How do I care for my piercing?
The only product we recommend using on your healing piercing is STERILE saline wound wash.
Rinse with warm, running water to loosen up crusties
Rinse thoroughly and GENTLY with your sterile saline
Ensure the area is fully dried
(Using a blowdryer on the cool setting can fully dry some of those harder to dry areas)
Repeat once or twice daily
We do sell Neilmed Saline Spray!
We do not recommend the use of any chemicals, tea tree oils, or ointments of any kind.
While some people can heal with just about anything, we don’t recommend taking the chance.
Sometimes, harsh products and overcleaning can cause more harm than good and result in an irritated piercing or even a chemical burn!!
My piercing is excessively irritated , formed a bump, or is taking longer than expected to heal!
Do I have an infection?!?!
Breathe!
An infected piercings is much more unlikely than you’d think!!
Most piercing problems are the result of excessive irritation that can be caused by a number of things.
Troubleshooting the issue and getting rid of the irritant can usually solve the issue!
Some of the factors that can cause irritation to your piercing include:
Angles - Placement - Trauma - Excessive Moisture - Improper Aftercare
Angles- Your jewelry should sit perpendicular to your tissue for a successful and easy healing experience. If the angle that your piercing was done is too severe, it can cause excess pressure which can result in bumps and excessive irritation.. Unfortunately, sometimes the best answer for this issue is to simply remove the jewelry and repierce at a later date, after the tissue has fully healed.
Placement- The placement of your piercing can affect the quality of your healing experience. Piercings need open space to heal. This means the jewelry needs to be free of pressure from other body parts or objects such as headphones, sleeping, stethoscopes, and helmets.
Trauma- Snagging, Smacking, and Pulling your jewelry can cause trauma to the tissue. The piercing channel heals from the outside in and this healing takes place in stages. In the beginning stages of healing, the tissue is delicate and easily re-opened. A rough enough or often enough hit to the area can cause the tissue to reopen and restart your healing. In this scenario, treat the piercing like new until things settle down.
Excessive Moisture- Here in Louisiana, we are often subjected to very humid environments. It is much more common to have excessive moisture build up trapped in the top layers of tissue causing a pimple like bubble to form around your piercing. To keep these bumps to a minimum, it is vital to ensure your piercing does not get submerged into bodies of water or stagnant water such as baths and pools. This can be a catalyst for bacteria to find its way into your body and also cause the tissue to be waterlogged, resulting in redness and bumps. It is also helpful to thoroughly dry your piercing after showers and cleaning.
If you struggle with this , sometimes a hair dryer on a low, cool setting can help to dry out the area; however, if you have a filter on your hair dryer, it is best to clean it before use.
Improper Aftercare- There are a lot of products out there marketed towards healing piercings. The only product we back as being safe to use is clean, warm, running water, and STERILE saline solution. Ointments, tinctures, tea tree oils, crushed up baby aspirin, piercing sprays from mall kiosks, etc. are usually much more harsh and not intended for use inside the body. Chemical burns and irritation can result!
Excessive cleaning or aggressively moving the jewelry can also result in irritation. Be kind to your piercing. Clean gently and just enough to remove debris. PLEASE DO NOT USE YOUR JEWELRY TO PULL ON THE CHANNEL FOR ANY REASON!! This is exactly the aggressive movements we want to avoid.
How long will my piercing take to heal?
It is important to know that every person will heal at their own pace and there are multiple factors that can affect how long your piercing takes to heal.
That being said, there are average heal times you can use to understand how long most piercings take to heal under the best conditions.
Lobe Piercings: 3-4 Months
Cartilage Piercings: 6-12 Months
Nostil Piercings: 4-6 Months
Lip Piercings: 4-6 Months
Eyebrow Piercings: 2-3 Months
Tongue Piercings: 1-2 Months
Septum Piercings: 1-2 Months
Nipple Piercings: 9-12+ Months
What does it mean to downsize my piercing and is it really necessary??
Typically when you come in for a fresh piercing, we will use jewelry with longer backings to allow room for your body to swell around your piercing ……TEMPORARILY.
As your body heals, this swelling will recede and the long bar on the back of your piercing will become excessive and serve as a handle for things to catch and snag, which we know can cause problems.
Therefore, it is essential for a happy healing experience to come back into the shop and have your jewelry downsized to a smaller, better fitted backing once there is an excess of problematic length.
This can be especially important for piercings such as flats, helix, and faux rooks to avoid migration from sleeping on the longer bar and for oral piercings to avoid unnecessary damage to teeth and gums.
It is, however, not so important with placements such as septums since we use rings in this area and swelling is usually minimal.
Feel free to reach out to your piercer if you have any questions about when it's best to come in for your downsizing.
We recognize the importance of this and do not charge a service fee to assist in consultations or installations of better fitting posts.
You only pay for the cost of the jewelry you change into.
What Kind of jewelry materials do you offer and do I need to bring my own jewelry?
We offer the safest quality of piercing jewelry!
Hand polished, implant grade Titanium and 18K solid gold ends from vendors that are approved by the Association of Professional Piercers.
Our jewelry comes with a lifetime repair policy that is subject to the fair discretion of the staff .
We cannot replace lost jewelry, you must return the broken piece to the shop in order to receive a free repair.
We are not responsible for lengthy repair times and some companies can have turn around times of 20 weeks or longer.
My friend got me the wrong size jewelry and it doesn't fit. Can I exchange it?
Unfortunately, to adhere to cleanliness regulations, WE DO NOT ACCEPT RETURNS OR EXCHANGES OF ANY KIND FOR ANY REASON…EVER!!
How much does getting a piercing cost??
The total cost of your piercing experience is comprised of a piercing fee and the cost of the jewelry you choose.
MOST piercing services are $35 per piercing.
Titanium Jewelry averages $40+
Solid Gold Jewelry averages $90+
Our prices reflect the quality of skill and service we offer as well as the cost of the designer and high quality jewelry we carry.
We do not offer discount days or deals of any kind.
How do I book an appointment?
We offer self-booking through our portal.
We do require a card to put on file to book an appointment.
We do not charge the card on file at time of booking!
The card on file serves as a retainer for no shows or last minute cancellations.
Cancellations within 24hrs of your scheduled appointment may be subject to a fee .
All no shows will be charged 100% of the service fee price.
If you know you will be late or simply can’t make it, give us a call!
I’m pretty nervous!
Should I use numbing cream or use alcohol or narcotics before coming in for my piercing?
Numbing cream and the use of mind altering substances does little to lessen the intensity of your piercing.
Alternatively, these products can drastically increase the amount of pain, swelling, and bleeding you experience.
If our staff suspects the use of any numbing products, alcohol, or illegal narcotics upon arrival,
we will have to reschedule your piercing and you will be charged 100% of your service fees.
What if I'm not sure what I want to get pierced?
We offer piercing and jewelry styling and have a special place in our hearts for those who give us the trust and freedom to recommend jewelry and piercings that look cohesive and flow well with your anatomy.
Just book the styling option and we will show you options based on your jewelry preferences and your unique anatomy and lifestyle!
Okay , but, what do I need to bring with me ?
We require all clients to bring along a State Issued Photo ID ( driver’s liscense/permit, non-driver ID, passport, military ID, etc.)
We can also accept a hard plastic or laminated school ID along with a copy of a birth certificate.
What about for a minor?
Click here for everything you need to know about bringing a minor in!
What age do you start piercing minors?
This depends on the placement of the piercing.
Ages 6 - 12 are only offered single lobe piercings
Ages 13 - 15 we will begin offering single cartilage piercings
Ages 16 - 18 we will begin offering all other piercings
These following piercings are 18+
Navel, Tongues, Nipples and Genitals
****We have the right to refuse service******
I took the jewelry out to change it and I couldn't get it back in.
I think it needs to be re-pierced.
Removing jewelry before recommended heal time can result in the loss of your piercing and might require a new appointment at the normal cost.
Piercing is all about patience and commitment.
We know its tempting to change your jewelry early, but it is always best to be sure the piercing is totally healed before trying to install a different piece.
We do offer free consultations if you’re unsure and an installation service if you’d like help installing your new jewelry safely.