Aftercare GUIDE

Tattoo Aftercare

To ensure your tattoo heals properly, follow these instructions:

  • Leave the bandage on for 2-3 hours.

  • Take the bandage off and wash the tattoo with warm water and antibacterial hand soap.

  • Allow the tattoo to air dry.

  • Wash the tattoo 2-3 times a day.

  • Once your tattoo starts to flake (usually after 3-4 days), apply a thin later of white, unscented hand lotion to minimize itching and flaking when needed.

  • Do not listen to anyone else!

If you follow these instructions, your tattoo should heal flawlessly and bright. Enjoy it - it’s yours for life!




Piercing Aftercare

This one is a little more wordy, so bear with us.

Aftercare procedures depend on the kind of piercing, but overall, being clean and minimizing stress on/around the piercing site will allow it to heal quickest. As with any open wound, the piercing must be protected where bodily fluids can come into contact with the piercing (including saliva).

Aftercare must be continued until the piercing’s healing period is over. If it’s stopped too soon, the piercing will usually become infected or irritated. Healing time varies anywhere from a few weeks to over a year.

  • Never handle a new piercing with dirty hands.

  • Avoid any foreign bodily fluid to the pierced area (sweat, blood, saliva, etc.).

  • Don’t irritate the piercing’s healing process by wearing constrictive clothing or allowing repeated bumping and knocking around to jewelry.

  • Use caution when swimming. Poor water quality and high bacteria levels will infect your piercing.

  • Listen to your body’s reactions to various products. Some ingredients commonly found in skincare products can irritate the vulnerable tissue in new piercings. Eliminating variables in product exposure will often solve occasional irritation.

  • All new piercings will secrete a gooey, sticky fluid called lymph. This will dry up and form a ring of crust on the jewelry at the piercing’s holes, making moving the jewlery painful. Soaking and cleaning this lymph daily (or as build-up requires) is necessary to avoid any problems with bacteria populations.

  • Don’t remove the jewelry until well after the piercing is completely healed.

  • Once healed, a piercing is permanent, although when the jewelry is removed, the displacement will cause the hole to shrink, making jewelry re-insertion difficult without first gently stretching the whole back up to size.

  • New piercings heal the best when the aftercare products do not interfere with cell regeneration. Products like Alcohol and Peroxide are not recommended because they often irritate the healing cells.

  • If an irritation persists despite eliminating product types, a metal allergy may be the culprit. Try changing the jewelry with the help of a piercing professional.





Oral Aftercare

Oral piercings surprisingly have fewer infections and adverse reactions than piercings in other areas. The primary reason for this is the body’s natural resistance to the bacteria in the mouth. Nevertheless, it requires proper hygiene and daily cleaning/maintenance. The following are some tips and techniques to help you develop a healthy percing:

  • Use an alcohol-free mouth rinse such as Crest Pro-Health (hey, no sponsors here, just suggesting). Simply rinse the mouth wash around in your mouth and spit it out at morning and night.

  • To clean the piercing throughout the day, take a 20oz bottle of water and empty out about an inch of the water, and replace with about an inch of alcohol free mouth rinse. Rinse with this any time you eat, drink, or smoke.

Tongue piercing additional after care:

  • Use ice to help reduce swelling. Swelling tends to last at least 3-5 days.

  • If you’re extremely sensitive, an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, etc. can help reduce swelling and pain.

  • Brush your teeth at least 3 times daily. This will cut down on the amount of bacteria and food particles in your mouth.

  • Also, plaque (a white, crusty shell) will begin to build up on your tongue jewelry if you do not gently brush the balls and post. You should brush your jewelry daily if you want to prevent plaque build up on them.