Aftercare
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Saline Cleaning Solution
• Packaged sterile saline solution with no additives (read the label).
Cleaning Instructions for Body Piercings
• WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.
• It is recommended that after your daily shower you use the saline solution, as the shower has removed most of the crusties and has opened the pores.
• SALINE/SEA SALT SOLUTION only once daily for five to ten minutes, each time, for the entire healing duration. For certain piercings it may be easier to apply using clean paper towel saturated with saline/sea salt solution. SOAK and PAT DRY with a paper towel.
• Depending on your piercing, changing your bed sheets, pillow cases and wearing clean clothes is recommended. We do not recommend mixing your own solution.
Cleaning Instructions for Oral Piercings
• WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason. Regularly tighten all beads on your oral piercing.
• SALINE/SEA SALT soaks for thirty to sixty seconds after anything goes in your mouth, aside from water. Including but not limited to, food, drinks, smokes, fingers, pens, etc. Non-alcoholic mouth wash is recommended in-between the saline cleanings. It is recommended that you only clean your oral piercing 3-4 times daily.
• ICE COLD WATER will help with the initial swelling, as well as Advil or any other type of Ibuprofen.
• SPICY, SALTY, ACIDIC food and dairy products are not recommended until you are fully healed.
• Drinking plenty of water will also aid in the healing process.
• If you are a smoker it is highly recommended that you either quit smoking or cut back on smoking during the healing process.
• Use a new tooth brush to further prevent infection in your oral piercing.
What to Do
• 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. Or protect your piercing using waterproof wound sealant bandages (such as 3M Nexcare clean seals).
• Please come in the shop if you feel like anything is wrong with your piercing. Although rare, piercings can get infected. Please seek medical attention and then come visit our piercers. Never remove the jewelry if your piercing is infected as this can trap the infection under the skin.
What to Avoid
• During healing; it is not necessary to rotate your jewelry, do not play with the jewelry or pick at the crusties with your fingers.
• Avoid cleaning with Betadine®, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or harsh soaps, as these can damage cells. Also, avoid ointments as they prevent necessary air circulation and collect bacteria.
• 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.
• Avoid all beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing including cosmetics, lotions, and sprays, etc.
• DO NOT change your piercing before the recommended time. It can lead to swelling, infections and loss of the piercing. We recommend you come in and we can show you how to properly change the piercing when it is time.
***provided these guidelines are followed, you will have a great looking piercing for a lifetime to come. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to give us a call or stop by the studio. Thanks again, and we look forward to seeing you soon. Remember, there are no stupid questions. The only stupid question is the one you don’t ask***
Piercing Aftercare
Tattoo Aftercare
Depending on the size of your tattoo, leave your bandage on for at least 2 hours, but no longer than 24 hours. Before you remove your bandage wash your hands and then clean the tattoo immediately.
With clean hands, use a mild soap, such as Ivory or Dove, and lukewarm water gently wash your tattoo with your fingertips. Please ensure you do not use an anti-bacterial or strongly perfumed soap as these can irritate the tattoo. Wash your tattoo really well to make sure you get all the excess ointment and dried blood off. Rinse with cold water to close your pores. Lightly pat your tattoo dry with a clean towel/paper towel.
24 hours after taking off your bandage, apply a small amount of recommended aftercare (La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Gel B5 or non-scented lotion such as aveeno) 2-3 times a day, but just enough so you leave a thin layer. Too much will smother your skin and not allow it to breathe, and not enough the tattoo will dry out and may cause a loss of ink.
Once you leave, it is your responsibility to take care of your tattoo, follow the instructions carefully for the best results. During the entire healing process, be careful not to pull any skin or scabs because you will pull the ink out. Any touch-ups will be at your expense. Please do not pick or scratch at the tattoo and just let the scabs fall off naturally.
Keep your tattoo clean to prevent infection. A tattoo is a wound and it must be treated as such. Keep it clean and dry. Wear clean clothes daily and change your bed sheets before you go to bed. If you do any dirty work (this includes working with chemicals) wear clothing that will cover the area to protect it (i.e. hand tattoos; please wear gloves, arm tattoos; wear long sleeves). We don’t recommend re-bandaging your tattoo, as this will suffocate the skin.
Keeping your new body art out of the sun, tanning beds, bath tubs and pools for the first few weeks is crucial. Showers are fine as long as they are short cool showers. Due to the sun’s UV ray’s, the color is susceptible to fading, therefore a sun block of SPF 30 or better and waterproof sun block SPF 30 or better is recommended after your initial 3-4 weeks, in order to maintain the beauty of your art. This step is important at all times when venturing out into the sun, for you and especially your tattoo.
Hands and feet tend to need touch ups due to the regeneration rate of skin cells in those areas. Please allow a minimum of 3-4 weeks of healing time before you come back for touch-ups.
***provided these guidelines are followed, you will have a great looking tattoo for a lifetime to come. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to give us a call or stop by the studio. Remember, there are no stupid questions! The only stupid question is the one you don’t ask!***