Clean your piercing with sterile saline wound wash 1-2 times a day. Spray both sides of your piercing to irrigate the area and remove debris and crusties, pat excess saline off with paper towel or gauze. (Excess moisture in the area can lead to complications, you may use a blow dryer on the cool setting to fully dry your piercing.) If the piercing is not bothering you, you do not need to spray it with saline. Your most thorough cleaning will happen in the shower. Allow warm water to run on your piercing for several minutes. The warm water will help the piercing drain and will break up and loosen any stubborn debris.

Do not twist, play or remove your jewelry while healing. There is no need to rotate your jewelry. This is a common misconception and is actually detrimental to healing.

DO NOT USE PRODUCTS SUCH AS BETADINE SURGICAL SCRUB, ISOPROPYL RUBBING ALCOHOL, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, TEA TREE OIL OR OTHER PRODUCTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SUGGESTED BY YOUR PIERCING PROFESSIONAL. These can actually slow the healing process and lead to complications for some people.

Do not sleep on your healing piercing. Airplane pillows are a great asset if you are a side sleeper.

Do not use qtips/cotton swabs.
Do not let beauty products come in contact with a healing piercing. Be

careful with make-up, moisturizers, shampoo, conditioners, hair products,

If you were told your piercing is one that should be downsized (switched etc.

to a shorter post after swelling has subsided) please remember to come back for that! Sleeping on a piercing that has not been downsized can lead to the piercing itself shifting and healing crooked. The excess length can also cause irritation from the constant friction of the bar moving back and forth and the snagging that can occur.

DOWNSIZE YOUR PIERCING 6-8 WEEKS.

When you notice swelling has come down and you have room for the post to move freely forward and back, it is time to go back to your piercer and have your post downsized.

Do not submerge your piercing in any bodies of water (ocean, pool, hot tubs, lakes, rivers, etc) for the first 4-8 weeks of healing.

Irritation Bumps

If you see a bump appear around your piercing, please make sure you are doing the following for at least 1-2 weeks before scheduling a consult. These bumps are temporary and will usually go away on their own with proper care, they are typically not keloids. (Keloids are a completely different issue and are usually diagnosed by a medical professional).

nipples and navels

Avoid tight or restrictive clothing, excessive friction or rough play. Refrain from certain types of abdominal or chest exercises for the first few days. Care should be taken when pulling clothing on or off over the head. Keep personal hygiene products out of and away from the piercing.