Piercing Aftercare

The WitchInk Hour | Piercing Aftercare Guide

Congratulations on your new piercing! ♡

Proper aftercare is essential to achieving a healthy, comfortable healing process.

Please follow the instructions below and remember that every piercing, and every person, heals differently.

1. General Piercing Aftercare

Step 1 – Always Wash Your Hands

Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water before cleaning or touching your piercing.
Avoid unnecessarily touching, twisting or moving your jewellery, as this can introduce bacteria and cause irritation.

Step 2 – Cleaning Your Piercing

We recommend using a sterile 0.9% sodium chloride saline solution, specifically formulated for wound cleaning.

Gently spray your piercing approximately twice daily, morning and evening.
Allow the saline to soften any dried discharge or crusting around your jewellery.
If necessary, gently remove softened debris using clean, disposable gauze.
Never forcefully remove stubborn crusting or scrape around the piercing.
Gently pat the area dry using clean, disposable gauze or kitchen roll.

Important: Please avoid homemade saltwater solutions, including mixtures made with rock sea salt.

Although saltwater has traditionally been recommended for piercing aftercare, homemade mixtures can contain incorrect salt concentrations, potentially causing dryness, irritation and delayed healing.

Sterile saline is a safer, more consistent option for routine piercing cleaning.

Step 3 – Leave Your Jewellery Alone

Avoid twisting, spinning or unnecessarily moving your jewellery.
Do not remove or change your jewellery during the healing process unless advised by a professional piercer.
Some piercings require the initial jewellery to be downsized once swelling has reduced. Your piercer can advise when this is appropriate.
Jewellery changes and healing times vary depending on the placement of your piercing.

Step 4 – Allow Your Piercing to Heal

Mild swelling, redness, tenderness and occasional crusting are normal during the initial healing stages.
Your piercing may appear healed on the outside before the internal tissue has fully recovered.
Continue your aftercare throughout the recommended healing period.
Avoid sleeping directly on your piercing, particularly with ear and facial piercings.

Step 5 – Be Patient!

Healing times vary significantly depending on the piercing location.
Some piercings heal within a couple of months, while cartilage, navel and other body piercings can take six months or longer.
Avoid changing your jewellery simply because your piercing looks or feels healed.

Remember, the best thing you can do for your piercing is keep it clean, avoid unnecessary contact and allow your body to heal naturally.

2. Oral Piercing Aftercare

Oral piercings, including tongue and lip piercings, require a little extra attention during healing due to the bacteria naturally present inside the mouth.

Step 1 – Cleaning Your Piercing

Maintain good oral hygiene by brushing your teeth twice daily using a soft toothbrush.
Rinse your mouth thoroughly with clean water after eating or drinking anything other than water.
When using mouthwash, choose an alcohol-free, hydrogen peroxide-free product suitable for oral piercing aftercare.
Avoid excessive mouthwash use, as this may cause irritation.
For lip piercings, clean the external piercing site using sterile 0.9% saline solution.

Step 2 – During the Healing Process

Avoid smoking and vaping where possible, as they can irritate your piercing and delay healing.
Avoid sharing drinks, kissing or other oral contact during the initial healing period.
Be careful with particularly hot, spicy or acidic foods if they cause discomfort.
Avoid playing with your jewellery or clicking it against your teeth.
Stay hydrated and maintain good oral hygiene.

Step 3 – Swelling & Jewellery Changes

Some swelling and tenderness are expected during the first few days.
Once swelling has reduced, your piercer may need to replace your initial jewellery with a shorter piece.
This is particularly important for tongue and lip piercings to help reduce unnecessary contact with your teeth and gums.
Never attempt to change healing oral jewellery without professional advice.

If you experience excessive swelling, worsening pain, unusual discharge or signs of infection, seek medical advice promptly.

Difficulty breathing or swallowing requires emergency medical attention.

3. Things to Avoid With Your New Piercing

Please follow these precautions to minimise irritation and support a healthy healing process.

Swimming & Soaking

Avoid swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, rivers and the sea during healing wherever possible.

Showers are preferable to baths.

Unnecessary Touching

Avoid touching, twisting or playing with your jewellery.

Always wash your hands before cleaning.

Harsh Cleaning Products

Do not use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil, harsh antibacterial soap or homemade saltwater solutions.

These products can irritate healing tissue and interfere with the healing process.

Makeup & Skincare

Avoid applying makeup, fake tan, perfumes, lotions or other beauty products directly around the piercing site.

Sleeping on Your Piercing

Avoid putting pressure on your new piercing while sleeping.

For ear piercings, a travel pillow can help protect the area.

Changing Jewellery Too Early

Your piercing must have sufficient time to heal.

Any downsizing or necessary jewellery changes during healing should be performed by a professional piercer.

Tight Clothing & Snagging

Be cautious of tight clothing, towels, hairbrushes, headphones and anything that may catch or irritate your jewellery.

Over-Cleaning

Cleaning too frequently can dry out and irritate your piercing.

Gentle, consistent aftercare is best.

Unnecessary Friction

Avoid activities that repeatedly knock, pull or put pressure on the piercing.

4. Irritation Bumps & Healing Concerns

Occasionally, healing piercings may develop small irritation bumps.

These can be caused by several factors, including:

Excessive movement or pressure.
Sleeping directly on the piercing.
Jewellery that is unsuitable in size, shape or material.
Snagging or accidental knocks.
Over-cleaning or using irritating products.

What Should I Do?

Continue gently cleaning your piercing with sterile 0.9% saline solution.
Avoid touching, twisting or applying unnecessary pressure.
Do not squeeze, pop or pick at the bump.
Avoid tea tree oil, harsh treatments and homemade saltwater compresses.
Contact your piercer to have your jewellery and piercing placement assessed.

Not all bumps are irritation bumps. Persistent, enlarging or unusual growths should be assessed by an appropriate healthcare professional.

Please remember: Irritation bumps are not automatically keloids, and the correct approach depends on their cause.

5. When to Seek Medical Advice

Mild redness, swelling, tenderness and small amounts of pale crusting can be normal during healing.

However, increasing pain, significant swelling, spreading redness, thick pus, fever or feeling unwell may indicate an infection and should be assessed by a medical professional.

If you suspect an infection, do not remove your jewellery unless instructed to do so by a medical professional.

For medical advice in the UK, contact your GP or NHS 111.

Seek urgent medical attention for rapidly worsening symptoms or serious swelling.

6. We're Here to Help!

At The WitchInk Hour, your experience doesn't end when you leave the studio.

We're always happy to offer guidance and answer questions about your piercing throughout the healing process.

If you're unsure whether something is healing normally, please get in touch.

While we can offer general aftercare advice, we cannot diagnose or treat infections or other medical conditions.

Healing takes time, so be gentle with your new piercing and allow your body to do its thing! ♡

Thank you for choosing The WitchInk Hour and trusting us with your new piercing!

Witchink Hour

The

Studio