What products will I need to heal my new piercing?

Saline Wound Wash

• Do not use contact solution, eye drops, or saline nasal spray.
• If you are traveling by plane, it is recommended to buy a bottle of saline that holds no more than 3.4 oz.
• Non-adhesive pads/ non-woven gauze
  You can purchase these products directly from Wonderland Body Arts or at any drug store.

How do I clean my new piercing and how often?

New piercings should be cleaned twice daily. Continue your cleaning routine until you reach a full heal. People heal from the outside-in, so what may appear on the surface as a healed piercing, may actually still require some time.

How to clean: 

Begin by washing your hands thoroughly before cleaning.

• Spray saline wound wash solution directly onto both sides of body piercing.
• Rinse solution off with water.
• You can rinse directly under running water or by submerging a non-stick pad in water & then wiping away any remaining salt solution.
• Dry by gently patting piercing using a non-adhesive pad, single use disposable paper towel or via blow dryer.

What are some normal healing side effects I may encounter?

• Initially: You may experience bleeding, localized swelling, throbbing, a warm sensation, tenderness, and/ or bruising.
• During healing: A fresh piercing will discharge lymph (a milky white-yellow fluid), blood, plasma, and dead cells. You will notice a crust forming around your jewelry. This is a positive indication of a healing piercing. Most of the crusties will fall off during your daily cleaning routine; however, do not force them off - just as you wouldn't forcibly peel off a scab before it's time. Tissue may tighten around the piercing as it heals.
  Once healed: If you fail to include cleaning your piercing/ jewelry regularly as part of your daily hygiene routine, odors may begin to accumulate caused by the natural shedding of skin cells.

What to do during healing?

• Always wash hands before coming into contact with piercing. Leave it alone aside from cleaning.
• Stay healthy. The healthier you are, the quicker your body will heal your piercing. Get good sleep, eat a nutritious diet and consume lots of water.
• Make sure your bedding is washed and changed regularly.
• Wear clean, breathable clothing that protects your piercing when sleeping.

 

What to avoid

• DO NOT TOUCH YOUR PIERCING!! DO NOT ROTATE JEWELRY!!
• Avoid products such as Q-tips/ cotton swabs, cotton balls, tissues and toilet paper. These items often shed fibers, which are known to cause irritation bumps/ hypertrophic scarring (often mistaken for keloids).
• Avoid using cloth towels or shower loofahs. Both of these harbor bacteria. In addition, it is quite easy to snag a piece of jewelry on either, which will almost certainly prolong your healing time.
• Avoid submerging in bodies of water for at least 4 weeks. This includes, but is not limited to: pools, hot tubs, bath tubs, lakes, rivers, oceans. You can continue to regularly shower, just make sure that your piercing is the last thing that you rinse clean right before get out. You do not want to leave any soap or shampoo residue on the piercing as it will irritate it.
• Avoid taking baths, as bathtubs can harbor bacteria. Stick to showers.
• Avoid beauty and personal care products such as cosmetics, lotions, sprays.
• Avoid putting any pressure on piercing. This means no sleeping on it!
• Avoid restrictive clothing. (Ex: No high waisted pants over a fresh navel piercing). Let your piercing breathe.
• Avoid drug use including, but not limited to: nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol.
• Do not remove jewelry before piercing is fully healed. Even healed piercings that you've had for years can shrink or close up within just a few short hours of taking them out. If you like your piercing, keep your jewelry in!

• Do not allow piercing to come into contact with gym equipment. Be very cautious around gyms as they are a staph breeding ground. You can exercise while you heal. Just make sure to keep it sanitary. No piercings openly exposed to exercise equipment.
• Do not hang charms from jewelry until piercing is fully healed.

 

My piercing is irritated!! What do I do?!

 

Your piercer is the absolute best person to help guide you towards a solution. Contact your piercer immediately if any complications arise during your healing process.

• In addition to contacting your piercer, you may want to try saturating your piercing with a warm compress daily.
• Warm Compresses can be used on an aggravated piercing to provide the body with much needed relief. Bv implementing these compresses into your cleaning routine, you will notice swelling and tenderness begin to decrease. Create your compress by saturating a fresh non-woven gauze with saline wound wash solution. Place gauze onto a clean plate and place into the microwave. Try 20 seconds and adjust time if necessary. Make sure that your compress is warmer than your natural body temperature. Allow it to sit atop your piercing and soak for 2-5 minutes.
  You may reheat the gauze if it begins to cool down. A brief rinse with water afterwards will remove any remaining saline residue. Be sure to dry the area after compressing.

Downsizing *** (VERY IMPORTANT) *

• This can  be done 4-6 weeks after the initial piercing.
• Downsizing is a service where your piercer will custom fit your jewelry to match your anatomy.
  Longer jewelry is installed for your initial piercing to accommodate for the swelling that your body will experience. In the weeks to come, swelling will reduce and it is highly recommended to return to a piercer and purchase a custom fitted backing. This will facilitate a smooth heal and avoid any potential issues that may arise.

 

Tighten your jewelry!!!

• Make sure the tops of your jewelry are sitting tightly. It's not uncommon for a top to loosen & fall off. During your service, a piercer will secure jewelry before you leave the shop, but after that it's UP TO YOU to monitor your jewelry. Come back in anytime to have a piercer tighten it for you.
• If your jewelry comes out for whatever reason, see your piercer to have it put back in as soon as possible. Even healed piercings that you've had for years can begin to close within minutes. This may vary from individual to individual. Keep jewelry in at all times to prevent from closing.