At Instinct we are committed to seeing your piercing successfully healed. If you have any questions, concerns or ideas about how your piercing is healing please drop by, give us a call, or drop us a note- we're here to help!

These take home instructions for the care and cleaning of your new piercing should help.

Since 1999 Instinct has offered the absolute best quality services, jewellery and  products to our clients and we are  pleased to be a part of your life.                       Thanks! 

  How you treat your piercing as it heals is as important as your experience at Instinct.

 Give your piercing the time and attention to heal properly.

Many of the chemical aftercare products available do prevent infection by destroying harmful bacteria. Unfortunately they also destroy cells in your healing piercing. Please don't use any products other than those we suggest. If you are unsure about a product, please, ask your piercer.

During your healing period do not remove your jewellery for any other reason than "I don't want it anymore" and even then, please read Trouble Shooting first.

 

Saline Solution:

Saline solution is essentially the same as the fluid inside your body and is ideal to promote healing. Irrigation saline is sold at pharmacies. Saline solution is available at Instinct- and don't forget to save your bottle, as you can always bring it in for free refills!

 

Tissues, Q-Tips & Cotton Pads:

We generally suggest toilet paper to clean your piercing- it doesn't "wisp' like Q-Tips or Cotton Balls and can be wrapped in and around a nose or ear piercing more easily than a Cotton Makeup Pad. An important note: Do Not Use the communal bathroom toilet paper, have your own roll that you keep with your saline solution. This is very important.

 

"Crusties" and "Goo":

 Drainage from your healing piercing is part of the healing process, lymph rinses the piercing and aids in the healing process. Lymph can be a clear fluid, or a thicker whitish/yellow goo. It is also common for some blood to be mixed with the lymph which can appear red to brown. If the lymph is left to dry it becomes crusty on the jewellery. Be sure to soften these crusties with saline and wipe them away before moving your jewellery.

 

For Cartilage Piercings: Upper & Inner Ear, Nostril

Apply firm pressure to both sides of the piercing when cleaning (best done with a saline soak) hold the pressure for up to 3 minutes. This helps minimize the risk of bumps. If a bump or scab  (more than just "crusties") seem to be forming please call your piercer or stop by the studio right away.

Natural Oils

With any oil, please make sure to do a skin patch test on your inner elbow 24-48 hours before applying it to your piercing. Just because it's an "all natural" oil does not mean you should be putting in on your piercing. We strongly encourage you to come by the studio and ask about adding oils to your cleaning routine.

 

"Everyday Oils & Honey"

These can be used at anytime during the healing process, they can be helpful for dry, or slow to heal piercings, just be sure the area is dry after.

 

Honey has been shown to have a wealth of moisturizing, anti bacterial and anti microbial properties. It can be put on a piercing just prior to a warm saline soak to aid in healing. Honey is a good alternative to lip balm for lip piercings.

 

Emu Oil, can be found at health food stores and be a nice addition to a cleaning routine. It can be used in small quantities after rinsing or soaking with saline. Apply a small amount to either side of the piercing and massage gently into the skin. Emu Oil has been shown to increase circulation, and promote healing. This can be quite helpful for slower healing piercings like navels and any other piercing that you'd like to heal a little more easily.

 

Grape Seed Oil can be found in health-food, as well as many grocery stores. It is typically sold near olive oil, and can be used for lovely salad dressings. Grape Seed Oil is a light oil that can be easily absorbed into most people's skin. It has been shown to have anti inflammatory properties that could be helpful on "tight" piercings, or freshly stretched piercings. Use a small amount just before or after cleansing with Saline Solution. Be sure the whole area is allowed to dry.

 

Jojoba Oil can be found in health food stores and can be used for certain problems, like small bumps created by moisture, as it has been shown to have some anti fungal and anti bacterial properties. This also makes it a good option for oiling natural jewellery.

 

"Oils for Specific Issues" Some oils, like Tea Tree or Lavender have been used for many years within the industry for "bumps." They are far too strong for everyday healing and using them inappropriately tends to make piercings dry, red and irritated. They must be patch tested and a small dry patch will likely occur, but if there is any other rash or irritation they must not be put on a problem piercing.

When using either of these oils they should be applied with a clean toothpick only to the affected area. Most people apply them twice a day, and to treat bumps they are typically used for an additional 3 weeks after the "bump" has gone away.

 

We ask that you please contact your piercer before starting with either of these oils.

 

 Downsizing:

Many piercings must be performed with oversized jewellery in order to accommodate swelling and cleaning. Wearing oversized jewellery in the mouth for more than a few weeks can cause serious tooth/gum damage. Instinct will exchange your long barbell post for a shorter post, or exchange oversized captive bead rings at a discounted price. 

Fitted-fishtail labrets and nostril screws can be downsized at anytime, which is included in your piercing fee.

Daily Cleaning for Body Piercings:

Most people clean 2-5 times daily, this changes over the healing time depending on how your piercing feels and your level of activity.

Remember to keep cleaning your piercing 3-6 weeks longer than you feel you need to. This gives the new tissue a chance to "toughen" and mature. All piercings take about 18 months to mature, so be prepared to go back to your original cleaning routine for several weeks at any point in the first couple of years.            .

Wash your hands before touching your piercing or the area around it. Do not touch it unless you're cleaning it or tightening the barbell beads. If you feel like you should clean your piercing, but cannot wash your hands don't- you're better off not introducing the bacteria from your unwashed hands. (Please see Cleaning On the Go for strategies on cleaning your piercing in less than ideal circumstances)

 Rinse with Saline Solution anytime you get anything in your piercing- after showering, swimming, sweating etc.

Dry the area after rinsing using clean tissue, q-tip or cool blow dryer.

 Warm Saline Soaks:

By doing at least one of these a day you can cut your healing time significantly.

-Soak a piece of tissue with saline, then warm it by placing it on a clean plate in the microwave for approx. 10 seconds.

-Once the soaked tissue is warm hold it to your piercing and let it soak for a few minutes until it cools.

-Hold it to both sides of your piercing, so for nose piercings be sure to get the warm tissue right up inside your nostril. If you find that the tissue cools too quickly you can place a clean, hot face cloth on top of the tissue.

-The heat will draw out anything that may have gotten into your piercing (dust, soap, etc.) and will increase the circulation to the area , giving your cells more nutrients.

By letting your piercing soak for a few minutes any crusting can be easily wiped away, and you won't need to move your jewellery.

 

Cleaning on the Go:

Pre prepare some cleaning packets: wash your hands and soak a tissue with saline, then put it in a zip-lock baggie. Make a whole bunch of these, then whenever you go to the gym, for an over-night, or whatever you can just grab a couple.

To use your cleaning packet: take your sealed bag and run it under hot water for a few minutes until the tissue is warm. (If you're at the beach or camping you can leave it in the sun to warm) Then open the bag, and always holding the outside of the bag hold the warmed tissue to your piercing and do your warm soak.

 

.Caring for Oral Piercings:

 You'll need two solutions for rinsing the inside of your mouth:

Sea Salt Rinse - a solution of 1/2 teaspoon sea salt &  2 cups (500ml) bottled water.

Diluted Anti Bacterial Mouthwash- 1/2 bottled water mixed with 1/2 anti-bacterial mouthwash. Most mouthwashes will work, but alcohol-free are best, especially if you're a smoker and will need to use the mouthwash solution more than 3 times a day.

 

Daily Cleaning for Tongues, and the Insides of Lips/Cheeks/Monroes:

Rinse with either solution for 15-30 seconds after you eat, drink or put anything other than bottled water in your mouth. You should plan to use the diluted mouthwash after you brush your teeth or smoke, but use it no more than 4-8 times per day. Sea Salt Rinse should be used after meals, snacks or drinks.

 

Helpful Hints For Oral Piercings:

-Ibuprofen (Advil) is an anti-inflammatory and can be used to reduce swelling.

-Eat slowly, think about where your jewellery is. Avoid foods that feel like the jewellery (i.e. small hard candies and tongue barbell beads can be easily mistaken)

-Drink plenty of cold water to help with swelling.

-To lessen the chance of tooth and gum damage

please DOWNSIZE and/or have your jewellery

RE FIT PROMPTLY do not leave oversized or

poor fitting jewellery in for longer than necessary.

 

With all threaded jewellery:

-Don't forget to tighten your barbell beads. . _________________________________________

Your piercing is a direct line to your bloodstream while healing:

KEEP OTHER PEOPLE'S BODILY FLUIDS

-AWAY  FROM  YOUR  FRESH  PIERCING

Never share used jewellery! For oral piercings this also includes  no kissing, no sharing lip balm, no sharing drinks, etc

For all piercings, please remember

 

.DO NOT REMOVE YOUR JEWELLERY FOR CLEANING..

if you remove your jewellery you may lose your piercing-

if your jewellery does come out during the healing period please return to Instinct as soon as possible so that we can help .

Do not force the jewellery in or try to re pierce your piercing. Call us! 250 377 3877 or email.

See Trouble Shooting for more information

Additional Healing Help:

The most important thing to remember is that your immune system deals with stress, helping you stay healthy, and healing your piercing. Everything you can do to keep your immune system from working overtime will help your piercing heal faster. The following suggestions may make your healing process easier and more comfortable:

-Try not to get too stressed over your piercing. If you have any questions or concerns call us. That's what we're here for!

-Don't compromise your immune system with drugs or alcohol. Moderation is best.

-Get plenty of sleep and eat a healthy diet.

-Sea Salt Rinses can be a wonderful way to sooth a sore piercing:

Take a small cup and mix 1/8 teaspoon sea salt with 1/2 cup of  warm water (as warm as you can stand it), mix until the salt has completely dissolved. Bend over and place the cup to your piercing creating a suction effect, so that when you sit up the cup won't drip. You can soak your piercing until the water gets cool. Be sure to rinse with saline after. (Warm Saline Soaks are often easier, especially for ear piercings)

-Epsom Salt Baths are very soothing and relaxing, just be sure that the salts are un scented and that you rinse well with saline after.

-Tighten your barbell balls! Tighten the balls by turning the top ball to the right and the bottom ball in the opposite direction. (if you forget it's the same as any screw-on lid)

 

Trouble Shooting:

If you are having a problem or think you have an infection, call or drop in immediately! We want to see your piercing successfully healed, so come in as soon as possible and let us help you completely free of charge. If you can't connect with us or are in any doubt whatsoever, see a doctor as soon as possible. Jewellery keeps a piercing open and lets the wound drain, do not remove any jewellery unless you have an extremely swollen tongue, flat-back labret or nostril screw piercing. (see swelling below)

Extreme swelling is rare, but must be dealt with immediately. If a piercing swells so much that the ends of the jewellery are being sucked inside your piecing and no shaft of the jewellery can be pushed out call us- longer jewellery is needed right away. You could try taking ibuprofen and icing the piercing.

If you are unable to control the swelling, see a medical professional or contact us, you may need to take the jewellery out and continue with your cleaning.

Bleeding a piercing's initial swelling can restrict bleeding. When this swelling goes down you may bleed a little. This is rare, but normal especially for tongues- try not to worry. If you bleed a lot call us and see a doctor immediately. If a piercing is bleeding uncontrollably the most common treatment is to remove the jewellery and apply direct pressure.

Some bruising near the piercing site is not uncommon and will often occur several days after the initial piercing. The most common cause of bruising is a client moving their jewellery too much.

 If you have to take your jewellery out, return to Instinct as soon as possible: within 1-3 days so that we can see if your piercing is still open or make arraignments to re pierce. (within 30 days of the original piercing, with proof of purchase and your original jewellery) 

If your jewellery falls out or is removed for any reason during the healing time please call and see us as soon as possible.