Skip to main content

Maintaining Your Healed Piercings - Body Piercing Basics EP93

In the 93rd episode in our Youtube series Body Piercing Basics, DaVo covers what you should do to keep your piercings healthy after the piercing has healed.

Show Notes:

Stages of healing:

  1. Acceptance and recovery

  2. Healing and growth

  3. Seasoning and strengthening

Cleaning the jewelry:

Non-oral Piercings:

  1. Sebum:

    1. Oily Waxy substances that have the consistency of cream cheese and smell awful. Your body produces it to coat, moisturize, and protect the skin.
    2. The Body can produce this inside of piercings and mix with dead skin cells. Often it can collect only to be noticed when the jewelry is moved.
    3. Often confused with the discharge a healing piercing produces
    4. More noticeable on thicker jewelry.
  2. Metal Jewelry can simply be cleaned in the shower under running water with a little bit of soap. If the piercing is easy to move rotate the jewelry out and clean the area with your hand or washcloth

  3. Organic jewelry(woods, stone, antler, and bone) should be removed and cleaned as the manufacture suggests. Since often there in inlays and other factors to consider always contact the manufacture to avoid destroying the jewelry. Usually cleaning will involve soaking the jewelry and then conditioning it with natural oil.

  4. Glass jewelry - Should be fine cleaning with soap and water.

  5. Plastic jewelry - I do not suggest wearing for long periods of time and should just be replaced/

Oral Piercings:

  1. Plaque - builds up on and collects on the jewelry. Most often on the bottom ball of tongue piercings. But may cause issues with different piercings.

  2. The Jewelry can be brushed along with your teeth.

  3. Once a month or when needed, remove the jewelry and soak in denture cleaner then brush. If you can’t get denture cleaner, bushing with a small amount of toothpaste should be fine. In both cases.

Abuse:

The piercing is hard metal through softer organic tissue. Stress on the piercing like pulling on the jewelry or twisting the jewelry can cause damage and trauma.

  1. Avoid stress and contact with the piercing

  2. Abuse of a healed piercing can damage tissue and feel like it is not healed

  3. If there has been trauma, give your body time to recover

Jewelry:

  1. Leave the jewelry in at all times, only removing to change or clean jewelry.

  2. If possible have your piercer change the jewelry for you. Especially the first few times.

  3. When possible have the jewelry sterilized between wears and use a water-based lubricant with no additives to insert the jewelry.

  4. Avoid daily wear of jewelry that has points, edges or things hanging from it that can easily be caught on things.

  5. Avoid heavy jewelry

  6. Avoid drastic changes in the shape or style of the jewelry

  7. If you notice issues with new jewelry, replace it with the original jewelry asap

  8. If jewelry is threaded or threadless check the ends regularly to ensure they are secure

  9. Make sure to only buy quality certified biocompatible jewelry. Though healed piercing may be less sensitive to materials, it can still cause issues.

  10. Always store your jewelry alone in an airtight container or bag.

  11. Avoid Silver and Sterling Jewelry. Especially in areas of the body that are more acceptable to silver poisoning.

 If you have a question you would like to see covered in a future video, please comment or contact DaVo at davo@axiompiercing.com.

I aka DaVo have been a professional body piercer and the owner of the Axiom Body Piercing Studio in Des Moines, Iowa since 1994. My focus on education and helping clients make safe and informed decisions on getting pierced has always been a large part of my business practices and services. With my website and increasingly on youtube, I hope to expand and inform others outside of my small part of the world. I always encourage questions and comments, so if you have one, please comment.

Visit the New Channel Website - https://bptchannel.com/

Check Out Our Merch Store - https://teespring.com/stores/bpt-channel

All images used as used in the spirit of Fair Uses. If you are the photographer, piercer, or owner of the piercing and would like to be credited, please contact DaVo at davo@axiompiercing.com

The links below are affiliate links and part of the proceeds will go to DaVo, the Axiom, and Body Piercing & Tattooing Staff.

Suggested Aftercare Products:

  • For Premixed Saline DaVo suggests. NeilMed Neil Cleanse Wound Wash First-Aid Sterile Saline Solution 6 fl oz Each - https://amzn.to/2lgrfL7
  • Band-Aid Brand First Aid Products Tru-Absorb Gauze Sponges for Cleaning Wounds, 4 in x 4 in, 50 ct - https://amzn.to/2Q1nrcm

All footage was filmed using a Canon EOS 80D Camera with the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Lens - https://amzn.to/3bb5PV4 and Canon EOS R  - https://amzn.to/386Y1BZ with Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Lens - https://amzn.to/3jkvptO

Audio - Recorded with Audio-Technica AT875R Line + Gradient Condenser Microphone - https://amzn.to/2XiCMuT and Tascam DR-70D 4-Track Portable Audio Recorder - https://amzn.to/2KuteqG

For more information on DaVo and the Axiom Body Piercing Studio go to https://axiompiercing.com

Follow the Axiom:

Contact DaVo at davo@axiompiercing.com or by phone at 515-966-4814
If you would like to set up a Piercing Appointment go to https://facebook.com/axiompiercing and click on the "Book Now" button.

Skin Kitchen Tattoo and The Axiom Body Piercing Studio are located at 3800 Douglas Ave./Des Moines, Iowa 50311
Tattoo hours are Thursday - Monday 1-8pm
Piercing hours are Thursday - Monday 2-8pm

Related Content - Body Piercing Basic Video Series