Body Piercings:                                                                           

Basic everyday guidelines:

• Stay healthy.  Get enough sleep and eat a nutritious diet. 
• Make sure bedding is kept clean and changed regularly.
• Showers are preferred because bathtubs can harbor bacteria.
• Keep your new piercing out of soaking water such as Lakes, Pools, Jacuzzis, etc.  You may use a waterproof bandage to protect the piercing if necessary.
• Avoid the use of alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Betadine, Hibiclens or ointment.
• Do NOT over clean.
• Avoid oral contact, rough play, and contact with others’ bodily fluids on or near your piercing.
• Avoid stress and recreational drug use including excessive caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
• Avoid ALL beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing including cosmetics, lotions, and sprays.
• DO NOT try and change jewelry too early.  Wait at least 3 weeks or more (3 months on Navel) to change.  If irritation appears with your change-out jewelry then remove and replace with the cleaned original piercing jewelry.

Cleaning:

• Wash your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning, or touching on or near your piercing for any reason.

• Using the preferred liquid antimicrobial or liquid antibacterial soap, lather a small pearl size bead of soap in your hand, preferably while showering, and wash the jewelry and piercing for no more than 30 seconds and rinse well. 

• Let air dry or dry with disposable paper products such as paper towels.  Do not use cotton type towels.

• Apply H2Ocean sterilized sea salt solution.  Do NOT wipe off.  Re-apply H2Ocean up to six times daily.  Remember to NEVER wipe off the spray.

• Urinate after cleaning a genital piercing.

What is normal?

• Initially, some bleeding, localized swelling, tenderness, or bruising.
• While healing, some discoloration, itching, secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid (not pus) that will form some crust on the jewelry. 
• A piercing may seem healed before healing is complete.  This is because the piercing heals from the outside in.  Be patient and keep cleaning throughout the entire healing process.
• Once healed the jewelry may not move freely; DON’T force it.  If you fail to include cleaning your piercing as a part of your daily hygiene routine; normal but smelly bodily secretions may accumulate.

Alternate Saline Recipe:

                Use this recipe if you run out of the H2Ocean spray or mouthwash:

Dissolve 1/8-1/4 teaspoon on NON-Iodized sea salt into one cup (8oz) of warm distilled or bottled water.  A stronger mixture is NOT better.  Saline solution that is too strong can irritate your piercing.

Oral Piercings:                                                             

Basic everyday guidelines:

• Allow small pieces of ice to dissolve in the mouth.
• Take an over the counter, non-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen or Naproxyn Sodium according to package instructions.
• Sleep with your head elevated above your heart during the first few nights.
• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and keep it clean.
• Floss daily and gently brush your teeth, tongue and jewelry.  Once healed, brush the jewelry more thoroughly to avoid plaque build up.
• Get enough sleep and eat a nutritious diet.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle.
• Do NOT play with the jewelry.  Permanent damage may result.
• Avoid undue trauma, excessive talking or playing with the jewelry during the healing process can cause scar tissue, migration, or other complications.
• Avoid any mouthwash containing alcohol.
• Avoid oral sexual contact including French kissing or oral sex during the healing process.
• Avoid chewing gum, tobacco, fingernails, pencils, sunglasses, etc.
• Avoid sharing plates, cups, and eating utensils.
• Avoid smoking.  Smoking increases risk and healing time.
• Avoid stress and recreational drug use.
• Avoid aspirin or alcohol, and large amounts of caffeine.
• Avoid submerging in bodies of water such as lakes, pools, etc.

Cleaning Inside the mouth:

• Rinse mouth 4-5 times daily with H2Ocean mouthwash for 30-60 seconds after meals and at bedtime during the entire healing period.  If you over clean, it may cause discoloration or irritation of the tongue.

Cleaning Exterior:

• Wash your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning, or touching on or near your piercing for any reason.

• Using the preferred liquid antimicrobial or liquid antibacterial soap, lather a small pearl size bead of soap in your hand, preferably while showering, and wash the jewelry and piercing for no more than 30 seconds and rinse well. 

• Let air dry or dry with disposable paper products such as paper towels.  Do not use cotton type towels.

• Apply H2Ocean sterilized sea salt solution.  Do NOT wipe off the piercing.  Re-apply H2Ocean up to six times daily.  Remember to NEVER wipe off the spray.

What is normal?

• Significant swelling, light bleeding, bruising, and/or tenderness for the first three to five days.
• Beyond three to five days, some swelling, light secretion or a whitish-yellow fluid (not pus)

• A piercing may seem healed before healing is complete.  This is because the piercing heals from the outside in.  Be patient and keep cleaning throughout the entire healing process.

Alternate Saline Recipe:

Use this recipe if you run out of the H2Ocean spray or mouthwash:

Dissolve 1/8-1/4 teaspoon on NON-Iodized sea salt into one cup (8oz) of warm distilled or bottled water.  A stronger mixture is NOT better.  Saline solution that is too strong can irritate your piercing.