PIERCING GAUGES

322 E Bay Street, Milwaukee WI           414-483-5000

WHAT TO AVOID
Avoid cleaning with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, or any harsh products, as these can damage cells. Also avoid ointments as they prevent necessary air circulation.
Avoid Bactine®, pierced ear care solutions, and other products containing Benzalkonium Chloride (BZK). These can be irritating and are not intended for long-term wound care.
Avoid over-cleaning. This can delay your healing and irritate your piercing. • Avoid undue trauma such as friction from clothing, excessive motion of the area, playing with the jewelry, and vigorous cleaning. These activities can cause the formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue, migration, prolonged healing, and other complications.
Avoid all oral contact, rough play, and contact with others’ bodily fluids on or near your piercing during healing.
 Avoid submerging the piercing in unhygienic bodies of water such as lakes, pools, hot tubs, etc. Or, protect your piercing using a waterproof wound sealant bandage. These are available at most drugstores and work best for nipple, navel, and surface piercing placements.
 Avoid all beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing including cosmetics, lotions, and sprays, etc.

HINTS AND TIPS
Unless there is a problem with the size or material of the initial jewelry, do not remove it during the entire healing period.
 Contact us for a non-metallic jewelry alternative if your metal jewelry must be temporarily removed (such as for a medical procedure).
 Should you decide you no longer want the piercing, simply remove the jewelry (or have us remove it) and continue cleaning the piercing until the hole closes. In some cases a small mark can remain.

FOR PARTICULAR AREAS
NAVEL: Wear clean, loose shirts during the day and sleep with clean sheets and bedding each night

EAR/EAR CARTILAGE AND FACIAL: Dress your pillow in clean pillowcases or a large, clean t-shirt each night to ensure a clean environment.
Maintain cleanliness of telephones, headphones, eyeglasses, helmets, hats, and anything that contacts the pierced area.
Use caution when styling your hair and advise your stylist of a new or healing piercing.

NIPPLES: The support of a tight cotton shirt or sports bra may provide protection and feel comfortable, especially for sleeping.

CLEANING SOLUTIONS
Our suggested care product or sterile saline is a gentle choice for piercing aftercare (wound wash).  Your saline ingredients should list .09% sodium chloride as the only ingredient.
If you choose to use an antibacterial soap choose one without dyes, fragrances, or triclosan.  Rinse thoroughly after cleaning.
Mixing your own sea salt solution should be done with caution as this mixture can be too salty causing dryness and interference with the healing process.  We recommend dissolving 1∕8 to 1⁄4 teaspoon of non-iodized/ iodine free, fine grain sea salt into one cup (8 oz. / 250ml) of warm distilled or bottled water

                                                  CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS FOR BODY PIERCINGS


  • WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.
  • CLEAN as needed during healing. For certain placements it may be easier to apply using q-tip or clean gauze saturated with care product or saline solution.
  • RINSE thoroughly to remove all traces of the cleaning product from the piercing.  
  • DRY by gently patting with clean, disposable paper products.  Cloth towels can harbor bacteria and snag on jewelry, causing injury.


WHAT IS NORMAL?
Initially: some bleeding, localized swelling, tenderness, or bruising.
During healing: some discoloration, itching, secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid (not pus) that will form some crust on the jewelry. The tissue may tighten around the jewelry as it heals.
Once healed: If you fail to include cleaning your piercing as part of your daily hygiene routine, normal but smelly bodily secretions may accumulate.
A piercing may seem healed before the healing process is complete. This is because tissue heals from the outside in, and although it feels fine, the interior remains fragile. Be patient, and keep cleaning throughout the entire healing period.
Even healed piercings can shrink or close in minutes after having been there for years! This varies from person to person; if you like your piercing, keep jewelry in—do not leave it empty.  We are happy to change your jewelry out for you in the future for a small charge.