Aftercare, Made Simple

Healing isn't complicated, but it does have rules. Follow these and your new piercing will heal beautifully. Something feel off? Call or text us — we're here for the whole process, not just the appointment.

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the Game Plan

Six things to do (and not do) while you heal. They sound small, but they're important so don't skip these!

1. Cleaning

Spray with NeilMed Piercing Aftercare, once or twice a day. Hold the can 2–4 inches from the piercing, hit both sides, and let it air dry — or use a hairdryer on the cool, low setting. More than twice a day isn't better; it's actually worse. Over-cleaning irritates the piercing.

2. Hands-Off

Hands off. No touching, no twisting, no checking on it every five minutes. The "rotate your earring daily" advice your mom gave you is outdated and actively slows healing. If you need to touch it, wash your hands first.

3. Sleep

Sleep around it. A fresh cartilage piercing and your pillow are not friends. Sleep on the other side when you can. For longer healing piercings, one of our piercing pillows can save you months of frustration.

4. No swimming

No swimming for 4–6 weeks (lobes) or 3–4 months (cartilage). That means pools, hot tubs, lakes, and oceans. Showers are fine.

5. Saline ONLY

Saline only. No ointments, no rubbing alcohol, no hydrogen peroxide, no witch hazel, no tea tree oil. These all sound helpful and all dry out or irritate healing tissue. Saline is the answer.

6. Downsizing

Come in for your downsize. For cartilage piercings, once swelling has gone down (usually 6–8 weeks) and you have 2+ mm of wiggle room on the post, stop by for a shorter post. First downsize is included in your original service fee. Skipping this step is the #1 reason piercings heal crooked or develop bumps.

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What's normal, what's not

Piercings get dramatic before they settle down. Here's how to tell the difference between "this is fine" and "call us."

Totally normal:

Mild swelling, redness, and tenderness for the first 1–2 weeks
Itching as it heals
Occasional sensitivity for months on cartilage piercings
Bleeding or bruising for the first 5-10 days after initial piercing

Worth a call or text:

Spreading redness or heat that gets worse, not better, after the first two weeks
Thick yellow or green discharge
A bump that doesn't go away, or one that grows
The jewelry sinking into your skin

We'd rather hear from you and tell you it's fine than have you wait. Reach out — Idaho Falls at 208-516-0596, Boise at 208-716-2015.

downsizing, explained

Here's something most people don't know: the jewelry we use to pierce you is intentionally longer than what you'll wear long-term. That extra length gives your piercing room to swell without the jewelry digging in. Once the swelling goes down, the post is too long — and that's when bumps, crooked healing, and snagging start.

The fix is a downsize: swapping the longer post for a shorter one that fits your healed piercing properly. Your first downsize is complimentary, stop by anytime during our walk-in hours.