What you need to do:
1. Using a liquid or glycerine-based soap, such as Softsoap, work up a good lather and apply it to the area.
2. Gently work the soap and water lather through the piercing by rotating the ring through the piercing back and forth about 1 2 dozen times.
3. Rinse the soap out of the piercing by turning fresh warm water through the piercing in the same manner. In the shower is usually the easiest place to clean your new piercing.
4. Pat the area dry and apply an antibiotic ointment, such a Polysporin or Neosporin (make sure its the ointment) to the ring and work it through the piercing.
5. When it glides easily, remove the excess ointment as it dries out and causes crusties.
This whole process should take only a few minutes.
For how long:
1. For the first 2 days, clean the piercing twice a day, morning and night.
2. Then begin to gradually wean off the cleanings, what we like to call getting lazy, by skipping random cleanings.
3. By the 8th day, you should be down to once a day.
4. Continue getting lazy, so that by the time 2-2 1 2 weeks have passed, you have completed the cleanings.
5. At this point, do not turn the ring at all, not even when you are in the shower.
Note: Antibiotic ointment should be used only for the first 2 days after using the soap and water. It is not necessary after the first 48 hours and will not heal your piercing for you, nor is it strong enough to treat an infection.
Key Points:
1. Overcleaning can be a serious problem. More is not better. It can irritate and dry out the tissues supporting the jewellery. Symptoms of overcleaning are most commonly redness, dry skin (whiteness), and itchiness.
2. DO NOT GET OBESSED with cleaning.
3. If the margins of your piercing look dry, back off the cleaning a little sooner, and feel free to moisturize the tissues surrounding the piercing. We use St. Ives.
4. Try to avoid anything that causes pressure, such as sleeping on it.
5. Above all, DO NOT TOUCH your piercing unless it is absolutely necessary and you have clean hands.
