AFTERCARE AND HEALING

Cleaning:

• 2-3 times daily with saline wound wash or a canned saline solution given by Vivid Abyss

• Wash hand thoroughly before touching a fresh piercing

• Tighten jewelry during cleaning, if applicable • Run piercing under warm water/shower to clean off blood build-up and crust

• (For mouth piercings) swish 50/50 diluted mouthwash with distilled or bottled water for 60 sec. After food, toothbrushing, smoking (avoid, if possible)

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Avoid:

• Avoid using Q tips

• Avoid touching your piercing more than necessary even with clean hands

• Avoid exposing fresh piercing to bodily fluids (e.g. spit, sweat)

• Avoid exposing a fresh piercing to any water that you would not drink (e.g. pools, lakes)

• Avoid putting non-recommended products, make-up or lotion on a fresh piercing

• Avoid dirty bedding and sleeping directly on a fresh piercing without piercing pillow

• (For mouth piercings) avoid sucking thick beverages through a straw, hot or spicy food, consumption of alcohol, caffeine, or smoking until swelling and pain subsides

• DO NOT REMOVE THE JEWELRY UNTIL HEALING IS FINISHED

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Extended Healing:

• If you snag or pull a fresh piercing, and it causes pain, add another day to the healing time

• If you snag or pull a fresh piercing, and it causes bleeding, add another week to the healing time

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Normal vs. Irregular Healing:

• Bleeding, bruising and/or swelling is very common with new piercings

• Some tenderness, discomfort, redness, and itching with a new piercing can be expected for several days

• Secretions of whitish-yellow fluid (not puss) is part of the healing process this is referred to as ‘crust’ when dry

• Piercing will go through “ups and downs” while healing – they seem healed for a while and then regress.

The key is to continue to follow cleaning routines through the entire healing time even if the piercing appears fully healed.

• Piercings (including healed piercings) that are not cleaned daily may smell unpleasant. This does not necessarily indicate a problem

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What May Affect New Piercings (Positively and Negatively):

• Taking a multivitamin containing zinc or vitamin C can boost your body’s healing abilities

• Stress, poor diet, drug abuse or illness can cause extended healing times or other difficulties

• Dirty bedding can cause elevated risk of infection

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What To Do If a Piercing is Infected/irritated:

• Contact Vivid Abyss if you suspect a piercing could be infected. We are not medical professionals;

however, we are happy to give suggestions based on experience

• Contact a medical professional if you feel concerned.

Come back for jewelry downsizing at the end of your healing time if necessary. Downsizing is free; however, you are welcome to bring your own jewelry

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PIERCING HEALING TIMES

• Ear Lobe 8-12 Weeks

• Ear Cartilage 6-9 Months

• Ear Stretching 6-8 Weeks

• Nostril 6-8 Weeks

• Septum 6-8 Weeks

• Smiley/Frowny  2-4 Weeks

• Tongue 6-8 Weeks

• Tongue Web 6-8 Weeks

• Eyebrow 4-6 Months

• Labret/Lip 6-8 Weeks

• Vertical Labret 8-12 Weeks

• Nipple 6-9 Months

• Navel 6-9 Months

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Salt soak for irritation 

1. Boil 1 cup distilled water 

2. Add 1 teaspoon of non-iodized sea salt

3. Clean cup or small bowl 

4. Boil salt and water for 60 seconds 

5. Let salt mix cool until warm in desired cup or bowl

6. Soak piercing for 7-10 minutes once to twice a day until piercing improves