Captive Bead Aftercare

1. Wash your hands well with anti-bacterial soap. Never touch your piercing during the first 8 weeks without washing your hands first.

2. Soak your piercing for 2-5 min using a clean source of warm water. Either stand in the shower with your hand cupped under the piercing or use a plastic cup to soak it directly.

3. Lather up the soap in your hands and gently wash a 4 inch area around the piercing. Wash the exposed part of the jewellery with the soapy lather. With a good later, GENTLY, turn the jewellery through the piercing, slowly in one direction then back the other, until the bead touches both openings of the piercing. Repeat 7-10 times. Never force dry jewellery through the piercing. Use lots of soapy lather and if it doesn't turn easily try soaking it again for a longer period of time.

4. THIS STEP IS VERY IMPORTANT... Get your piercing back under clear warm running waterand turn the jewellery back and forth 15-20 times to rinse the soap out. Once the jewellery starts to feel like it is "sticking" in the piercing, yo have rinsed enough. Once again never force dry jewellery through the piercing.

Barbell Aftercare

1. Wash your hands well with anti-bacterial soap. Never touch your piercing during the first 8 weeks without washing your hands first.

2. Put 1 tablespoon of Sea Salts (available from us or a Health/Drugstore) into an 8oz cup of hot (bath temperature) water. If soaking it in a bath, dissolve 2 cups of sea salts in your bathwater. Stir well until all salts are dissolved. Do not use other salts such as table salt as they can have too wide a mineral base to be effective.

3. Soak the piercing in the cup or bath of salt water for a full 5 minutes. DO NOT rotate the jewellery during the soak. Make sure to soak continuously for the full 5 minutes.

4. Afer you soak, wash the area with Tea tree oil soap or glycerin soap as follows: For a barbell piercing (navel, nipple, surface), slide the jewellery 7-10 times through the piercing, making sure to get the soap into the piercing at both ends. Put the piercing under clear warm running water and slide the jewellery another 15-20 times through the piercing to rinse the soap out. For a nostril screw, wash the area for 2-3 minutes, making sure to get soap into the hole and push the stud back and forth through the piercing. Make sure you don't pull the stud out of your piercing! Rinse under clear warm running water for 3-5 minutes. If the jewellery starts to stick, do not force it as this just means that the soap has been washed out.

5. It is common for the piercing to be sore while cleaning it for the first few weeks. If it is too painful to slide the jewellery, try soaking it in the hot salt water for a longer period of time as this should help to relax the skin around the piercing, making it less painful to clean.

6. Do these steps twice daily for 60 Days. Keep hands away from the piercing except when hands are first washed with antibacterial soap. Never use hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, bacitracin or polysporin on your piercing.

Tongue Piercing Aftercare

1. Rinse mouth thoroughly with Listerine mouthwash for 10 seconds once every 2 hours for a full 4 weeks.

2. No oral (physical or sexual) contact with your tongue for 4 weeks. (This is the #1 source of infection)

3. Eat what you can. With a swollen tongue it may be difficult, but do eat, as your body needs fuel to heal your new piercing.

4. Lots of cold applications for the first 7 days. Ice, popsicles etc...will help to reduce the swelling.

5. Take extra strength Midol for 7 days for pain and/or swelling. You may after 3 weeks (no sooner) return with this card, and for a small fee we will exchange you tongue barbell for a shorter fitted one. This offer is valid for 60 dys only from the date on the front of your card.

Genital Piercing Aftercare

1. No unprotected sexual contact for 4 weeks. The piercing is an open wound and a very willing portal for foreign bacteria.

Special Points for Care of Your Aftercare

All apply for the first 2 months

1. Do not forget to clean your piercing for the entire duration that your piercer tells you. The healing process is based on a cycle of time. If you break this cycle (ie. miss cleanings or change products) you will have less of a chance of success and more chance of infection.

2. Keep hands off of piercing unless you wash them first.

3. Use the products recommended by your piercer. Do not substitute products without first consulting your piercer as this will greatly reduce your chances of healing your piercing successfully.

4. Use the products recommended by your piercer. Do not substitute products without first consulting your piercer as this will greatly reduce your chances of healing your piercing successfully.

5. Avoid any direct pressure on your new piercing. This includes restrictive clothing, any impact excercises and sleeping on it.

6. Try to keep pet hair away from your piercing. Micro bacteria from the fur can cause bacterial infections. It is best to try to keep pets out of your bed during the healing process.

7. Use liquid laundry detergent as powder does not rinse out of your clothing as well and can cause irritation.

8. Do not cover your piercing with bandages at any time.

9. Take care of yourself. A healthy body promotes a well healed piercing.

Signs of Infections of Allergic Reactions

If you notice any of the following symptoms please call or e-mail us ASAP. Do not remove the jewellery as you will trap the infection inside your body.

Signs of Infection

1. Redness or soreness around the piercing after the initial two weeks. (It is normal for the area to be red and tender until this point.)

2. A yellowish or green discharge from the piercing. (A small amount of white discharge is normal during the healing stage, try rinsing the soap out more thoroughly if you get a milky white discharge.)

3. Heat - If the area around your piercing fells noticeably hot compared to a neutral part of your body. (after the first week)

Signs of Allergic Reaction

1. The metal used in your piercing is implant grade 3.16L stainless steel. It is designed to greatly reduce your risk of allergic reaction. Generally, if you can wear gold or silver you should have no problem with your piercing jewellery.

2. If the area around the piercing looks constantly moist (like it is sweating).

3. The appearance of red or whit dots around the area (like a rash but usually raised and sore).

4. Prolonged (more than 2 weeks) soreness or severe itchiness (mild itchiness is a normal part of the healing process).

If you experience any of the above symptoms call or e-mail us so we can help clear up the problem or suggest jewellery alternatives. Once again DO NOT REMOVE THE JEWELLERY even if you think you have an allergic reaction.

Do NOT Use These on your Piercing

Polysporin, Aloe Vera, Rubbing Alcohol, Neosporin, Hydrogen Peroxide, Perfumed or Creamed Soaps, Bactine, Mecca YOU MAY COME TO NEW TRIBE AT ANY TIME FOR A FREE CHECKUP, NO APPOINTMENT IS NECESSARY.

Aftercare for Infections or Prolonged Healing

1. Put 1 tablespoon of Epson Salts (available at any drugstore) into an 8oz cup of hot water. Stir well until all salts are dissolved. Please use only Epson Salts as other kinds of salt have too wide a mineral base to be effective.

2. Soak the affeced area in the cup of salt water for 5 full minutes. Do not rotate the ring during the soak, and soak continuously for the full 5 minutes.

3. Wash the area with teatree oil soap or glycerine soap. Turn the ring 7-10 turns under clean running water to rinse the soap out.

4. Pat the area dry with a clean towel. Apply a small amount of Distilled Witchazel (available at New Tribe or any drugstore) with a q-tip to the affected area. Do not rotate the Witchazel through the piercing.

5. Do these steps twice daily for 14 days. If you start to use this method for cleaning you should discontinue any other methods you are presently using. Keep hands away from piercing except when cleaning and wash hands first with anti-bacterial soap.