• Clean clothing and bedding are important in keeping infection rate down.
• Tight or restrictive clothing on some piercings (especially navels) can cause infection, prolong healing, and/or cause jewelry to migrate or reject.
• It is a good idea to keep your piercing clean - even after it is healed - by washing (or rinsing mouth for oral piercing) at least once a day.
  

Navel, Nipple, Male Genital, Most Surface Piercing:

• Soak piercing twice daily (morning and evening) with a cup of hot salt water. Use a coffee cup size cup (6-8 oz) of hot water (105-110 degrees, like hot tub/hot bath water. Do not burn yourself) with 1/4 teaspoon of salt added to water. Stir well to make saline solution. Make a good seal over the skin around your piercing with the cup then lean back, or dip the part to be soaked into the cup. Soak for about 5 minutes.
• Wash piercing with diluted Dr. Bronners Baby Mild soap (or a mild liquid soap equivalent like Provon, Satin, etc.) immediately after soaking. Dilute soap 3 parts water 1 part soap and wash the piercing thoroughly. Make sure to clean the jewelry, openings, and the inside of piercing. Do not remove jewelry. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
  

Piercing From Neck Up, Including Nape, Madison, and outside of Oral Piercing:

• Wash piercing once daily with diluted Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild soap (or a mild liquid soap equivalent like Provon, Satin, etc.). Dilute soap 3 parts water 1 part soap and wash the piercing thoroughly. Make sure to clean the jewelry, openings, and the inside of piercing. Do not remove jewelry. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
• Clean piercing with saline or Bactine (or equivalent solution with 12-13% benzalkonium chloride). Clean 2-3 times daily the same way you wash with the soap. Do not remove jewelry. Rinse thoroughly with clean water if using Bactine or equivalent.

Female Genital:

• Wash piercing twice daily with diluted Dr. Bronners Baby Mild soap (or a mild liquid soap equivalent like Provon, Satin, etc.). Dilute soap 3 parts water 1 part soap and wash the piercing thoroughly. Make sure to clean the jewelry, openings, and the inside of piercing. Do not remove jewelry. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
• Clean piercing with saline 1-2 times daily the same way you wash with the soap. Do not remove jewelry. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
  

Oral Piercing:

• Rinse mouth with diluted Listerine or salt water after doing anything orally. Dilute Listerine 3 parts water to 1 part Listerine, or mix 1/2 teaspoon salt to 16 0z. water bottle, and carry a bottle of diluted Listerine or salt water wherever you go. Rinse for about 20-30 seconds after you eat, drink anything other than water, or smoke anything.
• Brush your teeth at least 2 times daily.
• Use Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) for swelling or soreness. If you take Ibuprofen 30-45 minutes before you eat it may help ease swelling and discomfort.
  

Additional Information:

• Do not over clean your piercing. Over cleaning can cause irritation and prolong healing.
• Follow aftercare as directed.
• Do not use antibacterial soaps that contain triclosan such as Dial, Softsoap, etc. Triclosan can hold some bacteria in a retarded state, enabling them to mutate into something your body may not be able to defend against.
• Taking a 15-20 mg zinc supplement or multi-vitamin daily can help shorten healing time. Take with a meal to avoid stomach irritation.
• A healthy diet can also help promote healing.
• Some piercings take longer than others to heal (navel, nipple, surface, etc). Soaking in a sea salt bath can help promote healing. Fill bath tub with hot water, pour 2 cups of plain sea salt directly into stream as tub fills, soak at least 1 hour 1-2 times a week in addition to suggested aftercare.
• Pools and hot tubs with chlorine should be avoided until healed. Chlorine is a harsh chemical and can dry out piercing and prolong healing. Avoid swimming in lakes until fully healed.
• Always urinate after cleaning genital piercings to flush soap out of urethra. Soap in urethra can cause urinary tract and/or bladder infection.
• Lastly, remember to call your mom. She loves to know what you are doing with yourself and your body, even if she does not understand why.
  

Jewelry downsize policy for barbell and flat back:

• Some piercings have a tendency to swell during the first few weeks so we insert a longer post on some barbells and flat backs for safety and comfort. Once the majority of swelling subsides, you may feel that the jewelry looks or feels too long. When you purchase a new barbell or flat back at Mom's Body Shop and have us insert it into a new piercing you can return here after the swelling has subsided, and we will provide you with a shorter post of the same gauge as your original jewelry.
• The time period for reduced swelling is usually 2-6 weeks but varies between piercing, and from person to person. There is a charge of $11.00 for the post. Insertion of the post is included in the price. You keep the original post.
• Out of towners may purchase their shorter post at the time of the piercing if desired. This policy only applies to tongue, monroe, lip and labret piercing (if flat back is inserted) but does not apply to balls.

Dr. Bronners Baby Mild Soap can be found at:
HAIGHT STREET MARKET
1530 HAIGHT ST. SAN FRANCISCO, CA. 94117
as well as most natural food stores)