Soap is not necessary for a healing piercing. In fact applying soap to a piercing will irritate your piercing. When showering be sure to avoid any contact directly to the piercing. Do not apply anti-bacterial soap to a piercing for any reason! Leave soap on the area for no more than thirty seconds, then rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of the soap from the area around your piercing.
In a disposable cup, dissolve 1/8 teaspoon of non-iodized sea salt in 8 ounces of warm water. When ready, either place the cup over the piercing forming a vacuum-type seal or dip the piercing in the cup. If either technique is not possible pre-soak a fresh tissue, paper towel, or gauze pad in the solution and firmly press it on your piercing re-dipping as necessary. For effectiveness your sea-salt soak should last 10 minutes. Following the sea-salt soak, fold a gauze pad or paper towel and clean around the jewelry to remove plasma or ‘crusties’. Lastly, rinse your piercing with some clean water and pat your piercing and jewelry completely dry with a sterile gauze pad. Do not rotate. Salt is for the exterior only.
Apply emu oil 2-3 times daily after the piercing has been cleaned. Gently massage on a single drop of Emu Oil to the area and jewelry with your clean fingers. If you like, you may gently rotate the jewelry back and forth a few times to work the solution to the inside of the piercing. (You should not rotate your jewelry during the first several cleanings). Emu oil is safe to use on tongue piercings, labrets and genital piercings.
NOTE: Emu oil is NOT a Vegan friendly product.
For those sensitive individuals an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen (Motrin IB, Advil, etc.) can help reduce swelling and pain
