Piercing Aftercare

Below are some guidelines for how long it takes to safely change your jewelry. This will depend on many factors, so some people will heal faster and others will take longer. Be aware that these are only initial healing times. The majority of piercings will take years before they're safe for any extended length of time without shrinking or closing. Multiple piercings healing simultaneously may result in longer healing times.

Healing Times by Piercing Type

Type	Minimum Healing Time
Ear Cartilage	8-12 months
Ear Construction, Industrial	8-12 months
Earlobe (up to 12g)	3-4 months
Earlobe (over 12g)	3-4 months
Erl (nose bridge)	4-6 months
Eyebrow	3-4 months
High Nostril	9-12 months
Inverse Lip	9-12 months
Lip / Labret / Monroe	9-12 months
Navel	9-12 months
Nostril	9-12 months
Philtrum	6-8 weeks
Septum	6-8 weeks
Single Point Piercing	No Heal Time
Surface Piercing (Surface Bar)	9-12 months
Tongue	3-4 months
Vertical Lip	4-6 months
Nipple	9-12 months

Two Rules to Remember

• Do Not Touch Your Piercing: The only time you will ever touch your piercing is when you're cleaning it, which means that you won't transfer bacteria from other parts of your body. Always wash your hands first.
• DO NOT REMOVE YOUR JEWELRY: New piercings will shrink the moment jewelry is removed, which can make it difficult or impossible to get the jewelry back in.

What Is Normal During the Healing Process

• After getting a new piercing, it's normal to have bleeding, bruising, and swelling.
• You may experience some tenderness and discomfort, but it will go away in a couple of days or longer. Itchy skin during healing is also fairly common, though nothing to worry about.
• A white-yellow fluid, not pus, can be a part of the healing process. This is sometimes referred to as "crusties." The liquid dries into the hard layer that can be seen on a cut.
• Piercings (especially if they're not cleaned out daily) may smell bad. This does not mean there is a problem - it's just an unpleasant odor.
• Your jewelry may not rotate or move freely, even after it has healed. Most piercings will close very quickly if the jewelry is removed, so unless you like your piercing, be sure to leave your jewelry in!

Body Piercing Cleaning

1. Wash your hands thoroughly.
2. Either spray the saline directly on the piercing to liberally flush the piercing, or soak a non-woven gauze in saline and apply that to the piercing.
3. You may need to use a cotton swab or non-woven gauze to clean away any debris or "crusties" that may have collected on the jewelry around the piercing.
4. It is not necessary to rinse this product away. However, if you do rinse, make sure it's with clean, running water.
5. If your jewelry is threaded (barbells, etc.) check it to make sure it's still tight! Remember "righty tighty, lefty loosey."