WARNING: Chemicals WILL NOT make you heal faster! Quite the opposite in fact, chemicals
of any kind will upset the balance within your newly forming cells and create a condition in
which your piercing will heal tremendously slow, if ever. Therefore, DO NOT USE any product
marked for “external use only” including, but not limited to: Proven, rubbing alcohol,
Hydrogen Peroxide, Bactine and Ear Care Solutions, benzethonium chloride,
Antibacterial soaps, such as Dial, Soft Soap, etc., Neosporin or any other petroleum-
based ointment such as betadine or Hibiclens.

Do Not Use The Following Products On Your New Piercing:
They will lengthen the healing time and cause problems!


•
Do not use Alcohol: Alcohol wipes, Hibiclens (may cause deafness and or
blindness), Hibitane. Alcohol’s are an irritant and toxic to new tissue cells forming in
the wound and are therefore totally unsuitable for the aftercare of piercings.
Products that contain alcohol like Chlorhexidine solutions i.e. Hibiclens, Hibitane etc.
should therefore be avoided even if they are diluted.
•
Do Not Use Listerine: Though this antiseptic mouthwash is very good at keeping your
mouth clean of any infection, it is also very irritating due to high contents of alcohol
which can cause excess scar tissue damage, extend your healing time, and cause
your piercing to swell more.
•
Do not use Benzalkonium Chloride & Benzethonium Chloride Solutions:
(Containing 0.12% Benzalkonium chloride or 0.13% Benzethonium-chloride). Bactine,
Germinol, Germitol, Pierced Ear Care Solution, No More Ouchies, or Sensitive
Ears Solution and other solutions of benzelkonium or benzalthonium-chloride
(usually available at stores that perform ear piercing). Can cause sensitivity and
prolonged use often causes overly dry or flaking skin. Some products contain isopropyl
alcohol that is very irritating. Bactine and No More Ouchies contain lidocaine to
which many people are sensitive and can cause allergic reactions.
•
Do Not Use Chlorhexidine Gluconate Solutions: Bacticlens, Hibiclens, Hibiscrub,
Hibitane, Savlon, Spectro Gram 2. Solutions vary in concentration from 2 to 4%.
Product inserts for all solutions state intended use only for hand washing and presurgical
skin antisepsis. Not suitable for piercings as these solutions contain alcohol,
which is toxic to the cells that form scar tissue. It also causes irritation and delayed
healing. Even in a diluted form it still can cause problems.
•
Do Not Use Hydrogen Peroxide: In solution 3%: Provides mechanical cleansing and
some debridement of wounds by effervescent action, however, it can cause ulceration
of newly formed tissue, and can create Granulomas. It is toxic to fibroblasts, which are
vital for wound healing, and therefore should never be used as an aftercare
solution for piercings because of the damage it causes the wound even in it’s diluted
form.
•
Do Not Use PerOxyl and Gly-Oxide: Oral cleansing antiseptics contain peroxide or
carbamide peroxide may be detrimental towards healing when used for an extended
period of time. Use of these products in addition to antiseptic mouthwash is
unnecessary. Additionally, the US Food and Drug Administration has declared "oral
wound healing agents [including] allantoin and carbamide peroxide in anhydrous
glycerin" as "unacceptable" because these products have not been found to be safe
and/or effective for treatment of oral wounds. It can also destroy the layer of "good"
bacterial on the back of your tongue which can allow thrush, dry mouth, and other
complications to take hold.

•
Do Not Use Methylated Spirits: Too strong to be used as an aftercare solution,
can lead to inflammation of the wound, and increase the healing phase.
•
Do Not Use Dial soap: Dial is a harsh soap for piercings. It contains triclosan, which
can cause problems with overuse. Many new studies are showing that anti-bacterial
soaps that use triclosan have the same efficiency as normal hand soap.
•
Do Not Use Iodine Compounds: Examples: Iodine (tincture of Iodine, weak iodine
solution) Iodophors (Betadine, Betaisodina, Braunol, Braunosan H, Disadine DP,
Disphex, Efadine, Inadine, Isodine, Proviodine, Traumasept, Videne), Betadine soaps
and skin cleansers, and povidone-iodine based liquid soap (Clearly Natural brand).
Iodine solutions have a broad spectrum effectiveness when used on intact skin or
relatively clean wounds, but it is toxic to fibroblasts (cells which form scar tissue) in
normal dilutions, and has questionable effectiveness in infected wounds. Long-term
use of Betadine/ Povidone-Iodine solutions can induce insensitivity to the product as
well as allergy. Long-term use has also been known to cause growing skin cells to lyse
(over-saturate and rupture) and can result in allergic reactions.

•
Do Not Use Ointments: Examples: Vitamin E, Aloe Vera, Betadine ointments,
Antibiotic ointments i.e. Neosporin, Neomycin, Polymixin-B, Bacitracin Zinc,
etc. Ointments should not be used as they limit air circulation to the piercing, and
they can cause Granulomas. Antibiotic ointments should only be used if recommended
by a physician. Some people experience allergic side effects that can lead to
anaphylactic shock, which is potentially fatal.
All piercings: Avoid playing with new piercings as physical irritation is the worst.
Leave them alone to heal. DO NOT move the jewelry back and forth through piercing
– it does more harm than good. It's like picking a scab, the body has to start the
healing process all over again.

PRODUCTS YOU CAN USE

•
NON-IODIZED SEA SALT-Non-iodized sea salt will always state on the package “this
salt does not contain iodine, a necessary nutrient.” Check the label before you
purchase. DO NOT USE table salt or Epson salt.
•
SALINE SOLUTION-Saline is the key to quick healing! It’s PH balanced to our bodies.
The easiest and most accurate way to acquire saline is in the form of saline solution for
contact lenses, preferably the sterile type in a pressurized can. DO NOT USE multipurpose
solutions or wetting/soaking solutions, they contain an enzyme and are
not the same as saline solution.
•
TEA TREE OIL -This soothing liquid cools and refreshes an irritated piercing. Use only
high quality tea tree oil that has been diluted with distilled water.
•
EMU OIL -A universal healing product that has been discovered to also produce
exceptional results when healing a piercing.
•
H2OCEAN -Although some would call it "glorified saline solution," most do report
excellent healing results with this product.
•
Biotene / Tech 2000-Produced by Care-Tech Laboratories, Inc., this is the most
recommended anti-microbial mouthwash for the care of your new oral piercing. It is
highly effective at reducing bacteria while also being very gentle on oral tissue.

How Smooth is Smooth Enough?

A piercer friend Brian Skellie wrote a fantastic article about the importance of proper polishing when it comes to what we wear in our piercings. It can honestly make all the difference when healing a piercing, and is something I try to explain to my customers all the time. I think he said he better then I could though. The article can be found HERE.

Just a few reasons...

Acrylic jewelry is crap guys! It belongs in the trash can.

How many times do I have to say it?

make custom gifts at Zazzle

Taking a mini vacation!

    Just wanted to let everyone know that I will be out of town this Saturday and Sunday. I'll be back in the shop at 12:30 Monday though. As always, if you have any questions feel free to email me at hannahcherrypiercing@gmail.com. Have a great weekend everyone!

Hacks

It's not only uncool to steal someone elses portfolio photos, but it is also illegal. It has been brought to my attention that this shop tried to steal one of my photos along with another shops and pass it off as their own work. They might have gotten away with it if it hadn't been the photo I placed in in last years Earmageddon contest with Industrial Strength. If it happens again, they'll be hearing from my lawyer. Also, to all my piercer friends; look through their photos to make sure they didn't steal anything of yours. I am pretty angry about this, but I am sure karma will come back around to bite them one way or another. I'll just keep on piercing :)

Come get some!

So my friend Samppa and his lovely wife Aneta are on their USA tour right now. They are trying to book more work for when they come to Richmond, VA in April. They aren't 100% sure of the dates yet, but if you have any desire for mod work please email him by clicking HERE.