Piercing Aftercare 101: Keep It Clean, Keep It Cute
- Kailee Nauman
- Jun 17
- 3 min read
So, you just got a new piercing? Welcome to the club. Whether it’s your first stud, a septum, or another step in your personal body mod journey, now comes the most important part: aftercare.
At Alchemy Art Collective, we’re all about bold self-expression, but we’re also big fans of clean piercings that heal well. No crusty jewelry, no unnecessary pain, just you, thriving, and your piercing looking fresh AF.
Pro Tip: Download and save our handy Piercing Aftercare PDF so you can reference as much as you need to instead of getting sucked into a Reddit digest on the worst case scenarios.
💧 Cleaning Instructions: The Non-Gross Way to Heal
1. Wash your hands, every time: Before touching your piercing for any reason, scrub in like you’re about to do surgery. (We’re not kidding.)
2. Clean 2–3 times a day with a sterile saline solution: Use a pre-made saline spray or make your own (¼ teaspoon non-iodized sea salt in 1 cup distilled water). Spray or soak the area—cotton rounds or gauze work great for hard-to-reach spots.
3. Rinse thoroughly: Get rid of any leftover residue so nothing crusty builds up.
4. Dry gently with paper towels or disposable gauze: Cloth towels can carry bacteria and get caught on your jewelry - trust us, it’s not fun.
5. Check your jewelry: Make sure it’s snug (not crushing your skin) and screwed on tight. Remember: lefty loosey, righty tighty. Lost jewelry = bummer. We can’t replace pieces that fall out without a heads up.
🧠 What’s Normal vs. What’s Not
Totally normal during healing:
Light bleeding or bruising at first
Swelling, tenderness, or slight discomfort
Itching (aka: DO NOT SCRATCH)
Yellowish-white discharge that may crust on jewelry (this isn’t pus, don’t panic)
Not normal:
Thick, green or foul-smelling discharge
Sharp or worsening pain
Fever or chills. If things feel off, hit us up or see a doc. Better safe than sketchy.
🛑 What to Avoid While Healing
❌ Alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or harsh soaps (they’ll burn and delay healing)
❌ Lotions, sprays, or cosmetics near the area
❌ Pools, lakes, hot tubs—basically anything you can submerge in
❌ Baths (showers = yes. bathtubs = bacteria playground)
❌ Tight clothing that rubs or irritates the piercing
❌ Smoking—especially for oral piercings (seriously, it slows healing)
❌ Touching or twisting the jewelry unnecessarily
❌ Stress, sleep deprivation, and junk food... yes, your body needs fuel to heal punk
🦷 Extra Notes for Oral Piercings
You’ve got a tongue, lip, or other mouth-adjacent piercing? Here's the deal:
Take ibuprofen for swelling
Eat soft, cold foods (ice cream = valid medicine)
No straws while healing
Rinse your mouth with saline or alcohol-free mouthwash after eating, drinking, or smoking
Don’t play with the jewelry, seriously. You can chip a tooth or damage your gums
Sleep with your head elevated for the first few nights
For lip piercings: follow oral care for the inside, body care for the outside.
🧼 Product Breakdown: What to Use
Ocean Foam Soap (for body piercings)
Wash your hands first
Use a clean Q-tip to wipe off any crust or debris
Apply H2Ocean foam and let it sit for 10–15 seconds
No need to rotate the jewelry
Wound Wash Saline
Clean hands (yes, again)
Soak the piercing using sterile saline and cotton rounds for 10–15 minutes
Skip rotating the jewelry—your body is doing the work inside
🖤 Long-Term Vibes = Healthy Piercings
Piercings can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to fully heal, depending on placement. Stick with your aftercare routine through the whole process—even when it “looks fine.” Healing happens from the outside in, which means what looks healed on the surface might still be tender inside.
Quick tips for long-term success:
Keep bedding clean and free of pet hair
Drink water, eat good food, and get solid sleep
Don’t rush to change the jewelry, ask us when it’s safe to swap
💬 Got Questions? We're Here.
If something feels off, or you're just not sure what the next step is... reach out! There’s no such thing as a dumb piercing question. We’ve seen it all, and we’re here to make sure you heal up happy, healthy, and ready to show off that sparkle. Don't forget to download your care sheet, or use this blog on your cellular device whenever.
📞 720.485.3435
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