Industrial Piercing Aftercare

Healing timeline

• Typically 9–12 months for both holes to settle.
• The bar is fitted with room for swelling; the studio checks the fit around 6–8 weeks and shortens it if needed.
• Minimum age: 16+ when the anatomy is suitable (a parent or legal guardian must be present to sign for minors).

Daily cleaning

• Wash your hands before you touch the piercing, and otherwise leave it alone.
• Clean both entry points with sterile saline twice a day and pat dry.
• Rinse in the shower so nothing dries under the bar.

What to avoid

• Don't sleep on the pierced side for the whole healing window.
• Keep hair tied back and away from the bar; snagging is the top cause of industrial bumps.
• Don't twist, rotate, or slide the jewelry — movement drags bacteria into the channel and delays healing.
• Skip alcohol, peroxide, Bactine, Neosporin, tea tree oil, and over-cleaning; they irritate the wound.
• Stay out of pools, hot tubs, lakes, and baths until healed; showers are fine.
• Don't change the jewelry yourself during healing — book a jewelry change at the studio.

What to expect

• Some bleeding, swelling, tenderness, bruising, and clear or whitish crust are normal in the first weeks.
• Bumps at one end are common after a snag and usually settle once the pressure stops.
• A piercing can feel healed on the outside before the inside has closed — keep cleaning for the full window.

When to get help

• Get medical attention for spreading redness, red streaks, fever, thick yellow or green discharge, or heat and swelling that keeps increasing.
• Come in if the bar sits crooked, one hole looks angry while the other is fine, or a bump persists — the bar may need adjusting.