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Piercing Aftercare: Cleaning & Healing

A simple, consistent routine helps you care for your new piercing. Follow the placement-specific instructions your piercer gives you and ask before changing your jewelry.

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Cleaning Ear, Facial & Body Piercings

  1. Wash your hands before touching the area.
  2. Use packaged sterile saline wound wash containing 0.9% sodium chloride and water, without additives. Contact-lens solution and homemade salt mixes are not substitutes.
  3. Gently dry with clean disposable gauze or another suitable disposable product.
  4. Leave the jewelry still; do not twist or rotate it.

Avoid alcohol, peroxide, harsh cleansers, ointments, and excessive cleaning.

Comfort During Healing

Some early tenderness, swelling, and light crusting can happen. The outside can look healed before the inside is ready. Reduce pressure and friction, keep bedding clean, and avoid swimming while healing. Avoid sleeping directly on a fresh cartilage piercing.

Keep starter jewelry in place. Ask your piercer whether and when a professional downsize is needed; do not change healing jewelry yourself.

Lip, Tongue & Oral Piercings

Oral piercings need a different care routine. Ask your piercer for instructions suited to your placement, including eating, oral hygiene, and jewelry checks. See the Association of Professional Piercers’ oral aftercare guidance for further detail.

Jewelry Questions & Medical Concerns

Call (928) 318-2729 for fit, jewelry, or routine care questions. If you suspect infection, seek medical care and ask a clinician whether the jewelry should remain in place. Fever, worsening pain, spreading redness, or significant swelling need prompt attention. Trouble breathing or swallowing is an emergency.

Read more: Association of Professional Piercers’ body-piercing aftercare and NHS guidance on infected piercings.

Piercing Follow-Up in Yuma

Our studio is at 3795 W 22nd Ln, Suite 13. We are open Tuesday–Saturday, 10 AM–7 PM. Call to arrange time with the piercer so we can confirm availability before your visit.

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