All piercings performed by Vogue Body Piercing include full backup service for the life of your piercing. This means if at any point you have any problems, questions, or concerns, we encourage you to come into the shop or contact us as soon as possible for a consultation and we'll help you sort it out, absolutely free of charge. Another reason why Vogue Body Piercing is...
THE PLACE TO BE PIERCED!
You may also download this aftercare information in brochure format: .pdf .doc
Your body piercing procedure has been conducted under strict hygienic and asaeptic conditions. We conduct hospital-grade sterilization of all of our tools and jewellery in a separate, enclosed sterilization room, all needles are single use and all the body jewellery is of the highest quality, implant-grade materials. It is extremely important that you read and follow these aftercare details, as failure to do so can lead to unnecessary problems.
We guarantee the quality of our work and offer a full backup service, which we urge you to utilise. Even if you are on the other side of the world, you can e-mail us or phone with any queries, however big or small.
You can appreciate that all bodies are unique and some people can take longer than others to heal, so please be patient, stay healthy and be gentle with your body piercing at all times.
It is advised to rinse your oral piercing with a mild saltwater solution 2-3 times a day. It’s preferable to time your rinsing to occur after meals.
To mix the salt water, add a ¼ teaspoon of non-iodised sea salt to 250ml/ 1 cup of recently boiled or demineralised (distilled) water. Allow to cool to lukewarm before rinsing, as hot water will aggravate your oral piercing and can increase swelling. Rinse for about 15 seconds. If you'd like to make up a large quantity in advance for convenience, a simple way to do this is to purchase a 1 liter size bottle of water and add 1 tsp of non-iodised salt, then shake it to dissolve.
Change your toothbrush to a brand-new soft-bristled brush; this will limit any bacteria that can be introduced into the mouth. If you are a mouthwash user, do NOT use any alcohol-based mouthwashes (such as Listerine) – we recommend Biotene, which can be found at most pharmacies and chemists. Alcohol based oral care products can kill beneficial enzymes in your saliva, which will prolong your healing period.
Insufficient sleep, drug and alcohol use, or a bad diet can all contribute to long, slow and problematic healing periods. Stay healthy!
Eating is still possible! We say go gently at all times. Mashed potato and gravy, yoghurt, soft fruits and vegetables, and solid foods that can be cut up into small, manageable pieces (direct the food into the back of your mouth using your fork or clean fingers, to minimise contact with the piercing). Avoid very hot foods, spicy food, and foods with high acidity (citrus/pineapple/tomato juices, vinegars, etc) – they will irritate your piercing and can sting in the first few days!
During the initial healing period, you may experience a certain degree of discomfort and swelling. Swelling and inflammation can be minimised by careful adherence to your aftercare advice. Drink plenty of ice-cold water, sleep with your head elevated above your heart, and suck on crushed ice if your swelling is particularly bad.
If you're not allergic and can use them, take ibuprofen-based anti-inflammatory tablets (such as Nurofen or Advil) as directed on the packet. If you have any concerns due to other medications you’re on, please check with your doctor or pharmacist.
Do expect some bleeding or even slight bruising; this is normal for any break of the skin. You may experience some spot bleeding for a couple of days after your piercing procedure.
A secretion from your piercing is quite normal. This is usually a runny consistency and an ‘off white’ colour. It is blood plasma, lymph and dead cells; because our mouths are constantly moist this secretion doesn’t get the chance to ‘crust’ as it would on facial or body piercing.
The glands in your throat may also swell slightly and you may experience some achiness during the first few days, which may come and go. Tenderness is normal and possibly some tightness and pinching sensation.
A ‘furry’ tongue is quite common, due to the salt rinses, gently brush your tongue with a soft bristle toothbrush to remove it. As plaque forms on our teeth it can also form on the jewellery, again gently brush your jewellery with a soft bristle toothbrush.
If you take out the jewellery from your oral piercing you may find that it will shrink quite considerably or even close over within a short space of time. Tongue piercings in particular can close VERY quickly, and trying to replace the barbell can be extremely painful. Please consult us if you need to remove the jewellery for any reason.
It is important to get your jewellery downsized as soon as your piercing is ready – usually 2-3 weeks after the piercing procedure. We do not recommend downsizing earlier, as the piercing needs time to strengthen, anc changing the jewellery too early can irritate the new piercing and cause it to swell back up again – which would be bad news with fitted jewellery in place!
“Downsizing” refers to removing the initial longer jewellery (barbell or labret stud), and replacing it with a shorter piece. This will reduce the risk of any damage to your teeth or gums, and will feel much more comfortable. Remember some people take longer than others to heal, so please be patient.
Even after your oral piercing has fully healed and the downsize has been performed, we recommend that you always carry with you a spare ball, just in case. It's a good idea to keep your spare jewellery in a small ziplock bag in your purse or wallet, as one is rarely at home when one loses their jewellery!
If you are fitting jewellery in the mirror above a sink, place a towel across the sink and over the plughole to avoid bouncing balls and escapees! We always have spares in stock in all shapes, sizes and materials!
Remember - we are all different and the instructions in this leaflet are to be used as a guide to healing your piercing successfully. If you have any questions, concerns, or problems, however big or small, please consult us immediately.
All of these piercings require the same aftercare advice for facial and body piercing, as well as the oral aftercare instructions, as the outside of the piercing will heal differently to the inside. Some people may require 2 - 3 down sizes, so to keep these down to a minimum, take extra care not to catch the jewellery on clothing etc. and leave the initial jewellery in for a minimum 3 weeks. If the initial piece of jewellery is left in too long it may cause significant damage to your teeth and gums.
Cheek piercings are notoriously problematic and difficult to heal, and will take an extended length of time to settle down. One must take exceptional care of these piercings to ensure any likelihood of a successful long-term outcome.
Most lip piercings practised around the world are done with labret studs made of wood, ivory and metal. Among certain tribes in South America and central Africa, the labret is stretched to the extreme, and then a wooden or clay plate inserted. It is done for beauty or religious significance. Among the ancient Aztecs and Mayans it was for the male members of the higher castes.
History tells us that tongue piercing was practised in ritual form by the ancient Aztecs and Mayas of Central America, and the Haida, Kwakiutul and Tlinglit tribes of the American northwest. The tongue was pierced to draw blood to propitiate the Gods and to create an altered state of consciousness so that the Priest or Shaman could communicate with the Gods.
The tongue piercing one of the most popular, it’s shocking, provocative, pretty good for oral sex (for both sexes) and at the same time, no one needs to know that you have one!