Looking After Your New Piercing*
Belly Button & Surface Piercing
Our Body Piercers at Tribal Voice will explain to you in detail how to look after your piercing once you leave the studio, and you will also receive an email stating the aftercare procedures after your appointment.
How to make your salt solution:
Add 1/4 of a teaspoon of rock salt or sea salt to 1/2 pint of boiling water. Make sure the salt has dissolved and the water has cooled before using a clean cotton bud to dip into the water and then clean around the piercing. Use one end of the cotton bud around one side and the other end around the other side to stop any cross contamination.
DON NOT USE TABLE SALT! It’s full of “yummy” chemicals that isn’t so yummy for your piercing.
You may think adding more salt to your water will help the piercing heal better/ quicker? This is most NOT the case! Too much salt will “burn” your piercing, leaving it very red, sore, dry and itchy and nobody wants that.
Over cleaning is also just as bad as under cleaning. If you over clean you will remove any good bacteria trying to help your new piercing heal.
Also, don’t play with or touch your new piercing! We know its tempting and you want to care for it but…. it won’t do any good! Not only does it make it dirty but it could even make it move/migrate!
Put the oils down and step away just for the moment. Coconut, Aloe Vera, Bio Oil… Just step away. You can always use these later when its healed but a little dry.
I have lumps! whats going on?!
Lumps can be 1 of 2 things. The most common reason for lumps is irritation. Something may have gotten in the hole, it could be dust, makeup, hair products, ANYTHING. This foreign object will also be irritating it from the inside. So how can you make this horrible monster of a lump go away? You can use a hot compress.
A what I hear you say?!
- Grab a clean flannel or kitchen roll (rolled up), a mug and water…. and something to boil the water with.
- Boil water.
- Put said boiling water into the mug (or a bowl, a bowl works just as well). Let it chill for a bit.
- While it’s still hot but not skin meltingly boiling, dip your flannel/tissue/towel into the water and place over your new lumpy enemy and hold for a few minutes.
- Do this for as long as you have the lump and you should see it go down or banished forever but you need to keep with it!
- You can also use a green tea or camomile tea bag!
If it doesn’t go away there is a chance it may be a keloid but these are actually not as common as people think. If it is a keloid you can either see a doctor about it or just keep an eye on it. There isn’t a lot to make them go away. But do the hot compress first (and properly). After all miracles don’t tend to happen over-night!
REMEMBER! These are just guide lines/suggestions and things we have picked up from our own personal experiences. If you have any questions or problems do not hesitate to ask us about it. You can come and see us, give us a call, drop us an email OR send us a Facebook message (yes, we use Facebook too!)
*Once you have left the studio it is your responsibility to look after you’re piercing and important that you follow the aftercare advice emailed to you after your visit.
If you have had a genital piercing with us, please follow the aftercare properly and abstain from sexual activity for 4 – 6 weeks. We know this sounds boring but the health of your new piercing is important! Engaging in sexual activity before its healed can result in: cross contamination of bodily fluids, swelling, embedding, tearing, infection, over scarring and migration. Don’t be silly, look after your wi…. You get the idea.
How long will my piercing take to heal?
Healing times will vary depending on the piercing that you have had done. Some piercings can take a few weeks and others can take months. Soft tissue such as lips and genitals will only take 4-8 weeks and surface piercings such as a navel piercing can take as long as 6-9 months!
The following reflects each piercing and its expected healing period:
Piercing Healing Time
Ears (Lobes) – 6-8 Weeks
Ears (Cartilage) – 4-6 Months
Nose – 2-3 Months
Eyebrow – 6-8 Weeks
Lip – 6-8 Weeks
Tongue – 6-8 Weeks
Nipple – Male – 4-6 Months
Nipple – Female – 2-3 Months
Navel – 6-9 Months
Surface – 6-9 Months
Genital – 4-8 Weeks