Aftercare
You've had a body modification, now what?
Check out our different guides for our different mods.
Here you will find aftercare for tattooing, oral piercings and non-oral piercings.
Read on for more and if you have any other worries don't hesitate to email us with questions at info@grannys-attic-tattoo.net
Tattoos
TATTOO AFTERCARE:
Congratulations! You have a glorious new tattoo and you look grand. Now it is up to you to care for it to ensure you avoid infections and make sure it stays looking this smashing.
Tattoos, especially long sessions on large pieces can take up to a month to fully heal. During this time you must follow a few simple rules:
1. When you leave us, leave the wrapping on for at least 3 hours. After this time, with clean hands, remove and discard the wrapping. It is usual to have some blood and plasma build up, so don’t be worried! Simply rinse this area clean with cool water and antiseptic soap, then leave the area uncovered to dry out a bit.
2. Clean it this way twice a day and apply a very thin layer of aftercare cream. The skin should be able to breathe through this layer, do not keep it saturated. If you have particularly dry skin you may wish to apply another thin layer of cream before bed. We recommend Tattoo Goo from Superdrug, everyone is different though,so if you don't get on with this cream you can try Dream Cream from lush. (Vegans - Tattoo Goo balm contains beeswax, but the lotion is fully vegan!)
3. Wear loose clothing on the area, and leave it uncovered whenever possible.
4. Do not touch the area unless you have clean hands.
5. Avoid getting the tattoo too wet. Showers are fine, being clean is always a good thing, but until it is healed avoid baths, swimming pools, saunas and steam rooms
6. Do not pick the scab! This will cause colour loss, scarring and increase the risk of infection.
7. Keep it away from the sun. While healing, you should not use sun cream on the area, but you also must not get it burnt or tanned so you must keep the area covered from bright sunlight.
Below is a list of what to expect during the healing process:
1. Soreness. Do not panic if it still hurts for the next few days. A new tattoo is similar to a graze over the area, so expect it to be a bit tender.
2. Scabbing. A reasonably thin layer of scab over the tattooed area is perfectly normal. It will, over the weeks, gradually flake off on its own. Do NOT pick the scab! It will then scar!
3. Seeping. Again, like a graze, you may find a small amount of blood plasma, a watery yellow liquid seeping from the area. This is nothing to be concerned about. It often occurs if a tattoo is being kept too wet, try using slightly less aftercare cream and leave the area uncovered to dry out as often as possible.
4. Swelling. A small amount of swelling is normal around the new tattoo. You should be able to go about your daily business, just combat this with loose clothing around the area and taking an over the counter anti-inflammatory, such as ibuprofen can help too.
If you are experiencing any issues with the healing of your tattoo, please email us with the word “URGENT” in the subject line - otherwise your email will be registered as an incoming request for an appointment and the wait time for this can be 3 days to 2 weeks. Alternatively please call the studio within working hours. None of these side effects should last longer than a month, nor should they be excruciatingly painful. If they do/are, or you have any other unwanted symptoms not listed above, either get back in touch with us or visit your GP.
If you have any concerns or questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on 07496 889 299 or info@grannys-attic-tattoo.net.
Non-oral piercing
NON-ORAL PIERCING AFTERCARE
CLEANING SOLUTIONS
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Packaged sterile saline is a gentle choice for piercing aftercare. Mixing your own sea salt solution is not a suggested practice. We strongly encourage you to use a sterile saline labeled for use as a wound wash. Contact lens saline, eye drops, and other saline products should never be used on a body piercing. Your saline ingredients should list 0.09% sodium chloride as the only ingredient. Mixing your own sea salt solution will commonly result in the product being far too salty and strong, this can over dry the piercing and interfere with healing.
CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS FOR BODY PIERCINGS
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WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.
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SALINE rinse as needed during healing. For certain placements it may be easier to apply using a Q-tip (or clean gauze for larger areas) saturated with saline solution. A brief rinse afterward will remove any residue.
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If your piercer suggests using soap, gently lather around the piercing and rinse as needed. Avoid using harsh soaps, or soaps with dyes, fragrances.
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RINSE thoroughly to remove all traces of the soap from the piercing. It is not necessary to rotate the jewellery through the piercing.
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DRY by gently patting with clean, disposable paper products because cloth towels can harbour bacteria and snag on jewellery, causing issues.
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In the event an infection is suspected, please contact us by emailing info@grannys-attic-tattoo.net and put the word URGENT in the subject line, with a description of your symptoms and photos where possible and we will get back to you as soon as possible with advice.
WHAT IS NORMAL?
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Initially: some bleeding, localised swelling, tenderness, or bruising.
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During healing: some discolouration, itching, secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid (not pus) that will form some crust on the jewellery. The tissue may tighten around the jewellery as it heals.
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Once healed: the jewellery may not move freely in the piercing; do not force it. If you fail to include cleaning your piercing as part of your daily hygiene routine, normal but smelly bodily secretions may accumulate.
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A piercing may seem healed before the healing process is complete. This is because tissue heals from the outside in, and although it feels fine, the interior remains fragile. Be patient, and keep cleaning throughout the entire healing period.
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Even healed piercings can shrink or close in minutes after having been there for years! This varies from person to person; if you like your piercing, keep jewellery in—do not leave it empty.
WHAT TO DO
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Wash your hands prior to touching the piercing; leave it alone except when cleaning. During healing it is not necessary to rotate your jewellery
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Exercise during healing is fine; but listen to your body and use common sense.
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Make sure your bedding is washed and changed regularly. Wear clean, comfortable, breathable clothing that protects your piercing while you are sleeping.
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Showers tend to be safer than taking baths, as bathtubs can harbour bacteria. If you bathe in a tub, clean it well before each use and rinse off your piercing when you get out.
WHAT TO AVOID
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Avoid cleaning with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antibacterial soaps, iodine, or any harsh products, as these can cause damage. Also avoid ointments as they prevent necessary air circulation.
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Avoid Bactine®, pierced ear care solutions, and other products containing lidocaine. These can be irritating and are not intended for long-term wound care.
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Avoid over-cleaning. This can delay your healing and irritate your piercing. • Avoid undue trauma such as friction from clothing, excessive motion of the area, playing with the jewellery, and vigorous cleaning. These activities can cause the formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue, migration, prolonged healing, and other complications.
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Avoid all oral contact, rough play, and contact with others’ bodily fluids on or near your piercing during healing.
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Avoid stress and recreational drug use, including excessive caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
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Avoid submerging the piercing in unhygienic bodies of water such as lakes, pools, hot tubs, etc.
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Avoid all beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing including cosmetics, lotions, and sprays, etc.
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Don’t hang charms or any object from your jewellery until the piercing is fully healed.
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Sleeping directly on a healing cartilage piercing can cause irritation, even causing shifts in the piercing’s angle. Placing a travel pillow, on top of your pillow, and then placing your ear in the opening can be helpful to avoid this
HINTS AND TIPS
Jewellery
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Unless there is a problem with the size, style, or material of the initial jewellery, leave it in the place for the entire healing period. See a qualified piercer to perform any jewellery change that becomes necessary during healing.
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Contact us for a non-metallic jewellery alternative if your metal jewellery must be temporarily removed (such as for a medical procedure).
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Leave jewellery in at all times. Even healed piercings that you have had for years can shrink or close in minutes! If removed, reinsertion can be difficult or impossible.
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With clean hands or paper products, be sure to regularly check threaded and threadless ends on your jewellery for tightness.
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Should you decide you no longer want the piercing, simply remove the jewellery (or have a professional piercer remove it) and continue cleaning the piercing until the hole closes. In most cases only a small mark should remain.
AREA SPECIFIC ADVICE:
NAVEL:
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A hard, vented eye patch (sold at pharmacies) can be applied under tight clothing (such as nylon stockings) or secured using a length of elastic bandage around the body (to avoid irritation from adhesive). This can protect the area from restrictive clothing, excess irritation, and impact during physical activities such as contact sports.
EAR/EAR CARTILAGE AND FACIAL:
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Ensure a clean surface for sleeping (i.e. a clean pillow case)
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Maintain cleanliness of telephones, headphones, eyeglasses, helmets, hats, and anything that contacts the pierced area.
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Use caution when styling your hair and advise your stylist of a new or healing piercing.
NIPPLES:
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The support of a tight cotton shirt or sports bra may provide protection and feel comfortable, especially for sleeping.
If you have ANY concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on 07496 889 299 or on info@grannys-attic-tattoo.net.
Oral piercings
ORAL PIERCING AFTERCARE
CLEANING SOLUTIONS
Use any or all of the following solutions for inside the mouth:
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Alcohol-free and hydrogen peroxide-free mouth rinse. Or you can use dry mouth oral rinse for hydration
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Plain clean water. Bottled or filtered water is preferred.
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Packaged sterile saline solution with no additives (read the label). This is not for internal use but external use only (like cleaning the outside of your lip piercing).
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Regardless of the brand of saline, the can should list sterile and isotonic. The only ingredients included should be water and 0.9% or 9mg/ml sodium chloride. Mixing your own sea salt solution is not a suggested practice. Mixing your own sea salt solution will commonly result in the product being far too salty and strong. This can over dry the piercing and interfere with healing.
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Do not use contact solution, eye drops, or nasal rinse products on your piercing.
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CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS
INTERNAL:
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Wash your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.
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Keeping good oral hygiene practices is important in maintaining a healthy mouth and piercing.You will want to floss, brush and use mouth rinse at least twice a day. It is vital to not overuse the mouth rinse.
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Gently brush the jewellery with a clean toothbrush regularly to avoid plaque build up.
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Rinse with water (bottled or filtered) thoroughly after every time you eat, drink or smoke.
EXTERNAL:
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Wash your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.
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Be sure to rinse your piercing thoroughly with warm water in the shower once a day. Then rinse with saline twice a day.
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Gently remove any discharge or crust that may have built up on your jewellery, then dry the area carefully with gauze or clean kitchen paper.
WHAT IS NORMAL?
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For the first three to five days you may experience swelling, light bleeding, bruising, tenderness, and/or a whitish to yellowish secretion that may form crust on the jewellery.
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After the first week, you may still continue to experience some minor swelling and secretion.
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A piercing might seem healed before the healing process is complete. This is because piercings heal from the outside in. Although it feels fine, the tissue remains fragile on the inside. Be patient, and keep cleaning throughout the entire healing period.
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For lip piercings, it is typical for the jewellery to “nest” slightly into the lip (on the inside) once it is healed.
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Even healed piercings that you have had for years can shrink or close within a few hours if the jewellery is removed. This varies from person to person; if you like your piercing, keep jewellery in! Do not leave the hole empty for a long period of time.
TO MAINTAIN GOOD ORAL HYGIENE
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Use a new soft-bristled toothbrush and store it in a clean area away from other toothbrushes.
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Brush your teeth and use your chosen rinse (saline or mouthwash) after every meal.
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During healing floss daily, and gently brush your teeth, tongue and jewellery. Once healed, brush the jewellery more thoroughly to avoid plaque build up.
TO STAY HEALTHY
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The healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to heal.
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Get enough sleep.
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To help healing and bolster your ability to fight infection, eat a nutritious
diet or consider taking nutritional supplements daily. -
Avoid emotional stress, which can increase healing times by up to 40%
WHAT TO DO TO HELP REDUCE SWELLING
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Allow small pieces of ice to dissolve in the mouth.
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Take an over the counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium according to package instructions.
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Don’t speak or move your jewellery more than necessary.
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Sleep with your head elevated above your heart during the first few nights.
ORAL PIERCING HINTS AND TIPS
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Sleep with your head elevated in the beginning to minimise overnight swelling.
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Once the swelling has subsided, it is vital to replace the original, longer jewellery with a shorter post or barbell to avoid damage to the teeth and gums.
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Because this necessary jewellery change often occurs during healing, it should be done by a qualified piercer. This information should have been given to you during the piercing. If not, consult with a professional piercer about your downsize.
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With clean hands or paper products, be sure to regularly check threaded ends on your jewellery for tightness. For threadless jewellery make sure there is no gap between the post (inside) to the top (outside). In case of a gap, place your index finger and thumb on both sides of the jewellery and press them together. Be sure to check that the gap is closed.
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Contact your piercer for a non-metallic jewellery alternative if your metal jewellery must be temporarily removed (such as for a medical procedure).
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Should you decide you no longer want the piercing, simply remove the jewellery or have a professional piercer remove it and continue cleaning the area until the hole closes. In most cases, only a small mark will remain.
EATING
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Take your time with eating until you are used to the piercing and the jewellery is downsized to prevent irritation or prolonged healing.
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Avoid eating spicy, salty, acidic, or hot temperature foods or beverages for the first two weeks (no specific foods need to be avoided).
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Cold foods and beverages can be soothing and help reduce swelling.
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For labret (cheek and lip) piercings: be cautious about opening your mouth too wide as this can result in the jewellery catching on your teeth.
WHAT TO AVOID
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Do not play with your jewellery. Long term effects include permanent damage to teeth and gums.
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Avoid undue trauma; excessive talking or playing with the jewellery can cause scar tissue, migration, and other complications.
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Avoid using mouthwash containing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. It can irritate the piercing and delay healing.
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Avoid oral sexual contact including wet kissing or oral sex during healing.
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Avoid chewing on tobacco, gum, fingernails, pencils, sunglasses, and other foreign objects that could harbour bacteria.
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Avoid sharing plates, cups, and eating utensils.
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Avoid using straws. Straw use can increase the risk of swelling and bleeding.
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Minimise the intake of smoking and vaping (tobacco or cannabis). It increases risks and prolongs healing time.
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Avoid aspirin, alcohol, and large amounts of caffeine as long as you are experiencing bleeding or swelling.
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Avoid submerging healing piercings in bodies of water such as lakes, pools, oceans, and even the bathtub.
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Each body is unique and healing times vary considerably. If you have any questions, please contact a professional piercer.
If you have ANY concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on 07496 889 299 or on info@grannys-attic-tattoo.net.
Irritation Bumps
Irritation bumps (not to be confused with keloids) are very normal and quite common especially with cartilage piercings. There are many reasons you can form an irritation bump; from accidental trauma to the piercing or ill fitting jewellery or just simply no reason at all - just like us piercings can get irritated over nothing! No need to worry though, they can be rid off with home remedies that are natural and effective. We have three remedies that we recommend, don’t do them all at once! If one doesn’t work for you try one of the others. When using any of these methods make sure your hands and any surfaces you use to prepare the remedies are clean.
TREE TEA OIL METHOD
The first remedy is using tea tree oil, this method is fast and effective but is also a very harsh treatment. Using pure tea tree oil will dry out your skin so please be very careful with it! You can purchase this at most health food shops, we recommend Holland and Barrett, or drugstores such as Boots or Superdrug. Make sure you are buying pure tea tree oil and not something that just contains tea tree oil (e.g. spot treatment containing tea tree,) generally pure products will be found in the first aid aisle.
How to use:
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With this product apply 2 to 3 drops to a cotton bud, get it nice and soaked.
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Get your cotton bud on top of where the irritation bump is and now add pressure (no squeezing) to the top of the bump and this may cause some discomfort - if you feel excruciating pain or intense stinging stop immediately, wash your skin with a piercing saline solution and discontinue this method. Try to do this once a day for 1 minute for 2 weeks. By doing this you are drying out and flattening the irritation bump.
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During the 2 weeks you should start to notice that the bump is decreasing in size and once the 2 weeks have passed it should be completely gone. If after the 2 weeks there's still a little or tiny bump just keep doing the 100% pure tea tree oil method until it has gone
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Because this remedy is a very fast treatment it is also a very harsh drying out treatment, be very careful and keep an eye on the skin around the bump so that it's not too irritated. Use a soft natural moisturiser like cocoa butter to help the skin around the bump. Avoid using comedogenic moisturisers as these will clog the pores or harbour bacteria in the surrounding area which can lead to further irritation. Try to avoid moisturising products that contain ingredients such as beeswax, lanolin, talc, myristate, paraffin, petroleum. If the skin around the area is becoming very sore stop using the tea tree oil method and please move onto one of the other methods.
Please let us know how this treatment goes after 2 weeks!
HOT CHAMOMILE TEA COMPRESS METHOD
The second method is a hot chamomile tea bag compress; it’s a very kind way to help reduce the irritation bump. It's a great way to get more blood flow to the irritation bump, and to help draw out any impurities. Don’t worry, it's not gonna make your irritation bump sleepy!
You can buy organic chamomile tea at most health food shops or supermarkets. Make sure it's just chamomile tea on its own and not one that has additional ingredients.
How to use:
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Brew the chamomile tea bag in a clean mug or cup. Add hot water so that the tea bag starts to steep.
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Take the tea bag out - BE CAREFUL - if you used boiling water to brew the tea, wait until the bag is warm to the touch so you don't burn your skin.
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Wring the tea bag in the sink and squeeze some of the moisture out of the tea bag. Just a bit of dampness is fine - there is no need to have tea dripping down your body while you are applying the tea bag compress!
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Press the bag to your piercing - don't be shy, put the tea bag directly onto your piercing. No need to use any pressure with this method. Putting the tea bag directly onto the piercing site (so it makes contact with the skin) will ensure the tannins can work their magic, and will also form a protective barrier.
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There's no time limit to how long you should apply these compresses. Try to do it while you are relaxing, so you're not fussing with it. Kick back and watch your favourite Netflix show whilst drinking the chamomile tea you just made
This method is great because tannins are what gives tea its rich, brown colour, Tannins are also:
Antiseptic - a substance that stops or slows down the growth of microorganisms like bacteria ( irritation bumps)
Antiviral - a substance that suppresses a virus' ability to reproduce or kills it altogether
Anti-inflammatory - a substance that reduces inflammation or swelling
HYPOCHLORUS ACID METHOD
The third method is using hypochlorous acid (not to be confused with hydrochloric acid!) Don’t worry it's not as scary as it sounds and you won’t be left with chemical burns! Hypochlorous acid is naturally produced in the body by our white blood cells, it works to kill bacteria and irritants that are harmful to us. It's a very natural disinfectant and can even be used to clean surfaces, it smells very mildly of chlorine but again, do not let this scare you or put you off! I promise this works and can attest to having gotten rid of my own irritation bumps using this method. You can buy it on Amazon from a brand called NatraSan . It comes in a spray bottle and is already diluted in a saline solution that's safe to use on the skin.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/NatraSan-First-Aid-Spray-250ml/dp/B012O6V35S/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=14GV3SUV37GIT&keywords=hypochlorous+acid&qid=1687956793&sprefix=hypoch%2Caps%2C126&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1
How to use:
Spray directly onto the piercing area (don’t worry if any gets inside your ear/nose/mouth/eyes, it's safe to be ingested in low dosages) then spray some more onto a cotton bud and apply gentle pressure to the top of your irritation bump. Aim to do this once or twice a day for two weeks or until you see improvement to your irritation bump.
What NOT to do
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For the love of all things good please do not try to pop your irritation bump, it's not a spot and all you’ll end up doing is further irritating it.
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Don’t use products such with chemicals such as alcohol, bleach, Neosporin, or Bactine
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Don’t use makeup to cover your irritation bump - I understand they can be unsightly but makeup will ultimately make it worse.
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Avoid looking up remedies online, some people (who usually aren’t piercing professionals) may advise some pretty controversial treatments. And just because it may have worked for them, doesn’t mean it’ll work for you! It’s always best to seek the advice of a professional piercer 🖤
JEWELLERY
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Sometimes jewellery can be the direct cause of an irritation bump, if we determine that this is whats causing your bump. We ask that you please accept our suggestion of changing the jewellery out for something more simple.
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We only pierce with implant grade titanium. If you have been pierced with a different material such as steel, silver, gold or nickel there is a chance it can cause a reaction or irritation. If you are unsure of what you've been pierced with and you have a bump, we will suggest switching it out for jewellery that we stock.
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There are very few piercings that can have a hoop/ring as the initial jewellery. If you've had anything other than your septum or daith pierced with a hoop and you're experiencing irritation we will strongly suggest changing the jewellery to something more appropriate
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Downsizing is very important for healing a piercing. When you were first pierced your piercer should have explained to you that we put in a long bar to accomadate for any swelling. Once the swelling has gone down - usually takes about 2 - 6 weeks, you should come back in to have the jewellery downsized to something shorter. The long bar moving around or getting snagged on stuff can be the cause of your irritation bump.
Please let us know how any of these methods goes after 2 weeks of treatment! If there is no improvement to your irritation bump or at any point it seems like it's getting worse, stop treatment and come back into the studio so we can have a look at you. If there's absolutely no sign of improvement and it's causing you discomfort then we may advise you to retire the piercing entirely. If you really want to keep the piercing then as a last resort we can lance the bump and effectively cut it off. Please note that this is a very painful procedure and it won’t guarantee that you won't develop irritation bumps again in the future.