✫ Wash your hands.
✫ Remove bandage after 2-4 hours – if bandage sticks to the tattoo, then soak it in lukewarm water for 30 seconds. The same instruction applies if sheets or clothing gets stuck to the tattoo.
✫ Using lukewarm water, lather up your tattoo, and be sure to rinse away all dried fluids and ointment. Use an unscented, no dyes, antibacterial soap like Clear and Gentle Dial soap.
✫ When showering, let the water hit above the tattoo and run off for a short period of time. Do NOT soak in a bathtub. Avoid hot tubs, swimming pools, oceans, lakes, and rivers as there are a range of Spores, Chemicals, Amoebas, and Bacteria present.
✫ Gently pat the tattoo dry. Your new tattoo shouldn’t come into contact with anything else. If you think there’s a chance it could be in contact with chemicals, bacteria, or in jeopardy of physical trauma, only then should it be covered so as to protect it. Tattoos need to breathe to heal.
✫ Apply A&D ointment / Aquaphor 3-5 times a day for the first 3 days. Rub it in well, only a thin sheen layer is to remain.
✫ Day 4-10 use Lubriderm lotion or some other non-medicated, no dyes or no perfume lotion.
✫ When in the sun an SPF of 30+ is recommended. Only once fully healed.
✫ Tattoos are permanent though they are not maintenance free. If you sun a lot, after around 10 years the colors may need restoration. The better you care for your tattoo, the longer it stays appealing.
Tattoo Aftercare Products Coming Soon To Website!
If you have questions, leave a message on the Shop phone
(423) 654-9378 Response time may be up to 24-48 business hours. Please say if your matter is urgent.
Use either one or both of the following solutions for cleaning body piercings:
✫ Packaged sterile saline solution with NO ADDITIVES. (Read the label! Use 0.9% sterile sodium chloride solution) OR non-iodized sea salt mixture: Dissolve 1/8-1/4 cup of non-iodized (iodine free) sea salt into one cup (8 oz.) of warm distilled or bottled water. A stronger mixture is NOT better! Saline solution that is too strong can irritate the piercing.
✫ A mild, fragrance-free liquid soap preferably.
Ex. Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Hemp Baby Unscented Pure-Castile Soap.
✫ WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning, or touching on or around your piercing.
✫ SALINE soak at least two to three times daily. Simply invert a cup of warm saline solution over the area to form a vacuum for a few minutes. The longer you soak, the better. For certain placement, it maybe be easier to apply using fresh gauze or a cotton ball saturated in saline solution. A brief rinse will remove any residue.
✫ SOAP no more than once or twice daily. While showering, lather up a pearl sized drop of the soap to clean the jewelry and the piercing. Leave the cleanser on the piercing no more than 30 seconds, then rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of the soap from the piercing.
✫ DRY with disposable paper products such as gauze or tissues, because cloth towels can harbor bacteria and catch on new piercings, causing injury. Pat gently to avoid trauma.
✫ Initially, some bleeding, localized swelling, tenderness or bruising.
✫ During healing: some discoloration, itching, secretion of a whitish yellow fluid (not pus) that will form crust on the jewelry. The tissue may tighten around the jewelry as it heals.
✫ Once healed: The jewelry may not move freely in the piercing; DO NOT force it. If you fail to include cleaning your piercing as a part of a daily hygiene, normal but smelly bodily secretions may accumulate.
✫ A piercing may seem healed before healing is complete. This is because piercings heal from the outside in, and although it may seem healed, the tissue remains fragile on the inside. BE PATIENT and keep cleaning throughout the entire healing period.
✫ Wash your hands prior to touching the piercing; leave it alone except when cleaning.
WHEN at any time there is anything crusty on the jewelry, use a cotton swab and warm/hot water to melt it off.
✫ Make sure that your jewelry and and skin is free from any discharge before you attempt to move the jewelry. Irritation can occur when crusty matter is accidentally forced into the piercing.
✫ Stay healthy! Eat a nutritious diet. The healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to heal. Exercise during healing is fine, just “listen” to your body.
✫ Make sure your bedding is kept clean and changed regularly. Wear clean, comfortable, breathable clothing that protects your piercing while sleeping.
✫ Showering is safer than taking a bath, because bathtubs harbor bacteria.
✫ Unless there is a problem with the size, style, or material of the initial jewelry, leave it in place for the ENTIRE healing period.
✫ Contact your Piercer if your jewelry must be temporarily removed (such as for a medical procedure). There are non-metallic jewelry alternatives.
✫ Leave jewelry in at all times. Even old, well healed piercings can shrink and close in minutes after having been there for years!
✫ If removed, re-insertion can be difficult or impossible.
✫ With clean hands or paper product, be sure to regularly check the threaded ends on your jewelry for tightness. (“Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey”)
✫ Carry a clean spare ball in case of loss and breakage.
✫ Should you decide you no longer want the piercing, seek professional help in the removal of the jewelry and continue cleaning the piercings until the holes close. In most cases only a small indentation may remain.
✫ In the event that an infection is suspected, quality jewelry or an inert alternative should be left in place to allow for drainage of the infection. If the jewelry is removed, the surface cells close up, seal the infection inside the piercing channel, which may result in an abscess.
✫ Avoid trauma such as friction from clothing, excessive motion of the area, playing with the jewelry and vigorous cleaning. These activities can cause the formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue, migration, prolonged healing, and other complications.
✫ Avoid the use of alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Betadine, Hibiclens, Bactine, pierced ear care solutions, and other products containing Benzalkonium Chloride (BZK)
Avoid over cleaning. This can delay your healing and irritate your piercing.
✫ Avoid all oral contact, rough play, and contact with others bodily fluids on or near your piercing during the healing period.
✫ Avoid stress and recreational drug use, including excessive caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
✫ Avoid submerging the piercing in bodies of water such as lakes, pools, hot tubs, etc. OR protect your piercing using a special waterproof wound-sealant bandage, which is available at most drug stores.
✫ Avoid ALL beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing including cosmetics, lotions, sprays, etc.
✫ Don’t hang charms or any other object from your jewelry until the piercing is fully healed.
Use one or both of the following solutions for inside the mouth:
✫ Antiseptic alcohol-free mouth rinse.
✫ Packaged sterile saline solution with no additives (read the label) OR non-iodized sea salt mixture: Dissolve 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of non-iodized (iodine free), fine-grain sea salt into one cup (8oz.) of warm distilled or bottled water. A stronger mixture is NOT better. Saline solution that is too strong can irritate your piercing.
✫ Rinse mouth with cleaning solution for 30 seconds after meals and at bedtime (4-5 times daily) during the entire healing period. Cleaning too often or with too strong a rinse can cause discoloration and irritation of your mouth and piercing.
✫ Soak in saline solution and/or wash in mild, fragrance-free liquid soap, preferably Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Hemp Baby Unscented Pure Castile Soap.
✫ WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.
✫ SALINE soak at least two to three time daily. Simply soak direction in a cup of warm saline solution for five to ten minutes. For certain placements it may be easier to apply using clean gauze or cotton saturated with saline solution. A brief rinse afterward will remove any residue.
✫ SOAP no more than once or twice a day. Use a cotton swab to soap around piercing, let it set for 15-20 seconds, then rinse. Leave the cleanser on the piercing no more than 30 seconds.
✫ Rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of the soap from the piercing. It is not necessary to rotate the jewelry through the piercing.
✫ DRY by gently patting with clean, disposable paper products. Cloth towels can harbor bacteria and snag on jewelry, causing injury.
✫ For the first three to five days: significant swelling, light bleeding, bruising, and/or tenderness.
✫ After that: some swelling, light secretion of a whitish yellow fluid (not pus).
✫ A piercing may seem healed before the healing process is complete. This is because they heal from the outside in, and although it feels fine, the tissue remains fragile on the inside. BE PATIENT, and keep cleaning throughout the entire healing period.
✫ Even healed piercing can shrink or close in minutes after having been there for years! This varies from person to person; if you like your piercing, keep jewelry in- do not leave the hole empty.
To Help Reduce Swelling
✫ Allow small pieces of ice to dissolve in the mouth.
✫ Don’t speak or move your jewelry more than necessary.
To Maintain Good Oral Hygeine
✫ Use a new soft-bristled toothbrush and store it in a clean area away from other toothbrushes.
✫ Brush your teeth and use your chosen rinse (saline or mouthwash) after every meal.
✫ During healing, floss daily, and gently brush your teeth, tongue, and jewelry. Once healed, brush the jewelry more thoroughly to avoid plaque build-up.
To Stay Healthy
✫ The healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to heal.
✫ Get enough sleep and eat a nutritious diet.
✫ Avoid emotional stress, which can increase healing times by up to 40%.
✫ If it hurts, don’t do it!
✫ Once the swelling has subsided, it is vital to replace the original, longer jewelry with a shorter post to avoid intra-oral damage. Consult your Piercer for their downsize policy.
✫ Because this necessary jewelry change often occurs during healing, it should be done by a qualified Piercer.
✫ With clean hands or paper product, be sure to regularly check threaded ends on your jewelry for tightness. (“Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey”)
✫ Carry a clean spare ball in case of loss or breakage.
✫ Contact your Piercer for a non-metallic jewelry alternative if your metal jewelry must be temporarily removed (such as for a medical procedure).
✫ Should you decide you no longer want the piercing, simply remove the jewelry (or have a professional Piercer remove it) and continue cleaning the piercing until the holes close. In most cases only a small mark may remain.
✫ In the event an infection is suspected, quality jewelry or an inert alternative should be left in place to allow for drainage of the infection. Should the jewelry be removed, the surface cells can close up sealing the infection inside the piercing channel, resulting in an abscess. Until an infection in cleared up, keep the jewelry in!
✫ Slowly eat small bites of food placed directly onto your molars.
Avoid eating spicy, salty, acidic, or hot temperature foods or beverages for a few days.
✫ Cold foods and beverages are soothing and help reduce swelling.
✫ Foods like mashed potatoes and oatmeal are hard to eat because they stick to your mouth and jewelry.
✫ For tongue piercing, try to keep your tongue level in your mouth as you eat because the jewelry can get between your teeth when your tongue turns.
✫ For Labret (cheek and lip piercings): be cautious about opening your mouth too wide as this can result in the jewelry catching on your teeth.
Each body is unique and healing times vary considerably. If you have any questions, leave a message on the Shop phone (423) 654-9378
Response time may be up to 24-48 business hours. Please say if your matter is urgent.
This is not to be considered a substitute for medical advice from a doctor.
✫ DO NOT play with your jewelry. Long term affects include permanent damage to teeth, gums, and other oral structures.
✫ Avoid undue trauma: excessive talking or playing with the jewelry during healing can cause the formation of unsightly and slightly uncomfortable scar tissue, migration, and other complications.
✫ Avoid using any mouthwash containing alcohol. It can irritate the piercing and delay healing.
✫ Avoid oral sexual contact including French(wet) kissing or oral sex during healing (even with a long-term partner).
✫ Avoid chewing on tobacco, gum, fingernails, pencils, sunglasses, and other foreign objects that could harbor bacteria.
✫ Avoid sharing plates, cups, and eating utensils.
✫ Avoid smoking! It increases risks and lengthens healing times.
✫ Avoid stress and all recreational drug use.
✫ Avoid aspirin, alcohol, and large amounts of caffeine as long as you are experiencing bleeding or swelling.
✫ Avoid submerging healing piercings in bodies of water such as lakes, pools, etc.
✫ Swelling will normally occur within the first 72 hours. It is important to drink lots of cold liquids and gently suck on ice to help minimize the swelling.
✫ Avoid spicy, dairy, citrus and salty foods for about a week as they can lead to irritation.
✫ Don’t share plates, cups or utensils with others. Replace your toothbrush and keep it clean during the healing period. Keep dirty fingers, pencils, sunglasses, etc out of your mouth. Also, when you brush your teeth, brush your tongue.
✫ Avoid excessive talking, playing with the jewelry and all oral sexual contact (including wet kissing) during the healing time.
✫ Check that the threaded ends of the jewelry are on securely. Tighten them each day to ensure the jewelry stays in place.
✫ Those with tongue piercings should be cautioned that playing with the jewelry excessively is frequently the cause of reported tooth and gum damage that should be avoided.
✫ Once the swelling has subsided, it its vital to replace the original, longer jewelry with a shorter post to void intra-oral damage. Consult your piercer about downsizing. The tongue should be done in 2-4 weeks.
✫ Do NOT use products with tooth whitener until the piercing heals.
✫ Never use Neosporin, Alcohol, or anything similar!
✫ WHEN at any time there is any scabbing on the jewelry, use a cotton swab soaked with warm/hot water to soften it up and then wipe it away.
✫ Avoid submerging the piercing in unhygienic bodies of water such as lakes, pools, hot tubs, etc.
✫ Exercise caution when drying or cleaning your face with towels/washcloths, these things can catch on the ring and pull it out. IF the ring ever comes out, get a regular earring stud in the hole and come in ASAP to have it put back in. Just remember that this piercing closes up fast.
✫ A circular band-aid over the ring will protect is when there is concern of it being ripped out.
✫ WHEN at any time there is any scabbing on the jewelry, use a cotton swab soaked with warm/hot water to soften it up and then wipe it away.
✫ Maintain cleanliness of telephones, headphones, eyeglasses, helmets, hats, and anything that contacts the piercing area.
✫ Use the t-shirt trick: dress your pillow in a large, clean t-shirt and turn it nightly; one clean t-shirt provides 4 clean surfaces for sleeping.
✫ INFECTION is from touching the piercing with dirty fingers, not getting all the soap out, or submerging in water without a waterproof bandage.
✫ Never use Neosporin, Alcohol, or anything similar.
✫ WHEN at any time there is any scabbing on the jewelry, use a cotton swab soaked with warm/hot water to soften it up and then wipe it away.
✫ When doing any physical activity such as working out, sleeping, sex, etc., you will need to place a band-aid snugly on the piercing to ensure it won’t get smacked around or pulled out. These piercings depend on scar tissue and handling them cautiously will help prevent migration.
✫ Avoid putting makeup on these piercings even after healed.
✫ Saline soaks are suggested weekly, even after the piercing is fully healed.
✫ INFECTION is from touching the piercing with dirty fingers, not getting all the soap out, or submerging in water without a waterproof bandage.
✫ NEVER use Neosporin, Alcohol, or anything similar.
✫ WHEN at any time there is any scabbing on the jewelry, use a cotton swab soaked with warm/hot water to soften it up and then wipe it away.
✫ Avoid submerging the percing in unhygeinic bodies of water such as lakes, pools, hot tubs, etc., OR protect your piercing using a waterproof wound-sealant bandage.
✫ INFECTION is from touching the piercing with dirty fingers, not getting all the soap out, or submerging in water without a waterproof bandage.
✫ Never use Neosporin, Alcohol, or anything similar.
✫ WHEN at any time there is any scabbing on the jewelry, use a cotton swab soaked with warm/hot water to soften it up and then wipe it away.
✫ Avoid submerging the piercing in unhygienic bodies of water such as lakes, pools, hot tubs, etc., OR protect your piercing using a wound-sealant bandage.
✫ A hard, vented eyepatch (sold at pharmacies) can be applied under tight clothing (such as nylon stockings) or secured using a length of ace bandage around the body (to avoid irritation from adhesive). This can protect the area from restrictive clothing, excess irritation, and impact during physical activities such as contact sports.
✫ INFECTION is from touching the piercing with dirty fingers, not getting all the soap out, or submerging in water without a waterproof bandage.
✫ Never use Neosporin, alcohol, or anything similar.
