Your piercing was performed professionally and appropriately. Follow these simple suggestions, and your healing period should go smoothly. Although not physicians, Black Widow Unlimited piercers are available whenever you have questions about aftercare. Please call us any time!
A Normal Piercing
- May be tender, itchy, or
bruised for a few weeks.
- May be slightly red. Redness may persist for several months.
- May bleed a little for the first few days.
- May secrete a whitish-yellow fluid which crusts on the jewelry.
This is not pus.
- May tighten around the jewelry as it heals, making turning
difficult when dry.
How Should I Clean My Piercing?
- You will need an
antibacterial soap, such as Provon (chlorexylenol).
- Always wash your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial soap
before touching your piercing.
- Your piercing should be cleaned thoroughly twice a day EVERYDAY
for the entire healing time. Prepare the area for cleansing by
removing the NORMAL secretion of Blood Plasma and Lymph
(crusties). This is easily accomplished by soaking the piercing
in warm water for 1 to 2 minutes. When the crust has softened
,use a Q-tip to Gently remove the matter. NEVER pick at the crust
with your fingernails.
- Work a small amount of soap with water and apply to the
piercing. Gently push the jewelry up and down, through the
piercing a few times making sure the soap is entering the
piercing. Allow the soap to remain in the piercing for one
minute. Keep all other soaps, shampoo, and conditioner from
entering the piercing. Remember, the soap does not have to lather
to be effective.
- Rinse the area thoroughly under running water, while pushing
the jewelry up and down a few times to remove ALL traces of the
cleanser. Never put any kind of soap on you r piercing without
rinsing it off.
- Gently pat the area dry with a Kleenex or other disposable
paper product.
- Apply Bacitracin ointment at least twice a day to help in the
healing process. If your piercing becomes dry you can apply as
needed.
- Clean the piercing no more than twice a day. Cleaning more
frequently may damage the delicate skin cells, and cleaning less
frequently may invite an infection. When you're not cleaning your
new piercing Leave It Alone.
What Else Can I Do?
- Many piercees have found
that Vitamin C (3ooo mg in mineral ascorbate form),
Multivitamins, and a zinc supplement (women:60 mg, men :120 mg),
for about two weeks can accelerate healing and regeneration of
tissue.
- Avoid wearing restrictive clothing , irritating clothing, or
clothing that limits oxygen flow to the area.
- If your jewelry has threaded ends, you must check the tightness
of the balls EVERYDAY (make sure your hands are clean). Failure
to do this may result in loss of your jewelry.
- Nipple piercees may want to sleep in a clean tank top, T-shirt,
or jog bra for a few nights.
- Any sexual contact should be gentle, protect the piercing from
body fluids, EVEN IF YOU ARE IN A MONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP.
When Can I Remove or Change The
Jewelry?
- Your piercing will not be
completely healed for several years. Even after the piercing has
healed, reinsertion can be difficult and sometimes impossible.
- Jewelry should not be changed during the initial healing
period.
Do I Have An Infection?
Infections are caused by
contact with bacteria, fungi, or other living pathogens. Piercing
infections can usually be traced to one of the following
activities:
- Touching the piercing with unwashed hands, or letting someone
else touch the piercing.
- Oral contact with the piercing, including your own saliva.
- Allowing body fluids to contact the piercing
- Contact with hair, cosmetics, oils, infrequently washed
clothing or bedding, or other agents.
- Going into a pool, hot tub, lake, ocean, or other body of
water. Baths are OK if you bleach your tub frequently.
How Can I Tell if I have an
Infection?
While these symptoms may
also indicate other problems, look for the following indications
of infection:
- Redness and swelling (after the first several weeks)
- A sensation of heat at the piercing site.
- PAIN, especially throbbing or spreading pain.
- Unusual discharge. May be greenish or yellowish.
I Think I have an Infection.
What Should I Do?
- If you think you have an infection contact your piercer right
away.
- Do not remove your jewelry. This may aggravate the problem by
closing off the drainage for the matter.
- The piercers at Black Widow Unlimited are not physicians and we
never dicourage anyone from contacting a physician if you think
you have an infection.
- Please understand that most doctors have little training in
body piercing, and may have no experience with piercings. As a
result they may offer inappropriate advice.
Things To Keep In Mind
- How your piercing heals is
up to you!
- Treat your body with respect and it will respect your new
piercing. Get plenty of rest, Eat healthy, and don't subject
yourself to heavy stress during the healing process.
- Remember, your piercing may look and feel like it has
completely healed in a short amount of time. Clean your piercing
continuously for the suggested healing time. Most piercings go
through a series of ups and downs during the healing process,
always be patient.
- Rough sexual activity or excessive movement of the area can
cause redness, swelling, discharge, and migration.
ESTIMATED HEALING TIMES FOR NIPPLE PIERCINGS
Everyone heals at a different rate. These are the average times for which you should clean your piercing twice daily and treat it like new. Remember that after the initial healing period, your piercing will still need many months to completely heal (toughen up). Always treat your piercing gently.
MALE PIERCINGS
- Nipple 3 - 6 months
FEMALE PIERCINGS
- Nipple 4 - 6 months
THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING BLACK WIDOW UNLIMITED AS YOUR PIERCER AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW PIERCING!