Suggested Aftercare for Body Piercing

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• Packaged sterile saline (with no additives, read the label) is a gentle choice for piercing aftercare. If sterile saline is not available in your region a sea salt solution mixture can be a viable alternative. Dissolve 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon (.75 to 1.42 grams) of non-iodized (iodine-free) sea salt into one cup (8 oz / 250 ml) of warm distilled or bottled water. A stronger mixture is not better; a saline solution that is too strong can irritate the piercing.
  

• WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.
• SALINE rinse as needed during healing. For certain placements it may be easier to apply using clean gauze saturated with saline solution. A brief rinse afterward will remove any residue.
• If your piercer suggests using soap, gently lather around the piercing and rinse as needed. Avoid using harsh soaps, or soaps with dyes, fragrances, or triclosan.
• RINSE thoroughly to remove all traces of the soap from the piercing. It is not necessary to rotate the jewelry through the piercing.
• DRY by gently patting with clean, disposable paper products, because cloth towels can harbor bacteria and snag on jewelry, causing injury.
  

• 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: the jewelry may not move freely in the piercing; do not force it. 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.
  

• Wash your hands prior to touching the piercing; leave it alone except when cleaning. During healing, it is not necessary to rotate your jewelry.
• Stay healthy; the healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to heal. Get enough sleep and eat a nutritious diet. Exercise during healing is fine; listen to your body.
• Make sure your bedding is washed and changed regularly. Wear clean, comfortable, breathable clothing that protects your piercing while you are sleeping.
• Showers tend to be safer than taking baths, as bathtubs can harbor bacteria. If you bathe in a tub, clean it well before each use and rinse off your piercing when you get out.
  

• Avoid moving jewelry in an unhealed piercing, or picking away dried discharge with your fingers.
• Avoid cleaning with Betadine®, Hibiciens®, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Dial® or other soaps containing triclosan, as these can damage cells.
• 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 stress and recreational drug use, including excessive caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
• Avoid submerging the piercing in unhygenic 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.
• Avoid all beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing including cosmetics, lotions, and sprays, etc.
• Don't hang charms or any object from your jewelry until the piercing is fully healed.

If you notice a bump forming on or around a new piercing, you have good reason to be concerned. As dainty as the piercing may be, it is possible that your body views the piercing as an injury. Piercing growths (big or small) are never "normal," although they do occur fairly often. Most people assume right away that their growth is a keloid, but the majority actually aren't. 

Keloids are overgrowths of scar tissue caused by trauma to your skin. They’re common after ear piercings and can form on both the lobe and cartilage of your ear. Keloids can range in color from light pink to dark brown. Getting your ears pierced might not feel like a serious injury, but that’s sometimes how your body sees it. As wounds heal, fibrous scar tissue starts to replace old skin tissue. Sometimes your body makes too much scar tissue, leading to keloids. This extra tissue starts to spread out from the original wound, causing a bump or small mass that’s larger than the original piercing. On the ear, keloids typically begin as small round bumps around the piercing site. Sometimes they develop quickly, but usually they appear several months after you pierce your ear. Your keloid may continue growing slowly for the next few months.

While anyone can develop keloids, some people do seem to have a higher risk based on certain factors, such as:

• Skin color. People with darker skin are 15 to 20 times more likely to have keloids.
• Genetics. You’re more likely to have keloids if someone in your immediate family does as well.
• Age. Keloids are more common in people under the age of 30.

If you are looking to prevent keloids from developing in the first place, it's  suggested you look into your family history or personal history of keloids, to prevent skin trauma or injury. If you are prone to keloids, piercings and tattoos are strongly discouraged. There's no real limit as to where keloids can form, as they can also grow on the tongue and other mucus membranes. If you decide to risk a tattoo or piercing, be aware that you may end up with excessive scarring and/or keloids.

Irritants like oil, sweat, dirt, perfume, hairspray, and other things can aggravate a piercing and cause an infection. Unfortunately, it also won't respond very well to normal cleaning, (although it's important to keep it clean so it doesn't get worse).

• Sea Salt Soak - In general, to prevent any and all issues. Sea salt soaks, which any responsible piercer will tell you to do, are meant to draw out any pus and blood, which will release the pressure and aid healing. They also tend to be soothing. It is recommended to cleanse the area twice a day with a piercer-recommended saline solution or sea salt soak. Sticking to that simple process will increase your chances of healing the infection without causing further irritation.

At the first sign of thickening, firm bumps, redness, tender or raised areas within a scar—see a PCP, dermatologist or your surgeon. Do not delay treatment.

• A hard, vented eye patch (sold at pharmacies) can be applied under tight clothing (such as nylon stockings) or secured using a length of Ace® bandage around the body (to avoid irritation from adhesive). This can protect the area from restrictive clothing, excess irritation, and impact during physical activities such as contact sports

• Use the t-shirt trick: Dress your pillow in a large, clean t-shirt and turn it nightly; one clean t-shirt provides four clean surfaces for sleeping.
• 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.

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