Your new piercing:

You have chosen Native Rituals to perform your new piercing and the very highest standards, techniques and sterilization have been applied. In order to be sure your piercing heals quickly without complication the following aftercare should be followed.

Normal for Piercings:

• May be tender, itchy or bruised for a few weeks.
• May be slightly red. Redness may persist for several weeks.
• May secrete a whitish-yellowish fluid which crusts on the jewelry.

Suggested Cleaning products
Satin/provon – Antimicrobial/germicidal medical soap
Castille soap – All natural
Sea Salt – It accelerates healing & increases comfort

Oral Cleaning
Tech 2000 – Alcohol free mouthwash
Biotene – Alcohol free mouthwash
Sea Salt

Products to stay away from
Bactine – Dries out new skin cells
Betadine – Eats away tissue and dyes skin
Hydrogen Peroxide – Destroys new skin growth
Alcohol – Dries out skin cells
Ointments – clogs pores

Oral
Listerine or any alcohol based mouthwash product


How should I clean my piercing?

Wash hands well with an antibacterial or antimicrobial soap before touching your piercing. Lather up the piercing with an antibacterial or antimicrobial soap. Pat dry the piercing with a disposable paper towel or gauze. Once a day should be sufficient. Also do a sea salt soak once per day (1/4-teaspoon sea salt per every 8oz. Lukewarm water) for approximately 5 minutes.

Oral Piercings:
• Wash hands with antibacterial or antimicrobial soap before touching the piercing. After eating or putting anything in your mouth you need to rinse the piercing with an ALCOHOL FREE mouthwash. You should dilute your mouthwash to avoid damage to new cells.
• If you have a lip piercing you must also clean the outside of your piercing.

Other Piercings:
• For the first 6 weeks avoid swimming pools, hot tubs, and other standing bodies of water that may contain bacteria or harsh chemicals. Baths in your own tub are acceptable if you thoroughly clean the tub first.

What else can I do?

• Many customers have found that vitamin C (300mg in mineral abscarbate form), multivitamins, and zinc supplements speed up the healing process.
• Hot soaks, compresses, and also sea salt soaks. To soak invert a cup of water over the piercing forming a vacuum. You can do this once a day along with one cleaning.
• Nipple piercings – you may want to sleep in a clean t-shirt or sports bra for the first few nights.
• Genital piercings (male & female) can use a panty liner to absorb moisture and cushion the piercing. This is especially helpful for Guiche piercings. Avoid restrictive and irritating clothing or clothing that restricts oxygen to the area. Any sexual contact should be gentle: latex barriers (dental dams, condoms) should be used to protect the piercing from anyone else’s body fluid, even if you are in a monogamous relationship.
• Avoid contact with hair cosmetic oils, infrequent washed clothing, bedding or other agents also going into pools, hot tubs, lakes or other bodies of water.


How can I avoid an infection?

While these symptoms may indicate other problems, look for the following as indication:
• Redness and swelling
• A sensation of higher body temperature at the piercing
• Pain, especially throbbing or spreading pain
• Unusual discharge, it may be greenish/grayish


When can I remove/change my jewelry?

Your piercing won’t be completely healed for several months. Jewelry shouldn’t be changed during the initial healing period. Be sure to wear appropriate jewelry in your piercing even after it’s completely healed. Jewelry designed for earlobes is never appropriate and can damage your piercing. If you must remove your piercing, call your piercer and he/she will assist you. It’s no problem to remove the jewelry permanently; in most cases only a small indentation will remain. We encourage you to call your piercer and he/she will assist you.


Do I have an infection?

• Infections are caused by bacteria, fungi or other living pathogens. Piercing infections can usually be traced to one of the following activities: touching the piercing with dirty hands or letting others touch your piercing.
• Oral contact with your piercing.
• Allowing bodily fluids to come in contact with your piercing.


Common Problems you can avoid

• Over cleaning, vigorous cleaning, or using a cleaner that is to strong that can produce symptoms similar to infection. The skin may be tender and appear shiny and there may be a clear discharge.
• Friction cause by tight or heavy clothes, rough sexual activity and excessive movement of the area can cause dark redness, keloids, discharge, and rejection. This is a common problem for navel piercings.
• Occasionally the selected jewelry may not be appropriate. If the jewelry is too thin, heavy, large or small in diameter you may experience healing problems. Please do not use mall jewelry if it is not appropriate for your piercing. Please contact your piercer if you need different jewelry.

Estimated healing times:
• Everyone heals at a different rate. These are average times for which you should clean you piercing twice a day and treat it like a healing issue.

Earlobe, eyebrow & septum: 4 – 6 weeks
Ear cartilage, nostril: 2 – 3 months
Tongue: 4 – 6 weeks
Cheeks: 4 – 6 weeks
Lip, labret: 6 – 8 weeks
Prince Albert: 4 – 6 weeks
Nipple, outer labia, frenum, guiche, scrotum,
and dydoes: 2 – 3 months
Vertical & horizontal hood, inner labia: 4 – 8 weeks
Navel: 6 – 12 months