A well balanced diet, with vitamin and mineral supplements, is extremely important. Healing is usually accelerated if some form of dietary Zinc supplement is used. A soft diet is recommended for tongue piercings only for the first day. Beginning on day 2, get back on a balanced diet with food you can chew. Swelling will disappear sooner if your tongue is active and if your diet is balanced.
The day a piercing is performed the skin is broken and the tissues become susceptible to invasion by infectious agents, either bacterial or fungal. At this point, cleaning is very important and must begin on the day of piercing. Liquid or glycerine soaps are recommended as they have less soap solids and are easier to rinse out of a piercing. Bar soaps will tend to leave a scum on the inside of the piercing. The jewelry is used as a cleaning tool . A soap and water lather is placed on the piercing and the jewelry is used as a cleaning instrument to work the lather through and to scrub the inside surface of the piercing. The area is then rinsed with water, and the jewelry again is moved through the piercing to work the water through and to get the soap out.
For the first 2 to 3 days the use of an 'antibiotic preparation after each cleaning is recommended.
Cleaning of the piercing should abate from twice per day over the next week. Be very careful to keep this cleaning thorough yet gentle. During this time one of the major causes of after care problems is excessive cleaning and manipulation of the piercing which tends to damage 'the fragile tissues which are trying to form. Excessive cleaning can cause chapping and drying of the skin. When the skin is cracked bacteria can invade the underlying tissues causing infection. Bruising of the skin will cause of tissue breakdown with the same result. It is during this stage that keloids begin to form. As the supporting tissue is repeatedly injured by a cycle of abuse and infection, there is a buildup of fibrous connective tissue at the margins of the piercing . These keloids usually disappear if noticed early and their cause is identified and eliminated.
By the time 10 to 14 days has passed, no special cleaning regimen should be required for any piercing. Yes keep it cleaned but wash it when you wash the rest of you.
Should you encounter any problems or require any assistance in the care of your piercing, or if you have specific aftercare questions not answered here, please use BlackStar's Piercing Aftercare Forum. For a detailed explanation of the healing protocols for all piercings, download our Piercing Aftercare Manual.
