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The cares

General cares

Please take the time to read the following instructions and pay particular attention to the sections that specifically apply to you.
These instructions will help to ensure that your piercing heals quickly with a minimum amount of complications.
Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like any further information - we believe it's our responsibility to advise you and we are more than happy to do so.
You should remember that your body will heal the piercing naturally and not as a result of any products you may use on it. A careful daily aftercare routine will keep your piercing as hygienic as possible and ensure that it heals in harmony with your body. You must keep the pierced area clean, away from any sources of contamination and protected from things that may damage it. If the area becomes inflamed, your body will need help to deal with it since your natural immune system won't be able to cope on its own. A daily care routine is therefore very important, as is a good, healthy, balanced diet and relaxed frame of mind.

Daily care

First week: Use a cotton bud to apply a small amount of the cream provided (Cicatryl) twice a day, morning and evening (after either a shower or salt water bath). Make sure that the cream is absorbed and that no surplus cream remains on the skin (remove any surplus with the other end of the cotton bud taking care to ensure that neither the piercing nor surrounding pores become blocked):
* in the morning, after a shower. Use a neutral pH soap (e.g. Sanex, Nivea or Dove), don't use a washcloth
* in the evening, after a salt water bath. Boil some water (water must be boiling not just warm!), add some sea salt (one teaspoon per cup of water), allow the solution to cool a little (the water should not scald you but it should be as hot as you can bear), then apply the solution for 10 minutes ('bell' system with a small glass, the pierced area must literally bathe in this water).

Next three weeks: Throw away any remaining cream because you no longer need it. All you need now is a cotton bud dipped in an alcohol-free antiseptic, such as Cedium or Diaseptyl, to disinfect the piercing twice a day - once after taking a shower in the morning and once after a salt bath in the evening. 
Reduce how often you apply the antiseptic in order to 'wean' your skin off it. Stop using products after one month but continue with the salt water baths.
From the second week onwards, you'll notice that the pierced area will become hard and will stay like that until it's healed completely (cell regeneration). you'll also notice a white, transparent discharge, called lymph, which leaves a yellow residue as it dries - don't scratch this layer because it contains white blood cells that protect you from bacteria.
The salt water solution is the only aftercare treatment you can use whenever you want since it's a natural remedy.

NB

  • Always wash your hands before touching the piercing or surrounding area.
  • Never use any of the disinfectants mentioned above for more than four weeks. Although you need to use them to begin with, prolonged use may irritate your skin and you may become hypersensitive to the substances contained in them. They will also become less effective because the bacteria will adapt to the active ingredients. After four weeks, we recommend an anti-bacterial or pH neutral soap for cleaning your piercing each day.
  • Never remove the jewellery when cleaning your piercing. Until fully healed, the piercing can close over very quickly and you risk tearing young, fragile cells when trying to put the jewellery back in.
  • Never turn or move the jewellery unless in the shower - you could irritate the skin that is healing and hurt yourself. Dried, agglutinated residues on the skin around the jewellery are normal: this is a mixture of different fluids produced by your immune system to destroy and repel bacteria. When they dry, they can become sharp and could damage the piercing if they get pushed inside.
  • Do not scratch these dry residues, they will disappear gradually in the shower and during the salt water bath.
  • The piercing does not need to be covered with a dressing unless it is in an area that could rub (genital area) or when protection is recommended (due to sweat, dust, smoke or physical contact e.g. sport, sex or night club).
  • Do not put pressure on or irritate the pierced area by wearing tight clothing or clothing that rubs against the piercing (e.g. belt or button on jeans). Cotton clothing is recommended (as opposed to clothing made from synthetic materials).
  • If you need advice or are worried about anything, just come to us for help - don't take advice from your friends or parents, after all they aren't professionals.

Tips

Infection or irritation?

Infections, although rare, can occur but they don't mean you will have to remove your piercing. A simple irritation or inflammation is often wrongly described as an infection.

The following symptoms are a sign of irritation/inflammation:

  • dull pain: tugging, pinching;
  • redness around the piercing;
  • oozing lymph;
  • a 'bump' sometimes appears at the entrance of the piercing (a keloid forms after the piercing is knocked or when there are problems with the healing process).

If this happens, bathe the piercing in salt water again and the symptoms will subside in a couple of days. An irritation that is not dealt with correctly can turn into an infection.

The following symptoms indicate an infection (very rare!):

  • yellowish substances or pus that sometimes have an odour;
  • the affected area gives off a certain amount of heat; the pierced area is warm to the touch and is very painful;
  • significant and sometimes extensive swelling;
  • persistent redness.

You should remember that swelling may occur just after the piercing. Swelling caused by an infection, however, is different and can be recognised from the speed at and extent to which it spreads as well as the pain and heat it causes.
In all cases, the first thing you should do is contact us. Never try to remove the jewellery because it can help drain the infection - without it, the piercing would close over the infection and could develop into an abscess or cyst.

Allergies

Most people have allergies so we only use materials specifically designed for body piercing. The metals and products we recommend and use are selected since they have a very low rate of allergic reactions. This selection is based on experience and medical information. However, despite all these efforts, an allergic reaction is possible.
Contrary to what you may think, most allergic reactions are not caused by the material used for the jewellery itself but by the products used to take care of the piercing afterwards. The most common symptoms are an extremely itchy rash or very dry skin. For people who are allergic to nickel, we recommend using jewellery made from titanium (nickel free) or a biocompatible plastic, such as Teflon, for the first piercing to speed up the healing process.
If you're worried about any sort of reaction on your skin just tell our team - describe or show us your problem and we'll advise you accordingly.

Rejection

Piercings can sometimes move from their original location and be rejected by the body for unknown reasons. To avoid this problem, we would advise you not to choose jewellery that is too small or too thin and to make sure that the piercing is not too close to the surface. Get in touch with us if you notice that your piercing has moved. The best solution is to remove the piercing before it tears through the few remaining millimetres of skin and causes a scar. Some piercings can be replaced after the skin has healed fully.

Additional advice

In addition to the basic aftercare for your piercing you can do several other things to aid the healing process. A zinc supplement (100-150 mg/day) for the first two weeks will help the healing process significantly.
Physiological saline solution can help to clean or freshen up the pierced area but does not have the same effect as the boiled salt water solution (the trace elements of sea salt strengthen new cells).
To help the body heal well and fight infections, you should try to reduce your stress levels, sleep well and eat a healthy, balanced diet.
You should keep the original jewellery in the piercing for 2-6 months depending on the area pierced. If the jewellery has to be removed for a short period (e.g. medical tests, scans or pregnancy), you can replace it with a piece of nylon of the same diameter. We also sell PTFE Teflon jewellery specifically designed for this purpose.

Do not use the following on your piercing:

  • Perfumed soap, perfume
  • Dressings at night
  • Make up, moisturising cream
  • Hibiscrub, Hibitense
  • Washcloth
  • Hydrogen peroxide, ether
  • Neosporin
  • 70% or 90% alcohol
  • Tea Tree Oil
  • Isobetadine, Mercurochrome

 How to care for your piercing during the first few weeks

  • Always keep the piercing and surrounding area clean.
  • Avoid all contact with dirty hands (yours or anyone else's).
  • Avoid any rough handling of the piercing until it has healed.
  • Avoid stress and people who make you feel stressed.
  • Don't wear dirty and/or tight clothing next to the piercing (e.g. belt, tights or Wonder bras).
  • Never take different types of medication at the same time, some kinds can react with each other and could be harmful or cause irritation.
  • Avoid putting pressure or sleeping on your piercing and never blow smoke onto a piercing.
  • Showers are preferable to baths (soaking).
  • Avoid the following for the first four weeks: sun beds, swimming pools, hammams, saunas, baths, exposure to the sun and heat.
  • Always keep jewellery in the piercing, some parts of the body will close over after a few minutes, especially during the first year.
  • Don't wear a heavy or bulky jewellery (e.g. chain or attachment) until your piercing has healed fully (risk of tearing).
  • NEVER wear silver jewellery in piercings in the cartilage in the nose or ears: oxidation of this type of metal can cause septicaemia and other toxic effects.
  • For ear and bridge piercings, hair must be tied back so it doesn't catch on the piercing or cause it to weep.

How long will my piercing take to heal?

Please note that the following times are only given as a guide and are the maximum time that your piercing should take to heal and become an integral part of your body. NB: However, this does not mean that you can remove the jewellery from the piercing.

  • Ear lobe: 6 weeks
  • Ear cartilage: 3 months
  • Nose (nostril or septum): 9 weeks
  • Labret-lip: 9 weeks
  • Bridge: 8 weeks
  • Tongue: 6 weeks
  • Navel: 9 months
  • Nipple: 9 months