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A Beginner's Guide to Piercing Aftercare:
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO KEEP YOUR PIERCINGS HEALTHY
When talking about aftercare, it is important to understand that the method does not heal piercings, it encourages and promotes an optimal environment for our bodies to heal. It is important to find an aftercare spray like Neilmed, which is made with a sterile saline solution, to encourage your piercing to heal and avoid irritation. Neilmed is Isotonic, meaning it is ideal for sensitive skin. Using an aftercare spray with preservatives and harsh chemicals (such as alcohol) can cause skin irritation and prevent proper healing.
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To create the optimal healing environment for your piercing we recommend following these four easy steps.
STEP ONE: SHOWER
Step number one is to take a shower. When you are in the shower, don't put soap directly onto the area just let the water flow nice and gently over your new piercing.
This will help clean your piercing without causing too much irritation. Do not touch or twist your piercing, the water will be enough to remove any crusties.
STEP TWO: DRY YOUR EAR
Once you've hopped out of the shower, grab yourself a clean gauze or a makeup pad. You can find these from your local grocery store or pharmacy. Without directly touching your piercing, gently pat the area around your piercing to get rid of any excess water.
Try not to press directly onto your piercing. Makeup pads are ideal because they don't have too many loose fibres that can hook onto your piercing and cause irritation. Make sure your ear is as dry as possible before moving on to step three.
STEP THREE: SPRAY YOUR AFTERCARE
Now that your ear is dry, grab your aftercare spray. We recommend using Neilmed, it is available at your local skin Kandy store or online at skinkandy.com. Remove the cap and point the nozzle at your piercing.
If your piercing is on your ear, make sure to move your hair out of the way. You want to make sure you hold the bottle close enough to your piercing that the spray will cover the area. However, do not touch your piercing with the spray bottle. Anywhere between five and ten centimetres is ideal.
Once in position, press down on the nozzle and spray your piercing. Make sure the spray covers your piercing. Resist the urge to drown your piercing in the spray. Once you have sprayed your piercing, make sure to place the cap back on your aftercare to keep it sterile.
STEP FOUR: DRY YOUR EAR
Similar to step two, grab another clean makeup pad and without directly touching your piercing, gently pat the area around your piercing to get rid of any excess water. Remove as much of the excess moisture as possible without irritating your piercing. You want to make sure you keep your piercing dry to avoid any bacteria that might develop in moist environments.
Crucial Tips
Never touch a fresh or healing piercing, including sleeping on it, or causing any sort of movement or pressure (eg. glasses, helmets, tight clothing, masks etc.) Clean your new piercing twice daily with sterile saline solution and do not remove the jewellery for any reason unless instructed by your piercer or a medical professional. Avoid soaking or submerging the piercing in any bodies of water (including the ocean and pool) for the entire healing period.
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Finished your aftercare steps?
Here are some frequently asked questions from our customers.
Many piercings can be downsized to slightly shorter, sterile jewellery from a minimum of 6-8 weeks after the initial piercing (from 2 weeks for oral piercings). Please consult your piercer before changing your jewellery.
It’s important not to go too small too quickly, and to avoid changing jewellery freely until the piercing has fully healed. Downsizing is important because ill-fitting jewellery can hinder the healing process and cause irritation from the friction of the jewellery moving around.
Remember that everyone is different, and lifestyle (things like sports, pets, diet, headphones, certain medical conditions etc.) can affect the timeframe for proper healing. If you accidentally sleep on the area, the pressure can cause the piercings to migrate. Many piercings can fully heal within 3-6 months, others may take up to 12 months or longer.
It's important to find the underlying issue (eg. piercing placement, jewellery quality, whether it's being touched or bumped etc.) and make sure it doesn't continue. You can visit your nearest SkinKandy clinic for a free check-up, where one of our professional piercers can advise you on what steps to take.
While we take due care and follow the highest infection control standards to ensure your piercing is off to a great start, the role you play in the healing process is super important too. It's normal for a new piercing to be a little bit red, swollen and sore within the first few weeks and what you are experiencing may be a very normal part of the healing process.
If you think you have an infection, leave the jewellery in and visit a doctor straight away for a proper diagnosis. Removing the jewellery can result in an abscess, so it's important to keep the channel open to allow drainage. You can visit your nearest clinic for a free check-up, where one of our professional piercers can advise you on what steps you can take.
It’s good to continue to clean your piercing right up until it has healed. Even after healing, you may want to continue to clean it regularly as your body will constantly produce natural oils that can occasionally become smelly!
Any bodies of water (including the ocean, pool and fresh water rivers/lakes) have the potential to contain bacteria or harsh chemicals that can harm your piercing and lead to infection. We recommend avoiding submerging the piercing until it has fully healed. That includes ditching the bath, and opting for a shower instead!
If you aren't able to avoid swimming altogether, you may be able to apply a waterproof dressing over your piercing - BUT be careful that the dressing seals completely around your piercing so that water doesn't sneak underneath. It's also best to go for a waterproof dressing with a non-stick patch in the centre so that your new piercing doesn't stick to
the dressing. Please be super careful when applying and removing the dressing to minimise disturbance to your piercing, and never leave it on for longer than you need to.
For ear piercings, you may find a travel pillow the most effective way to avoid putting pressure on it, and make sure your pillowcases are always kept clean. Other piercings may be a little more difficult to avoid, so make sure you’re making yourself comfortable and not purposefully putting pressure on it.
HAPPY HEALING!
To view our full aftercare routine and more information on this handy hack, checkout our socials. For any other questions or concerns please contact SkinKandy on 1300 129 991.
