The optimal way to care for your piercing is to clean it twice daily. The easiest and most comfortable way to clean your piercing is either during or immediatly following a hot shower. The hot water and steam will help soften your skin and loosen the crust at the base of your jewelry (making it easier to remove). While in the shower, was your hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap - preferably a medical grade soap such as Satin, which can be purchased at our studio.

Next, gently remove the crust from you jewelry with a disposable, one-use product such as a tissue, cotton ball, swab, or square. Do not use a hand towel because bacteria can lie dormant in the cloth. Then, place some anti-bacterial soap in your hands and rub them together as to create a nice lather. Gently wipe the jewelry and piercing with the tips of your fingers, being careful not to scratch or irritate the area. Once the jewelry and piercing are lathered with soap, spin the jewelry so that the ball rests on one hole of your piercing; then, spin it so that the ball rests on the opposite hole. This process will help run some soap into the wound, helping to ward off bacteria. After spinning the jewelry back and forth several times, rinse the area and jewelry thoroghly while continuing to spin the jewelry back and forth.(Tip: Do not place your piercing directly into the showers streaming water. Instead, try to redirect the water with your hands in order to reduce the intensity of rinsing.) When not in the shower, use a sterile saline solution or spray to rinse your piercing. This also can be purchased at our studio.

Sea Salt Soaks

If your piercing becomes infected, follow these instructions. DO NOT USE ALCOHOL OR PEROXIDE. The use of alcohol or peroxide can be detrimental to the healing process and can make things worse.

After completing the above process for cleaning your piercing, you can perform sea salt soaks either in or out of the shower. First, fill a fresh disposable cup with approximately 8 ounces of water and add 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, stirring until it is dissolved. When ready, either place the cup over the piercing - forming a vacuum type seal, or dip the piercing into the cup. If either of these techniques are not possible, pre-soak a fresh tissue, cotton ball or swab in the sea salt solution and firmly press it on your piercing. In order to promote effectiveness, the first sea salt soak should last at least 10 minutes. All additional soaks should last at least 5 - 10 minutes. Following the sea salt soak, pat your piercing and jewelry dry with a fresh disposable paper or cotton product.

Ibuprofen

For those who are extremely sensitive, an over-the-counter anti-inflamitory such as ibuprofen (Motrin IB, Advil, etc.) can help reduce swelling and pain.