Aftercare

Prontolind Spray 75 ml - for Cleaning and Care of Piercings, Tunnels, Plugs and Body modifications https://amzn.eu/d/69QO2fF Base Labs Piercing Cleaning Solution Kit | Piercing Aftercare Spray (4oz) + Piercing Bump Treatment Oil | Keloid Bump Removal | Saline Solution for Piercings & Bumps - for Ears, Nose, Belly Button https://amzn.eu/d/bz2Dltb Body piercings & Ear piercings: - Prontolind Spray- £7.98 - Neilmed Neilcleanse Piercing Aftercare-£14.99 - Base Lab Piercing Aftercare- £12.45 - Claire’s Aftercare Solution - £6.45 As an alternative, you can use salt water (3 tea spoons of sea salt) and hot water. Putting a cotton bud into the solution then putting a drop of tea tree onto it. Clean your piercings 2/3 times a day. Oral piercings: - X-Pression Aftercare - £5.99 Amazon sell out quickly so if not in stock alternative below. Go onto Google and search in ‘Killer Ink Tattoo UK’ then search for ‘Recovery Aftercare Sea Salt Mouth Rinse’ or ‘Easypiercing- Mouthwash solution’ Recovery Aftercare Sea Salt Mouth Rinse - £14.34 EasyPiercing Mouthwash - £12.78 Alternatively, you can use sea salt (using 4 and a half table spoons) mixed with warm water. Gargle around your mouth and piercings especially. Every time after you eat and drink something that isn’t water. Otherwise, 3/4 times a day.

Average Piercing Healing Times Below are approximate healing times for healthy piercings on most people. Keep in mind that your piercing may heal more quickly or take even longer. Continue suggested aftercare for at least the amount of time listed below for your piercing. At the end of the healing time, twice- daily cleaning is no longer required, although once-a-day cleaning is still suggested. When your piercing is healed, jewelry can safely be changed but it shouldn’t be left out for longer than it takes to switch jewelry. Even once the hole becomes permanent it can still shrink and make jewelry reinsertion more difficult. If you like your piercing, keep jewelry in it. Body piercings: Belly - 4/6 months to 1 year Nipples (male & female) - 4/6 months to a year Sternum - 6/12 weeks Oral piercings: Tongue- 3/6 weeks Web- 4/12 weeks Smiley- 4/12 weeks Frowny- 4/12 weeks Facial Piercings: Nose (Standard) - 4/6 months Nose (Septum) - 6/8 weeks Nose (Bridge)- 2/3 months Ear Piercings: Eyebrow - 6/8 weeks Ear lobe - 6/8 weeks Surface Tragus - 3/6 months Cartilage- 4months to 1 year Tragus - 2/3 months Daith- 6/9 months Rook- 3/4 months to a year Industrial- 5/6 months to a year Helix- 5/6 months to a year Forward helix - 4/6 months Flat - 4/5 months Conch- 6/9 months to a year Snug - 4/6 months Lip Piercings: Lip- 6/8 weeks Dahlia Bites- 4/6 months Snake Bite (Lip) - 4/6 months Genital Piercing: Female Genitals (Christina) - 3/4 months

There is no single cleaning solution or aftercare regimen that works for everyone, everywhere, all the time. Different bodies and different lifestyles demand different aftercare. Geography matters, and what works for someone living in Philadelphia may not be the same thing that works for someone elsewhere. Differences in air and water quality, diet, and climate can greatly affect healing; what you use for aftercare and how you clean your piercing is only one part of a much larger picture. You must find what works for you. The suggestions in this brochure are based upon our experience and the experiences of others who came before us. These are suggestions. If you are familiar with your body and how you heal, the most important thing you can do is pay attention—your body should tell you what to do. Basic Care New piercings should typically be cleaned twice daily. (Frequency also depends on your skin type, your daily activities and environment, and what piercing you are trying to heal.) You should continue this cleaning routine for the entire healing period. Do not over-clean your piercing. Cleaning too often with an overly harsh cleaning solution, or with too many different types of cleaning solutions, can irritate your piercing. If cleaning your piercing twice a day is suggested, don’t assume cleaning it ten times a day is better: It isn’t. Healing piercings discharge lymph, blood and blood plasma, and dead cells. The purpose in cleaning your piercing is to remove this discharge as well as any dirt or bacteria picked up during the day. The products you use on your piercing are not what make it heal— they only keep the piercing clean while your body works to heal it. Do not think of your cleaning solution as medicine, because it isn’t. Salt water and/or saline solutions should be used to irrigate your piercing, but it is the action of flushing out the wound that helps healing, not the saline itself. Likewise, soap should just be treated like soap; lather around your piercing and then rinse thoroughly. TO CLEAN YOUR PIERCING, USE ONE OF THESE METHODS: Warm Sea Salt Soaks The single best thing you can do for your piercing is to keep up a regular regimen of salt water soaks. These flush out the piercing, help to draw out discharge, stimulate blood circulation, and soothe irritations. We strongly suggest soaking your piercing at least twice a day—more often if healing is difficult. Make a soaking solution by mixing sea salt and distilled water. Use pure sea salt (non-iodized) and not table salt, which contains extra chemicals that can irritate your piercing and dextrose (sugar) that can cause yeast infections. When buying salt, read the label: it should contain only salt (sodium chloride) and possibly an anti-caking agent (often calcium phosphate, calcium silicate, or prussiate of soda). Do not use Epsom salts, as this is a completely different chemical compound. Make sure your salt-to- water ratio is correct. A stronger or weaker solution is not better and may actually harm your piercing. It’s often easiest to mix it up by the gallon and keep it in the fridge. Cold soaks can be soothing for the first few days; after, heat as needed to make a warm salt-water soak. Mix according to the table below (use measuring spoons and cups for accuracy). To use: Fill a small glass with the solution and warm. (You can heat it in the microwave.) Put the solution in a glass, press the glass against your skin to form a seal, and hold it over your piercing for five minutes or until the water cools. For piercings like nostrils, ears, nipples, and some penis piercings, the entire body part should be submerged in the solution. Sterile Saline Sprays Sterile saline solutions are a convenient, portable cleaning options. While rinsing with saline solution doesn’t promote increased blood flow to the area the way that a warm soak does, it does provide a quick cleaning fix if you’re at work, traveling, or someplace where soaking isn’t an option. Popular brands include H2Ocean , Steri-Wash, NeilMed saline solution, and Simply SalineTM Wound Wash. (The saline products sold for contact lenses or ear and nasal irrigation sometimes contain additives that may not be suited to healing piercings. Instead, check the first aid aisle of your drugstore and look for saline specifically formulated for wound care.) To use, liberally spray the solution, thoroughly saturating the piercing. Your jewelry does not need to be rotated and sterile saline solution does not need to be rinsed off. (Do not simply dip cotton balls or swabs in a saline solution and apply it to the skin; you must irrigate the piercing to clean it effectively.) Mild Liquid Soap While sea salt soaks and/or saline rinses are the preferred aftercare for most piercings, soap effectively removes the residue of sweat, dirt, skin oils, cosmetics, cigarette smoke, and natural discharge that can sometimes remain after a salt water soak or saline rinse. Use a natural, fragrance-free and dye-free soap. Stay away from harsh antibacterial soaps, especially those containing triclosan (like Dial). Remember: It is the action of washing that is most effective in removing bacteria, not the soap itself. Lastly, be sure to use a liquid soap, because bar soaps collect dirt and bacteria that can easily be reapplied to your piercing. Thoroughly wash your hands, then lather the soap in your fingers before lathering the piercing and surrounding skin. Thoroughly clean the piercing and jewelry, making sure to gently remove any discharge on the jewelry, then rinse. It is not necessary to rotate the jewelry during cleaning. If you find cleaning with soap is too harsh—if the skin around the piercing is becoming dry, red, or irritated—go back to salt water soaks and/or saline rinses. Do Not Use: DO NOT USE Rubbing Alcohol or Hydrogen Peroxide These are both too harsh for long-term use. Alcohol irritates and dries out your skin, and hydrogen peroxide destroys healthy skin surrounding the piercing and can actually slow healing. Witch hazel solutions made with alcohol should also be avoided. DO NOT USE Antibiotic Ointments These include Neosporin , bacitracin, or triple antibiotic ointments. These are not meant to be used for more than two weeks—making them ineffective for healing piercings. They also contain petroleum jelly, which creates the perfect warm, moist environment for bacteria to grow. This also keeps soap and other cleaning solutions from properly irrigating the piercing. Ointments are made for cuts and scrapes, not long-term healing. DO NOT USE Bactine and Ear Piercing Solutions with BZK (Benzalkonium chloride) These can be irritating, and can slow down healing. Bactine and similar products also have a very short shelf life once opened, so if you have a leftover bottle of one of these in your medicine cabinet do not use it. Throw it out, and stick with saline solution or a mild soap instead. DO NOT USE Q-tips or Cotton Balls When cleaning a piercing, the most important thing you're doing is soaking and/or irrigating the piercing. Dabbing saline solution on your piercing with Q-tips or cotton balls does little to help. Plus, you can irritate your piercing with cotton fibers that can get trapped around your piercing. Stick with a soak or rinse instead.

Surface piercings and anchors require extra time and care (often even after they are healed), so whatever your aftercare routine, make sure it is something you can maintain—and stick with it. Surface anchors can take anywhere from two to six months to fully heal, while piercings with a surface barbell can take a year or even longer. Both can easily get irritated from a rough night of sleeping or getting caught on hair or clothing—or seemingly for no reason at all—so don’t be surprised if you find yourself periodically revisiting your aftercare regimen after the initial healing period has passed. When getting pierced at Infinite, fresh surface anchors (and some surface piercings) are covered with a piece of Tegaderm (a clear, breathable, waterproof bandage) immediately after being pierced. You should leave this bandage on for a week, or until it falls off, whichever comes first. Nothing further needs to be done during this time. Once the bandage is off you will want to begin regular piercing care. Surface piercings, and any anchors that do not have a barrier over them, should begin an aftercare routine that first night. The best thing you can do for a healing surface piercing is a regular regimen of salt-water soaks. Soak your piercing at least twice a day—or more often if it’s irritated or you’re having problems with healing. Mix your solution according to the table under Basic Care. Sterile saline rinses are great if you’re at work, traveling, or somewhere soaking isn’t an option, but they aren’t a replacement for a good, warm soak. The care for surface piercings and anchors tends to be more problematic than most piercings, and therefore extra effort is needed during healing (and even afterward). Irrigating the surface of the piercing is a good way to remove dirt and bacteria from around the wound, but with surface piercings and anchors the majority of the healing is taking place under the skin. A warm soak not only flushes the surface, but helps with the all-important healing under the piercing. A final note… Surface piercings and anchors are temperamental, but most flare-ups can be easily calmed down with a few days of consistent and conscientious soaking. If you’re having problems past that time, stop in and see us. If you have a more serious issue, i.e. the area is swollen and warm to the touch or you get discharge that is dark yellow, greenish, bloody, or has a bad odor, don’t hesitate to talk to a medical professional.

Aftercare for genital piercings is the same as for most other piercings. These piercings are among the easiest and quickest to heal, so care is often minimal. Simply follow the instructions under Basic Piercing Care. Take a Short Break from Sex Sexual activity is not prohibited during the entire healing period, but a short break can help you heal faster. If you do have sex during this time (this includes masturbation), pay attention to any discomfort, practice fluid-safe sex, and be sure to clean your piercing immediately afterward. Avoid Fluid Exchange Use barriers to protect your new piercings during any sexual activity, even with monogamous partners. This means condoms over penis piercings and similar protection (dental dams, etc.) over vulva piercings. Unprotected oral sex should especially be avoided during the healing period, as this is one of the fastest ways to get an infection. Try Emu Oil Emu oil can be a helpful addition to aftercare and is especially useful for healing genital piercings. Simply rub a single drop onto the skin around the piercing with a clean finger. This helps with healing and also helps prevent crusty discharge from being forced through your piercing. Stick with Saline or Sea Salt Rinses Soap can be too strong for genital piercings. It can be especially irritating for piercings through the urethra, and can upset the natural balance of flora if used for vulva piercings—even contributing to a yeast infection. Stick with sea salt soaks and/or saline rinses. Don’t Be Surprised by Bruising While it doesn’t happen to everyone, bruising is not uncommon, especially with genital piercings. Be Prepared for Bleeding Be prepared for bleeding for the first twenty-four hours, and don’t be surprised by spotty bleeding anytime within the first week after the piercing. With Prince Alberts, reverse PAs, ampallangs, and apadravyas, expect significant bleeding for the first one to three days; keep these piercings wrapped in gauze for the first several days, and put a rubber glove over the gauze wrap the first night. For vulva piercings, use a pad for the first night, and longer if necessary. Urinate After Cleaning For piercing around or through the urethra, irrigate the piercing with a saline rinse when urinating for the first few days. This can cut down on the stinging feeling during the initial healing. Drink plenty of water too. This is especially helpful with both Prince Albert and Princess Albertina piercings.

RINSE YOUR MOUTH After you smoke, eat, or drink anything besides bottled water, rinse for 30 to 60 seconds with salt water. This will clean your mouth and piercing and soothe discomfort. It will also minimize the white discharge that normally forms around the jewelry and helps to eliminate the residue from smoking. To mix a solution, use sea salt—not table salt—and use the same ratio in the chart on the basic piercing care page. Use bottled water or distilled water, not tap water. (If you have high blood pressure, you may need to limit your use of salt water and use plain water instead. If you choose to use mouthwash instead of salt water, stay away from alcohol-based products like Listerine and similar store brands. These are far too harsh, and repeated use can actually slow down healing. Instead, use a mild, alcohol-free mouth rinse. Just remember: It’s the rinsing itself that is doing the work, not what you’re rinsing your mouth with, so the gentler solution is the best choice for speedy healing. Using a mouthwash too often—or one that is too harsh—can easily do more harm than good. Clean the Outside of Your Piercing In addition to rinsing your mouth, you will also need to clean the outside of your lip, cheek, or beauty mark piercing. For this, follow the suggestions under Basic Piercing Care. Expect Swelling Oral piercings will usually swell for several days after they are first done, and some swelling may even be present for several weeks after that. Suck on ice for the first few days. Anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen may also help. Keep your head elevated the first week while sleeping (use extra pillows). Avoid anything that thins your blood, like alcohol or aspirin, or makes your heart rate go up, like caffeine or stimulants. Avoid drinking straws and water pipes. Change Your Jewelry After Your Piercing is Healed To allow for swelling, your initial ring or post will be larger or longer than the jewelry that will ultimately be worn. Once the swelling is gone and the piercing is healed, a shorter post or smaller diameter ring can be used. Do not leave the original jewelry size in longer than the healing period. Improperly sized jewelry is often the cause of irritated or damaged gums, chipped teeth, and other oral trauma. But be patient: Changing the jewelry too soon can result in more swelling and delayed healing. If you’re not sure it’s time, ask your piercer. Keep Your Jewelry In Oral piercings usually heal in about four to eight weeks. Jewelry can be changed after healing, but it should never be left out, even for short periods of time. Oral piercings close very quickly, making reinsertion of jewelry difficult—sometimes impossible. Check Your Jewelry Occasionally Make sure the ends on your jewelry are on tightly. We make sure they are secure when you leave the shop; after that, it’s up to you. For oral piercings, which may be difficult to grasp, try wearing disposable gloves to tighten jewelry. Eat What You Want While healing an oral piercing you are not restricted in what you should eat, but by what you can eat. Spicy-hot and temperature- hot foods may be uncomfortable, but cold foods can be soothing. Acidic drinks (like citrus fruit juices) may irritate fresh piercings. Eat what is comfortable for you. Take it Easy on the Drinking Excessive alcohol consumption during the initial healing period can be irritating and cause more swelling. Take it easy for the first few weeks. Quit Smoking This is the best thing you can do for your piercing—and yourself. At the very least, cut down on smoking during healing. Avoid Wet Kissing and Unprotected Oral Sex During Healing Remember: this is an open wound. Any fluid exchange should be considered unsafe sex. Even if you are in a monogamous relationship, your partner still has different natural bacteria than you do. Keep Your Fingers Out of Your Mouth The ends of pens and pencils, too. And buy a new, clean toothbrush. Be Gentle Avoid chewing gum during healing. Natural toothpastes or those meant for sensitive teeth may be less irritating during healing than the traditional kind. Avoid the urge to play with your piercing while it’s healing—there will be plenty of time for that afterward.