Ear Lobe: 4 weeks
Nose/Ear Cartilage: 10 weeks + due to less blood flow in this region.
Navel: 6 to 12 months.
Tongue: 4 weeks. After this period the jewellery should be downsized to a 16mm barbell. Lip: 6 to 8 weeks. Can take longer as it gets moved and bumped more frequently.
Eyebrow: 6 to 8 weeks. Can take longer as it gets moved and bumped more frequently.
Surface: 10 to 12 weeks +. This piercing often migrates out of the piercing site.
All body piercing will swell marginally when initially pierced so it is critical to use the correct jewellery gauge, size and length.
The downsizing process is also a critical process to maintain a healthy piercing site.
At the time of piercing most customers will receive antiseptic gel or spray to help speed up the healing process. Body Piercers sometimes use a saline solution instead of an antiseptic.
Sterilisation
Studex ear piercing studs and Medisept nose piercing studs are sterilised with ethylene oxide gas. This is performed in a vacuum chamber where the gas is forced through the Tyvek paper to kill all of the bacteria.
This is a large scale sterilisation process that will last approximately 7 years when the jewellery is stored in optimal conditions.
The body piercing stores sterilise their jewellery using an autoclave and pouches. A dry heat steriliser can also be used where the tools don’t have a pouch and need to be used directly after the sterilisation process.
Piercing Instruments
The majority of ear piercing is performed with a disposable cartridge ear piercing instrument. Only the outer perimeter of the ear and lobe can be pierced with an ear-piercing instrument. Other sites on the ear must be pierced with a sterilised needle.
Nose piercing is performed with a nose piercing gun or an 18g to 20g needle and needle receiving tube.
The nostril is the only piercing site that can be pierced with a nose piercing instrument. The septum must not be pierced with a piercing instrument.
It is legislated that a piercer must use a separate and specific piercing instrument for ear piercing and nose piercing.
