How to Care for your Pierced or Stretched Skin

 What to Expect From a Normal Piercing

• The site may be tender, swollen, slightly bruised and/or pink/reddish.
• There may be some residual light bleeding.
•  Slight swelling may cause the jewelry to NOT move freely.
• The site may secrete a whitish-yellow fluid which will form a light crust on the jewelry, do not be alarmed this is normal.
• Pus should NOT be oozing from the site. If so read “How Do I Know if I Have an Infection?” section below.
• Slight itching is normal with healing skin.

General Healing Time

• Healing time varies from person to person, listen to your body.
• Any new piercing should be left alone with the piercing jewelry in place for a MINUMUM of 6 months. Do not change or remove jewelry during this initial time period unless issues or problem with healing occur.
• Don’t forget that most of the healing is taking place inside. The piercing may look healed from the outside but the inside tissue is still repairing itself.
• Larger gauge piercings, dermal punches or scalpelling will take longer to heal.

How to Care for Your Piercing.

• First rule, keep it clean.
• Make sure to thoroughly wash your hands before touching your skin or jewelry.
• DO NOT over clean your piercing; it will do more harm than good.
• Wash piercing area with a mild soap and rinse thoroughly. Gauge Gear’s all natural soaps are perfect for this.
• Dip piercing into a saline dip or rinse piercing with a saline wash (like Gauge Gear’s The Wash). This washes away excess debris, dead skin cells and bacteria.
• After washing, completely dry the area and apply a skin conditioner or healing balm. Gauge Gear’s stretching balm or The Blend oil works well.

What to Avoid

• Do not touch your piercing with dirty hands or dirty jewelry.
• Do not wear low quality jewelry. If you have sensitive skin gold or 316L stainless or organic jewelry are good options.
• Do not move your jewelry excessively. 
• Wear jewelry appropriate for your piercing.
• Avoid contact with bodily fluids.

How Do I Know if I Have an Infection?

• The skin around the site will be reddish.
• Pain will increase at the site.
• The site may feel warm or hot.
• The site may swell excessively or feel hard to the touch.
• Excessive blood or yellow to greenish pus discharging from the site.
• There may be a foul odor coming from the site.
• An excessive infection will be accompanied by a fever.
• Contact a medical professional or your piercing professional if any of the above occurs.