Body Piercing

Wash

Always wash your hands thoroughly before touching or cleaning your piercing.

Rinse

Rinse the piercing well with clean water before getting out of the bath or shower. This removes any soap, shampoo, or residue that could cause irritation. Standing under the shower is ideal.

Dry

Never leave your piercing wet. Gently pat dry using clean kitchen roll, sterile gauze, or a fresh paper towel. Avoid cloth towels, as they can harbour bacteria.

Spray

Apply your aftercare solution. NeilMed Piercing Aftercare is recommended and can be purchased in studio or online.

Dry Again

Gently pat the saline dry using clean kitchen roll, sterile gauze, or a disposable paper towel.

 

 

Jewellery Downsizing

 

Swelling is normal in the early stages of healing and can last several days to a few weeks depending on the piercing.

Once swelling has fully subsided, it is essential to return to the studio for a jewellery downsize. This helps prevent irritation, migration, and long-term complications.

Lip piercings should be downsized in combination with oral aftercare guidance.

 

Avoid During Healing

 

• Sleeping directly on healing cartilage piercings. A travel pillow placed on top of your regular pillow can help reduce pressure.

• Cleaning with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antiseptics, TCP, Dettol, iodine, contact lens solution, home-made salt water, or antibacterial soaps.

• Ointments or creams, as they restrict airflow needed for healing.

• Bactine®, ear-piercing solutions, or products containing Benzalkonium Chloride (BZK).

• Over-cleaning or excessive handling of the jewellery.

• Trauma from clothing, friction, playing with jewellery, or vigorous cleaning.

• Oral contact, rough play, or contact with others’ bodily fluids near the piercing.

• Submerging piercings in pools, hot tubs, lakes, or other unhygienic water. If unavoidable, use a waterproof wound sealant bandage.

• Beauty or personal care products on or around the piercing, including cosmetics, lotions, and sprays.

• Excessive caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, recreational drug use, and high stress levels.

Support Healing

• Maintain a healthy lifestyle

• Get adequate sleep

• Eat a balanced, nutritious diet or consider daily supplements

• Manage stress — emotional stress can increase healing time by up to 40%