WHAT TO EXPECT AND BE AWARE OF
Soon after the piercing procedure, if the piercing gets snagged or bumped it may bleed which is perfectly normal. Simply apply some sterile gauze and pressure for a couple of minutes until the blood clots.
Remember that healing times vary significantly from person to person depending upon a variety of factors such as lifestyle, movement and overall health. With this in mind, it is never recommended to get a piercing done when you are sick or feeling under the weather.
For the first few weeks, it is completely normal for the area to be red, swollen, and tender and occasionally bruising may occur. The piercing may tend to bleed on and off and secrete a sticky clear/white/pale yellow fluid throughout the healing process. This fluid may form a crust once it's dried. Please do not be alarmed by this as it is usually lymph which is completely normal and is part of the healing process and does not indicate signs of infection!
However, it is important to note that if your piercing is secreting a yellow, thick puss-like or green-smelly fluid this is an indication of infection and you should see your piercer immediately. DO NOT remove or replace the initial piercing jewellery until the piercing is fully healed.
Always ensure that jewellery is worn in the piercing for at least a full year after it has healed. In any event, where jewellery is required to be removed for any reason, wearing a retainer is the best way to ensure your piercing does not close up.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES
Don't use Antiseptic preparations including Savlon cream, spray or soak, TCP, Hydrogen Peroxide, Lavender oil, Tea tree oil, Dettol, Surgical Spirit or Rubbing Alcohol of any kind to clean your piercing! These are very harsh chemicals and will cause irritation and result in prolonged and uncomfortable healing. Use contact lens solution to clean your piercing as this is made for the contact lenses and eyes only which makes it unsuitable for the skin.
Use any bottled re-sealable piercing solutions. Once opened, they carry a high risk of causing infection due to the growth of bacteria.
WHAT NOT TO DO AND AVOID
Prevent getting any soap, shampoo, and chemical residues from showering or bathing on the piercing site and ensure that you rinse the piercing thoroughly with clean water following a shower or a bath.
DO NOT touch, play or fiddle with the piercing at all as hands and fingers carry a lot of germs and you want to avoid possible infection from dirty hands. Touching, playing or fiddling with your piercing generally results in a prolonged healing period and an infection.
DO NOT move or twist the piercing when it is dry. If any secretion, such as lymph, has hardened on the jewellery, turning it may tear the skin, result in scarring and possibly cause fluid build-ups. It will also prolong healing and the torn skin then puts the piercing at greater risk of infection!
NB: Avoid bumping or snagging the piercing as any trauma caused may result in excess swelling, tenderness or result in a flare-up.
NB: DO NOT sleep on your piercing as it will prolong healing and can result in migration of the piercing, which causes it to move from its original placement and heal incorrectly.