discomfort. And afterward, make absolutely sure no moisture is left trapped behind the piercing.

If you have a fresh oral piercing, wait an appropriate amount of time before resuming adult activities, and talk to your partner so you both understand the risk of starting too soon. I know most people won't wait the full six months, so wait as long as you can, then test the waters carefully and pull back at the first sign of pain or discomfort. Both your partner's health and your own oral health affect how this piercing heals. And I will never be upset to get a message about an adult situation, I just want to help, so don't hesitate to tell me what happened.

Avoid spicy foods, and anything very acidic, sugary, or yeasty. Gummy candy is worth avoiding too, it catches on a labret and snags.

Lipstick and chapstick can affect a fresh oral piercing, so avoid that area of your mouth and consider a more natural lip balm while you're healing.