After Care

If we had to condense this aftercare page to the size of a fortune cookie paper, it would simply say:

“DON’T TOUCH YOUR PIERCING”

It’s that important!

CLEANING SOLUTIONS

  • Neilmed Piercing Aftercare Spray.
  • Sterile Saline with NO additives
  • Water

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

  • Initially: Some bleeding, localized swelling, tenderness or bruising, Some piercings, especially oral piercing, require initial jewelry that is larger than the body part to allow for swelling. This initial jewelry may appear to be excessively long or large right after you receive the piercing, as there is usually no swelling yet. Be patient and wait the full amount of time your piercer recommends before “downsizing” your jewelry.
  • It is likely that your piercing may look and feel healed long before it actually is. This is because piercings heal from the outside in. Your “initial healing period” usually only estimates the time it will take to heal the outside; in most cases it will take at least a year to heal all the way through! It is advisable to continue cleaning your piercing and let us do any jewelry changes during that time for any piercing.
  • It is normal even for a healed piercing to shrink or tighten within a few minutes if removed, making reinsertion difficult or impossible; if you like your piercing, leave the jewelry in place. If your piercing does come out for any reason, in most cases we can reinsert it for you with an appointment. It is important to make it into the studio as soon as you can after a removal. Your piercing is likely to get tighter the longer it remains out.

CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS

  • Wash your hands thoroughly, prior to cleaning or touching on or near your piercing for any reason.
  • Using running water, rinse your piercing thoroughly to remove any crusty debris on the jewelry. Do not twist or turn the jewelry, the running water will remove most, if not all the crusty buildup.
  • If you are experience stubborn buildup, you can use one of two methods; 1. Spray sterile saline on the area, let it sit for a moment or two and then rinse with water. Or 2. You can use a baby bulb syringe with warm water to spray the crust off.

What are the types of jewelry KOI uses?

We use a variety of jewelry options, more notably;

  • Threadless
  • Internally Threaded
  • CBR/FBR
  • Hinge Rings
  • Seam Rings

Everything we use for initial piercings will be one of the following materials, ASTM Implant Grade Titanium (ASTM F-136 or F-1295) 14-18k Solid gold, ASTM Stainless Steel(F-138), or Niobium. Any Gem item is going to have one of the following; a certified Swarovski Crystal Gem, Semi-precious, or Genuine Stone. These pieces carry a lifetime guarantee to manufacture defect.

Downsizes and why are they important?

 

  • When you are pierced, the piece of jewelry we use is longer in length to accommodate swelling. This swelling can peak at 6-8 weeks after piercing, you may not notice swelling at all but it is there. Depending on the piercing, we tell you to come back to shorten the piece. If it is a stud, the backing (post) is replaced with a new one that is shorter in length. You will be given back your longer post during the appointment. If it is a ring, depending on the amount of time pierced and how it looks, we can change the ring to something smaller and thinner(if preferred) seam ring without a ball.
  • To change out the jewelry to a brand new style (Example: Changing from stud to ring) we want to make sure that there has been enough time after piercing to ensure the jewelry isn’t going to cause a problem. We usually recommend no earlier than 6 months before changing to a new style of jewelry. (Each piercing is different and how you’re healing heavily affects what type of jewelry you can wear and the size of diameter of ring. If you’re wanting a snug ring, that is extremely important.)

HINTS AND TIPS

  • Do not touch your piercing at all. If your jewelry needs tightening or repositioning, wash your hands thoroughly and clean any crusted material off of your skin and jewelry first. It is not necessary or advisable to spin, twist, or rotate your jewelry during healing.
  • Stay healthy; Drink water, eat food, and get good sleep.
  • Start with freshly cleaned bedding and change regularly.
  • Showers are safer than baths because bathtubs can harbor bacteria. If you must take a bath, first clean your tub and rinse well.
  • Aggressive cleaning will only slow down or complicate your healing process and may cause unsightly irritation bumps (especially on nostril piercings), discolored or irritated skin, and migration or rejection.
  • Avoid getting makeup, sprays, and lotions on or around your fresh piercing.
  • During the first eight-ten weeks or so, do not submerge your piercing in bodies of water such as pools,  hot tubs, lakes, or ponds.

WHAT NOT TO USE

Do not under any circumstance use any of the following materials on a fresh, healing, or healed piercing.

  • Alcohol of any kind
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Neosporin
  • Mouthwash
  • Antimicrobial wound wash or soap
  • Aspirin Paste
  • Tea Tree Oil
  • Bactine

If you are unsure of a product, please reach out to the shop or your piercer and verify before you use that product on a piercing.

If you have additional questions, contact us.

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