Aftercare
We recommend a simple routine of washing the new piercing with a gentle soap and water, twice daily. Once in the morning and again in the evening.
Moisten the piercing with warm water. Wash your hands with soap and water. Make a soapy lather in your hands. Gently apply and scrub the piercing with your clean fingers. Once pierced area is thoroughly cleaned, rinse off with warm water.
Most piercers will recommend a salt water soak or saline compress. You may make your own salt solution by mixing a ΒΌ teaspoon of non-iodized sea salt to 8oz of warm water. Submerge the pierced area for 5 to 10 minutes or apply a wet compress. Repeat this twice daily.
It's important to eat a healthy diet, keep your body hydrated, and avoid additional trauma to the area. Sleeping on, bumping or snagging new piercings is the cause of most piercing issues or prolonged healing.
Piercings can be temperamental in the beginning stages. They require diligence and patience to heal. There is no miracle cure or guarantee the piercing will take. It can take between 2-8 months for your piercing to fully heal and not be temperamental.
Check out JCS's interviews with Into the Gloss, Teen Vogue and Elle on healing a new piercing.
The Bump
Every now and then clients will develop a little red bump next to their new (8 months or less) piercing. It's both annoying and unattractive. This will typically appear after the piercing has experienced some type of trauma like being bumped, snagged or slept on. Flying and changes in humidity are also culprits. This is commonly misdiagnosed as keloidding. The good news is that it's treatable and you can salvage your piercing. Below is my recipe for treatment.
Ingredients:
8oz of hot water, just under boiling temperature. Boiled- not microwaved- chamomile tea bags
Directions:
Make a cup of tea before bed. Once the tea has cooled to a drinkable temperature, apply the tea bag as a compress directly on the affected area. The hotter the better, but don't burn yourself. Repeat once a night for 8 days.
How It Works: The heat will draw any irritation, redness, soreness, swelling, infection etc. out of the skin.
Keep in mind I am not a doctor, however, I do know more about piercings than your doctor does. General practitioners will usually recommend removal of your piercing and a treatment of antibiotics. If you see a dermatologist they will most likely give the bump a shot of cortisone.