Aftercare instructions
Navel

Directly after your piercing is done you should leave it alone for a few hours. This is because it is a fresh wound and therefore will bleed if not allowed to settle down.

After a few hours you should clean your piercing. The area around the piercing will be sore and tender for a few days so be gentle and careful not to catch the jewellery. The rougher you are with the piercing the longer it will take to heal. Wash you hands before you start to avoid infecting your piercing You can use a mild sea salt solution (a couple of pinches in a cup of boiled and cooled water) or Savlon wound wash (available from boots). Use cotton buds or cotton wool to clean around both holes and remove any dried blood from the jewellery. Do not use surgical spirit, TCP, hydrogen peroxide, dettol or anything similar as these are too harsh and will delay healing.

You do not need to turn the jewellery – if fact it will make your piercing sore if you do. You should gently move the bar up and down when you clean it so that you can get the bar as clean as possible.

You can expect your new piercing to excrete some fluid that will dry and become crusty and stuck to the jewellery. This is normal and does not mean you have an infection. You should clean this off two or three times a day until it is healed. You should not spend more than three or four minutes cleaning your piercing each time, or you risk making it sore.

While your piercing is healing you should avoid belts and clothing that may catch on your piercing. Wear loose clothing around the area whenever possible as you should let your piercing breathe as much as you can.

You do not need to avoid baths but do avoid swimming pools until the piercing is healed as the chlorine in the water may irritate your piercing. It is OK to have baths but we would recommend that you avoid any type of oil in the bath as it may clog your piercing.

Your navel piercing should take around six months to heal if looked after correctly but everyone heals differently so this could be much longer or shorter.

You should not change the jewellery for at least 6 weeks as this can set back the healing process. Also remember that cheap jewellery will not do your piercing any good, always choose titanium jewellery from a reputable source to give your piercing the best chance to heal. If you are nervous or unsure about changing the jewellery for the first time we will be happy to do it for you at no cost, and can show you the best way to go about it in future.

Infections develop easily in piercings, especially when they are not cleaned correctly and when people play with their piercing or touch it with dirty fingers. You should only touch your piercing (this means the jewellery that is in it too!) when you are cleaning it. The signs to watch out for are

The area becomes red or inflamed.
Yellow or greenish discharge from the piercing
Increased soreness around the piercing

If you notice any of the above you should contact your piercer for advise. Do not remove the jewellery as the infection may become trapped under the skin, and in most cases an infection can be successfully treated and the piercing healed, although this may take longer than usual.

We offer unlimited aftercare for you and your piercing so if you have any questions or concerns do not hesitate to come and see us

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