Body Piercing Aftercare
All piercing services are done using high quality, implant grade jewelry.
If you are having a piercing placed on any area of your lip, please refer to the Oral Piercing Aftercare Guide for suggestions on how to clean the inside portion of your piercing.
Before your appointment—and throughout the healing period—it is important to keep your body healthy, clean, well-fed, hydrated, and well-rested to support proper healing.
Some body piercings are prone to migrating or even rejecting. Despite our best efforts and yours, your body can reject the piercing at any time.
Implant-grade jewelry, appropriate aftercare, and good overall health and hygiene are key to slowing or preventing migration or rejection.
What to expect:
- Slight swelling, bruising, bleeding, redness and mild discomfort
- Discharge that may dry to form a crust around the piercing and surface of the jewelry
During the first 6-9 months:
Leave your jewelry in at all times. Do not remove it without assistance from a professional piercer to avoid irritation.
Avoid touching your jewelry unnecessarily.
Twice a day, and after work or exercise, rinse the piercing under warm running water in the faucet or shower to wash away dried discharge.
A hot compress once a day can help promote circulation and drainage. Gently hold a clean cloth or high-quality paper towel soaked in hot water over the piercing for 5 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
Finish by spraying the piercing with sterile saline (available for purchase at Dragon FX locations).
What to Avoid:
- Picking at or wiping the piercing or jewelry with your fingers, Q-tips, or materials that may leave fibers or bacteria behind
- Submerging the piercing in standing water such as pools, lakes, or bathtubs, which can lead to irritation or infection
- Using chemical astringents like “ear care” solutions (Benzalkonium Chloride), rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, ointments, antibacterial soaps, or tanning oils—they can cause significant irritation.
- Rule of thumb: if you wouldn’t rub it in your eye, don’t put it on your piercing.
- Caffeine and alcohol can dehydrate you and cause additional swelling. If consumed, drink water immediately afterward to stay hydrated.
- Sleeping on the piercing, pressing a phone to the area, or allowing clothing to rub against it can cause irritation and may lead to rejection.
- Changing your jewelry to low-quality costume pieces—especially those with external threading—can damage and irritate the piercing. If you’re interested in implant-grade jewelry in different styles, ask our staff for options.
- Never share jewelry with others, as this can transmit disease.