How does PE aftercare [leave it alone] work?
Aftercare and body piercing explained
Updated Wednesday June 11, 2008
Brian Skellie
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We also hope that the irritation and excess scarring commonly resulting from repeated antiseptic use has not been an issue for you with piercings before. Our care information is based on helping your body heal quickly without irritation so that you can form normal, healthy tissue.
The human body can often heal in spite of chemicals that disrupt the process. Healing quickly is usually a testament to your own immune system and healing factors. Skin heals from a small, clean wound in a few short weeks for a healthy person. The immune system does not usually need antiseptic, antimicrobial or antibiotic agents to help unless a person is not healthy and is directed by a physician for preventative care.
Antiseptic care should be used only when a piercing gets dirty unless directed otherwise by a physician.
Our suggestion for recovery after a piercing is in line with modern post operative surgical wound care standards, as well as soothing. Good nutrition and rest are equally important.
Most antiseptics, antimicrobials and or antibiotics, other than by prescription are not intended for daily repeated wound care the FDA has made strong statements to that effect, even demanding the recall or re-labeling of many products formerly suggested for "minor injury". Products must be proven both safe and effective to pass the FDA, and neither is the case for many antiseptics. Often the chemicals were intended as deodorants, and relabeled as antibacterial to slip by the FDA Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act testing. Nearly anything can claim to have antibacterial properties.
Our care is based in the same biological science that helps your body to heal itself without chemical antiseptics that disrupt the natural immune response.
We contend that a piercing done using all sterilized objects handled with aseptic integrity does not need any additional chemicals to help it heal.
While antiseptic use often gives the impression that we will be safer or healthier, healing takes place regardless, not because of them. Antiseptics can slow a clean wound's immune response and healing tissue, instead of promoting healthy growth.
Resistant germs can form when antiseptics are used repeatedly.
The reaction a body has to any small clean wound is to defend it, close it and grow new tissue. Provided that a person does not contaminate the piercing, it heals without the need for antiseptics.
The infection risk for any type of piercing is determined by what it is contaminated by, how much, and how strongly the immune system can respond.
The safety precautions we take virtually eliminate all risks of infection from the piercing itself. A person has nothing to fight off if they do not get it dirty.
Careful use of barriers can be effective for many types of piercings.
Occlusive dressings such as 3M NexCare Tegaderm provide a moist healing environment in keeping with modern surgical wound care while protecting the nipple or navel from contamination while bathing or swimming. The dressings should be removed when no longer needed, on average within 72 hours, and sooner to prevent buildup of perspiration if that becomes an issue. Addition of a layer of absorbent sterile gauze bandage works well for areas subject to greater perspiration, such as the navel.
Oral piercings have the benefit of natural immune protection by saliva, dramatically lowering the risk of oral infection from anything.
Consider that when a person heals a piercing with this method, they generally experience no swelling, only minor tension or tenderness in the area for a few short hours, and overall rapid recovery. We help people avoid allergic reactions and prolonged healing from chemicals. We focus on making the healing as easy as possible. It also bears mention that it is just as effective, and less expensive to use aseptic rather than antiseptic care.
Download a copy of our care information