Aftercare
These are just suggestions for aftercare, Different methods work for different people. I will be talking about the methods that I prefer to use, the methods that seem to be working on the majority of people that I pierce.

Products that may be used:
         Sterile, additive free, saline solution.
         H2Ocean brand piercing aftercare spray.
         In addition to a mild anti-microbial soap. Some brand names include Provon, and Dr. Bronner's.

Before cleaning a piercing always wash your hands thoroughly with an anti-microbial soap.

In the shower bathe as usual keeping shampoo and other body wash type cleaners away from your new piercing, Then rinse your body thoroughly. Putting a small pearl size drop of the anti-microbial soap on clean hands, make a lather under the running water. Wash your piercing and the surrounding area gently but thoroughly. Taking care to wash away any dried blood and/or crusted matter that may have formed since the last cleaning.

Next rinse the area making sure to wash away any soap residue. Upon exiting the shower, pat dry the area of the new piercing with a few clean paper towels. (Linen/cloth towels can harbor bacteria and are more likely to leave lint particles.)

Throughout the day:
The beauty of the sterile saline or h30cean is that it stays sterile in the canister and is completely portable.

If the piercing is above the neck:
Between 3 to 5 times a day, apply the cleaning solution by spraying the solution onto a sterile square of gauze or cotton swab. Gently applying the cleaner to the pierced area.
If the piercing is below the neck:

Between 3 to 5 times a day, apply the cleaning solution by spraying it directly onto the pierced area. Then patting the area dry with a sterile square of gauze or clean paper towel.

Soaks:
In addition to the above, do a warm soak once or twice a day. Filling a clean shot glass about 1/2 way with warm saline solution, invert the shot glass over the pierced area pressing firmly as to create a seal. Keeping the glass in place for about 10-15 minutes. If the shot glass method is not applicable for your piercing, (ie: facial piercings, etc…) just do a warm compress. A compress is made by saturating a sterile square of gauze or clean paper towel forlded into a square with warm saline solution and applying it to the pierced area firmly for a period of 5 minutes or so.

Oral piercings
Products that may be used:
         An alcohol free anti-microbial mouth rinse.
         In addition to a sterile, additive free, saline solution.
         Or H2Ocean brand piercing aftercare spray.

Rinse with one of the above solutions for 30-60 seconds after you eat, drink or smoke anything. Repeat until piercing is healed.

Note:
Over cleaning can cause discoloration of the tongue and surrounding tissues.

Also keeping the mouth cold after a tongue piercing can help reduce the swelling that will occur. I suggest gently sucking on crushed ice for the first few hours after being pierced. Keeping the head elevated with an extra pillow or two while sleeping is an excellent way to reduce swelling in the morning.

There is no need to move or rotate the jewelry while healing, as this can lead to undue trauma to the piercing.

Scary but not uncommon:
Light bleeding, swelling in the immediate area, bruising, and some tenderness. You may or may not experience one or all of these things when you get a piercing.

Things to watch out for:
Signs of infection, Excessive redness, heat radiating from the area, a dark colored and foul odored discharge, actual pain from the area.

If you feel you're experiencing something out of the ordinary or think you might have an infection, contact your piercer and/or physician right away.