PIERCING AFTERCARE
Congratulations on your new piercing! We hope you enjoyed your experience & are looking forward to the world of ear curation that awaits you!
It is important to keep your new piercing(s) clean. Some things to remember are:
Use the saline solution that was given to you by your piercer to clean your fresh piercing twice a day with clean hands & a cotton swab (stay clear of any harsh solutions, such as tea tree oil, alcohol or antiseptics as these products will slow/stop your healing process).A good rule of thumb is: If you don’t want it in your mouth, you don’t want it on your piercing.
Don’t touch, twist or fiddle with your piercing! By touching it you can cause irritation & possible infection (all the above can also cause your jewellery to loosen, which can result in your piercing jewellery falling out, or becoming lost).
Refrain from sleeping on your new piercing(s), as this can also cause aggravation & in some circumstances, can also lead to migration (where your piercing heals at an odd, displaced angle).
Most importantly, leave your new piercing alone (unless you are cleaning it). Your body will heal most effectively when left alone in a clean, dry environment.
If ever in doubt, do not hesitate to contact our piercers via phone or email (piercings@blackbettydesign.com)
HEALING TIME-FRAMES & DOWNSIZING:
2-4 weeks post-piercing: Around this stage in your healing journey, you may have noticed some yellow ‘crusties’ forming around your piercing. This is totally normal, & you should not pick at them - rather continue cleaning as usual, & only remove the ‘crusties’ if they naturally come away from the skin (without being picked at :)
Week 8-12: For a lobe piercing, around this time they should be healed - & you can now change your jewellery if you wish. But remember, it’s important to keep jewellery in at this stage, as they can close up again very quickly if left alone.
For a cartilage piercing, it can take from 6-9 months to heal and may require a downsize in jewellery prior to this.Please note: there is a small charge for your new downsized labret/bar (our implant-grade titanium labrets are priced at R280 each).
Why is downsizing so important? Fresh piercings require a longer bar, to allow for any initial swelling you may have. Once your piercing has begun to heal and the swelling has ceased, it is important to change this to a shorter bar. This shorter bar will sit snug to your skin - thus reducing the chance of your piercing getting pulled or aggravated, and it also helps stop any piercing migration that can occur.
TAKING CARE OF YOUR PIERCING JEWELLERY:
Your piercing jewellery is no different to any other jewels you may own - great care needs to be taken when handling & wearing it.
We cannot be liable for lost or damaged body/piercing jewellery & we strongly recommend cleaning your jewels gently, not fiddling with it, being mindful when putting on & removing your face mask.
If your jewellery feels loose at any stage, please do not hesitate to contact us as soon as possible so we can rectify this for you.
