Today at work I have had a lot of young girls ask my advice on aftercare for piercings as well as how to reduce scar tissue and or remove it off of piercings and or other body parts. Every piercer has their own methods for aftercare, but here is what works for me....
1. Wash your piercing two to three times a day using a mild anti microbial soap. (ie: H2Ocean's Blue Green Foam soap, or Provon) Using an antimicrobial soap versus an anti bacterial soap is less harsh on the repairing skin cells and is less likely to cause damage. Not to mention, anti bacterial means it kills off ALL bacteria, good kind included. Using an anti microbial soap prevents such things. You need certain bacteria present in a wound to heal properly. For oral piercings such as tongues, smileys, and tongue webbing use a sea salt rinse to swish with after every smoke, or meal. I prefer H2Ocean's mouthwash. (Yes, I know I am very partial to H2Ocean, but they have always done me right and healed ALL my piercings. Not to mention the fact that this is what my shop carries for aftercare.)
2. For fresh piercings soak a cotton ball in H2Ocean's Piercing Spray and hold it on your piercing for at least one to two minutes. This allows the lysozyme time to break down all the bad bacteria, thus thoroughly cleaning your piercing. If you do not have H2Ocean, the only other thing I can suggest and still be able to sleep at night would be a saline wound wash from your local drug store. Same procedure to cleanse the piercing, just a different product. Do this three to five times a day.
Things to keep in mind when caring for your piercing.....
1. Make sure to wash your hands EVERY TIME before touching your piercing. Including and especially for when you clean it. Touching it with dirty hands can result in a series of bad things (ie: keloids, infections, rejection, migration, etc), but this does NOT mean that you can constantly touch it. It is just as bad if not worse than picking a scab off your skinned knee. So no twisting, rotating, or ANYTHING of the jewelry, and if your piercer suggests to you that you do so, NEVER go back. It's just bad ju-ju.
2. Do NOT go swimming in pools, soak in hot tubs, or the ocean until the piercing is COMPLETELY healed. The chlorine as well as other chemicals and or bacteria present can cause the same issues if you were to touch it with dirty hands. If you have any questions about whether or not your piercing is completely healed, ask your piercer to check it for you. They are there to help you, and if they are reluctant seek out a professional with a good reputation that will.
3. Avoid tight clothing, perfumed lotions, and any other products either containing petroleum and or alcohol. Petroleum based products are a by-product of gasoline and can be toxic to the skin. Oil/ petroleum based product do not fully absorb into the skin, so they leave a thin layer that could possibly trap dirt and or bacteria within the piercing causing major bacterial infections. Alcohol stings, causes irritations, and damages skin cells possibly even causing scar tissue. Same thing with using hydrogen peroxide, and or Bactine as a cleaning agent on piercings.
4. Do not go tanning, and avoid direct sunlight. The UV rays change your skin more than you know, making it tough like leather. Thus, making it harder to heal.
5. Try your best to avoid excessive intake of alcohol, aspirin (ibuprofen is a safer and wiser choice for an OTC pain killer, fever reducer, as well as swelling reducer for piercings), and caffeine. Some of these things can thin your blood out making it harder to clot which allows proper "scabbing" to occur. If you let scabs naturally occur and fall off (ie: no picking!) then you are LESS likely to acquire scar tissue in/ around the piercing. If you follow aftercare properly then you shouldn't have any issues. If you do, then it is more likely an operator error, in which case seek our your piercer for a consultation. If any further complications arise it could possibly mean that you are allergic to the jewelry. In that case, seek out your doctor immediately.
6. Use common sense people. Practicing good hygiene, avoiding intoxicants, smoke, and spicy foods are always good measures (especially and mainly for oral piercings). Once you start using one particular aftercare product, do not change or switch unless otherwise suggested by your doctor due to allergic reaction(s), or your piercer.
Now, if you have keloids and or any kind of scar tissue on your piercing or your body, using Vitamin E Oil and or Cocoa Butter Salve (I recommend Palmer's brand) in addition three times a day will help tremendously reduce if not completely remove the visibility of any and all scar tissue. The Vitamin E oil and Cocoa Butter Salves help promote collagen growth which in turn reduce scar tissue. Scar tissue is damaged skin cells that lack the right amount of collagen that makes it soft and stretchy. If your piercing is still healing, wash it like I suggested above, allow it to dry, and then start administering the Cocoa Butter and or Vitamin E oil regimen(s). It is something that you can continue to use on a daily basis as a preventative measure as well. You can use the CB, or E oil stretch marks, cuts, scrapes, or any other damaged skin. It works wonders, trust me.
I never have, nor will I ever claim to know everything there is to know about piercings or tattoos because if you stop learning in this industry you need to LEAVE this industry. New techniques, and healing methods are developed everyday. If you have any questions and or concerns, please PLEASE, consult a professional. Do NOT trust your friends when it comes to your piercings (or tattoos), unless they happen to be a professional in said field.
Thank you for taking the time to read my long winded blog. Hope it helps
.
1. Wash your piercing two to three times a day using a mild anti microbial soap. (ie: H2Ocean's Blue Green Foam soap, or Provon) Using an antimicrobial soap versus an anti bacterial soap is less harsh on the repairing skin cells and is less likely to cause damage. Not to mention, anti bacterial means it kills off ALL bacteria, good kind included. Using an anti microbial soap prevents such things. You need certain bacteria present in a wound to heal properly. For oral piercings such as tongues, smileys, and tongue webbing use a sea salt rinse to swish with after every smoke, or meal. I prefer H2Ocean's mouthwash. (Yes, I know I am very partial to H2Ocean, but they have always done me right and healed ALL my piercings. Not to mention the fact that this is what my shop carries for aftercare.)
2. For fresh piercings soak a cotton ball in H2Ocean's Piercing Spray and hold it on your piercing for at least one to two minutes. This allows the lysozyme time to break down all the bad bacteria, thus thoroughly cleaning your piercing. If you do not have H2Ocean, the only other thing I can suggest and still be able to sleep at night would be a saline wound wash from your local drug store. Same procedure to cleanse the piercing, just a different product. Do this three to five times a day.
Things to keep in mind when caring for your piercing.....
1. Make sure to wash your hands EVERY TIME before touching your piercing. Including and especially for when you clean it. Touching it with dirty hands can result in a series of bad things (ie: keloids, infections, rejection, migration, etc), but this does NOT mean that you can constantly touch it. It is just as bad if not worse than picking a scab off your skinned knee. So no twisting, rotating, or ANYTHING of the jewelry, and if your piercer suggests to you that you do so, NEVER go back. It's just bad ju-ju.
2. Do NOT go swimming in pools, soak in hot tubs, or the ocean until the piercing is COMPLETELY healed. The chlorine as well as other chemicals and or bacteria present can cause the same issues if you were to touch it with dirty hands. If you have any questions about whether or not your piercing is completely healed, ask your piercer to check it for you. They are there to help you, and if they are reluctant seek out a professional with a good reputation that will.
3. Avoid tight clothing, perfumed lotions, and any other products either containing petroleum and or alcohol. Petroleum based products are a by-product of gasoline and can be toxic to the skin. Oil/ petroleum based product do not fully absorb into the skin, so they leave a thin layer that could possibly trap dirt and or bacteria within the piercing causing major bacterial infections. Alcohol stings, causes irritations, and damages skin cells possibly even causing scar tissue. Same thing with using hydrogen peroxide, and or Bactine as a cleaning agent on piercings.
4. Do not go tanning, and avoid direct sunlight. The UV rays change your skin more than you know, making it tough like leather. Thus, making it harder to heal.
5. Try your best to avoid excessive intake of alcohol, aspirin (ibuprofen is a safer and wiser choice for an OTC pain killer, fever reducer, as well as swelling reducer for piercings), and caffeine. Some of these things can thin your blood out making it harder to clot which allows proper "scabbing" to occur. If you let scabs naturally occur and fall off (ie: no picking!) then you are LESS likely to acquire scar tissue in/ around the piercing. If you follow aftercare properly then you shouldn't have any issues. If you do, then it is more likely an operator error, in which case seek our your piercer for a consultation. If any further complications arise it could possibly mean that you are allergic to the jewelry. In that case, seek out your doctor immediately.
6. Use common sense people. Practicing good hygiene, avoiding intoxicants, smoke, and spicy foods are always good measures (especially and mainly for oral piercings). Once you start using one particular aftercare product, do not change or switch unless otherwise suggested by your doctor due to allergic reaction(s), or your piercer.
Now, if you have keloids and or any kind of scar tissue on your piercing or your body, using Vitamin E Oil and or Cocoa Butter Salve (I recommend Palmer's brand) in addition three times a day will help tremendously reduce if not completely remove the visibility of any and all scar tissue. The Vitamin E oil and Cocoa Butter Salves help promote collagen growth which in turn reduce scar tissue. Scar tissue is damaged skin cells that lack the right amount of collagen that makes it soft and stretchy. If your piercing is still healing, wash it like I suggested above, allow it to dry, and then start administering the Cocoa Butter and or Vitamin E oil regimen(s). It is something that you can continue to use on a daily basis as a preventative measure as well. You can use the CB, or E oil stretch marks, cuts, scrapes, or any other damaged skin. It works wonders, trust me.
I never have, nor will I ever claim to know everything there is to know about piercings or tattoos because if you stop learning in this industry you need to LEAVE this industry. New techniques, and healing methods are developed everyday. If you have any questions and or concerns, please PLEASE, consult a professional. Do NOT trust your friends when it comes to your piercings (or tattoos), unless they happen to be a professional in said field.
Thank you for taking the time to read my long winded blog. Hope it helps
.