As with anything in life, people have different opinions about how piercings should be cared for. The following information is what I personally use and have used on all of my piercings. I will not recommend anything that I have not fully tried myself first!

Oral Piercings

     Immediately after you eat, drink, kiss, smoke or put anything in your mouth other than water or ice, you must rinse with an ALCOHOL FREE, ANTISEPTIC MOUTHWASH. This can be Cepacol, Biotene, H2Ocean Oral Rinse, Crest Pro Health, or any others that do not contain alcohol and are antiseptic. Scope is not antiseptic and is nothing more than breath freshener. Listerine is predominantly alcohol, it can be used if you cannot find one of the above by diluting it 50% with bottled water. For tongue piercings AVOID PLAYING WITH IT OR STICKING IT OUT! This can cause more pain and swelling, especially if the bar gets caught on your teeth. It is recommended that you take some form of anti-inflammatory such as Advil, Motrin, or Aleve to prevent extreme swelling. Avoid using straws or any kind of suction for the first few weeks, as this may cause more swelling. Try to eat softer foods for a few weeks until your mouth becomes accustomed to the barbell, this will help you avoid potentially painful and expensive dental work! Be sure to check the balls on top and bottom periodically for tightness, as you talk the balls may loosen from time to time.
     You should expect some swelling for about 2 weeks. Also your tongue my bleed a bit for the first couple of days. It may become green or brown, this is usually due to rinsing too often. Your tongue may have some yellowish, green discharge, this is your body's way of cleaning itself out. If at anytime you should have questions, please return to your piercer for an evaluation. If you cannot get into the studio you may at least call, but it difficult to diagnose any problems without seeing the piercing so it is better to come in.

External Piercings

     If you choose to use H20cean (which I recommend) follow the directions on the bottle. If H20cean cannot be found you should gently lather the area around with piercing with a mild anti-bacterial soap. Immediately following, spray the affected area with a minimal amount of Bactine and gently remove any dried discharge from the jewelry using a clean cotton swab. This procedure should be repeated twice daily for the entire length of the healing process. It is not necessary to rotate the jewelry. Metal cannot permanently become part of you! Avoid touching or playing with your new piercing. Avoid oral contact until the piercing is fully healed. DO NOT EVER USE RUBBING ALCOHOL, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, OR ANY OINTMENTS LIKE NEOSPORIN OR BACITRACIN. You my swim in the ocean or private pool, but clean the piercing when you get out. Avoid Jacuzzis and lakes, they are bacterial breeding pools. Your piercing may discharge a yellowish green puss from time to time, this is okay. It may also swell or turn red on and off during the healing period. Occasionally, some piercing have a tendency to produce hypertophic scarring, this is usually remedied by doing sterile, sea-saltwater soaks for 5 minutes at a time 4 times a day. If it persists you should visit your piercer for a checkup.

Genital Piercings

     Your piercing should be cleansed 3-4 times daily with H2Ocean Aftercare Spray until the piercing is fully healed. Male piercings may be soaked in sterile sea-saltwater for 5 min to promote quicker healed. You may have sex as long as you are gentle with your new piercing. NO BITING PULLING, TUGGING, ETC until the piercing is fully healed! Make sure to clean your piercing immediately after your are finished. Avoid oral contact until it is healed as well. If you have any questions regarding the healing of your piercing, please pay your piercer a visit for a checkup.

Average Healing Times

Tongue 2-4 weeks	Lip 4 weeks oral, 8 weeks external	Nose 6-8 weeks	Cartilage 9-12 months
Ear lobe 6 weeks	Navel 9 months	Septum 6 weeks	Nipple 4-12 months
Eyebrow 6-8 weeks	Labia 6 weeks	Clitoral Hood 6 weeks	Prince Albert 4-6 weeks
Ampallang 6 months	Apadravya 6-8 weeks	Frenum 6-8 weeks	Hafada 6-8 weeks