We Believe the success to a great healthy piercing is simple, let your body do its job.

The success of your body piercing depends on your commitment to the aftercare.  If your piercing is neglected, or irritated by bad habits like playing with the jewellery, it will almost certainly have problems healing.   You must allow your body to heal without interrupting its natural healing process.

Chemicals will not heal your piercing, only your body will.  This means we do not suggest the use of harsh chemicals, soaps, essential oils or ointments.  From research and experience, we have found that strong chemicals are counter productive and delay healing.  Our aftercare utilises body neutral wound wash saline.

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What is Normal for a piercing?

• Initially, some bleeding, localised swelling, tenderness or bruising. 
• During healing: Some discoloration, itching, secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid (not pus) that will form crust on the jewellery. The tissue may tighten around the jewellery as it heals. 
• Once healed: The jewellery may not move freely in the piercing.

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Be Patient

• A piercing may seem healed before healing is complete. This is because piercings heal from the outside in and although it feels healed the tissue remains fragile on the inside. 
• Keep cleaning throughout the entire healing period.

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The Importance of Downsizing my piercing? What's a piercing downsize?

• Most piercings are started with jewellery that is a little longer or larger in diameter to accommodate for both cleaning and swelling.
• Once the initial swelling has subsided, please visit us for a follow up consultation, We typically recommend that you visit 4 to 6 weeks after your piercing.
• If your piercing is slept on or otherwise irritated, it can cause a permanent distortion in the angle of the piercing. We call this distortion “drift”.
• Downsizing your jewellery in a timely manner can prevent drift from happening.
• Jewellery fees may apply.

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What To Do with my fresh piercing?

• Wash your hands prior to touching the piercing; leave it alone except when cleaning. It is not necessary to rotate the jewellery while healing except possibly during cleaning. 
• Make sure that your jewellery and skin is free from any discharge before you attempt to move the jewellery. Irritation can occur when crusty matter is accidentally forced into the piercing. 
• Stay healthy! Eat a nutritious diet. The healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to heal. Exercise during healing is fine, just “listen” to your body. 
• Make sure your bedding is kept clean and changed regularly. Wear clean, comfortable, breathable clothing that protects your piercing while sleeping. 
• Showering is safer than taking a bath, because bath tubs tend to harbour bacteria. If you would like to take a bath, clean the tub well before and after each use.

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Nose Piercing care specifics

• Nose piercing studs should be reinserted if they become loose at any time with but only with clean hands.
  
• Yes you need to clean inside the nostril too.
• Try not to touch and play with the jewellery.
• Soak at least two times daily with Neilmed Sterile Saline solution let it soak for a minute, The longer you soak the better, fresh gauze saturated in saline solution maybe easier.
• Gently wipe over to remove debris before gently drying with fresh gauze.
• Remember to check your piercing attachment is not loose, we tighten the jewellery before you leave the shop but jewellery can become loose over time.

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Oral Piercing Specifics

• Swelling will normally occur within the first 72 hours. It is important to drink lots of cold liquids, you can also gently suck on ice to help minimise the swelling, but plenty of cold iced water is best.
• Don’t share plates, cups, or eating utensils with others. Replace your toothbrush and keep it clean during the healing period, switch to an alcohol free mouthwash. Keep dirty fingers, pencils, sunglasses etc. out of your mouth. 
• Avoid excessive talking, playing with the jewellery and all oral contact (including wet kissing) during the healing time. 
• Check the ends of the jewellery are on securely. Tighten them daily to ensure the jewellery stays in place. 
• Those with tongue piercings should be cautioned that playing with the jewellery excessively is frequently the cause of reported tooth and gum damage and should be avoided.
  

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Ear Lobe, Ear Cartilage and Facial Piercing Specifics

• Place a towel or clean t-shirt between piercing and pillow, care should be taken that it is clean and disposable where possible.
• Maintain cleanliness of mobile telephones, headphones, glasses, helmets, hats and anything that contacts the pierced area.
• Use caution when styling your hair and advise your stylist of a new or healing piercing.
• Try not to touch the jewellery unless you have clean hands.
• Soak at least two times daily with Neilmed Sterile Saline solution let it soak for a minute, The longer you soak the better, fresh gauze saturated in saline solution maybe easier.
• Gently wipe over to remove debris before gently drying with fresh gauze.

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Piercing care Tips and Tricks

Clean bedding can help prevent complications.  A clean t-shirt over your pillow, changed regularly until your pillowcase is washed, is strongly encouraged for ear and facial piercings.

Travel pillows can help you avoid sleeping directly on your ear while healing an ear piercing.

Healthy bodies heal piercings best.  Cardiff Piercing encourages our clients to make every effort to live a healthy lifestyle, guided by a medical professional.  

Piercing Problems?  Questions?

Most problems are NOT infection.  Please do not hesitate to contact us for free consultations whenever you have the slightest concern about your piercing.  We can’t help if we don’t hear from you, so please contact us!

When to Seek Medical Assistance for my Piercing?

While infection is rare, it is absolutely essential to seek professional medical assistance at the very first sign of infection.  Symptoms include: sudden onset of swelling, excessive bleeding, discharge of yellow, green, or dark coloured fluid.  Some redness is normal, but excessive redness and/or red stripes coming from the piercing site are indicative of serious problems.  Fever, upset stomach, dizziness, or vomiting may also be signs of infection.  Should any of these symptoms occur, immediately contact a doctor or medical professional.

Blood Donation after getting a piercing?

For Tattoo and Piercing in Wales it's recommended by the Welsh Blood Service that you wait 120 days before giving blood. 

What to avoid with a new piercing.

Avoid touching your piercing with unwashed hands, Contamination of the piercing site from touching with unwashed hands can result in infection!

Please don't listen to your friends, We understand that they mean well and XYZ may have worked for them and ABC shop said to do this or that, come to us for help as soon as you believe you may have a problem, we see thousands of piercings every year and can offer safe up to date advice.

Do not remove your jewellery during the healing process, unless instructed to do so by a medical professional.  Even healed piercings can and will shrink when jewellery is removed, potentially resulting in loss of the piercing.

Prevent makeup, health and beauty products, suntan lotion and other cosmetics from touching the piercing site or jewellery.

Harsh chemicals, including “natural” aftercare products like tea tree oil, are suggested against.  We strongly suggest against the use of any product besides 0.9%  Wound Wash Saline like Neilmed Piercing aftercare.

We would not advise products such as Caflon - Ear Piercing Aftercare or Claires Ear Piercing Rapid® 3 Week After Care Lotion, these aftercare products simply are not sterile once opened and can in some cases cost up to x3 more than a safe sterile saline such as Neilmed.

It is important to avoid swimming while healing a new piercing.  Swimming can result in infected or irritated piercings, even the cleanest of pools or hot tubs can pose a risk to your healing piercing.

Do not rotate, twist, or turn jewellery while healing.  This damages your piercing channel as well as possibly loosening the jewellery.