aftercare guide

Piercing Aftercare: Genital

Version 1

Issued 22/10/2026

Draft. Not yet approved by the studio's qualified practitioner. Do not issue to clients.

This guide covers piercings of the genital area. It is written plainly and clinically. Healing time depends on the site. It can be a few weeks for some piercings and several months for others. Your piercer will give you an estimate for yours.

Cleaning

Wash your hands before you touch the piercing.
Once or twice a day, rinse or soak with sterile saline wound wash (0.9% sodium chloride) from a sealed can or sachet. Rinse away any crust gently and pat dry with clean disposable paper towel.
Showers are better than baths. Avoid baths, swimming pools, hot tubs, the sea and lakes while healing.
Do not use soap directly on the piercing, antiseptics, alcohol, ointments or anything not recommended by your piercer.
Do not twist or turn the jewellery.

Clothing and hygiene

Wear loose, clean, breathable underwear, preferably cotton, and change it daily. Avoid tight clothing and rough fabric.
Tell your piercer about any jewellery that catches on clothing.
If you have periods, change pads or tampons regularly and keep the area clean.
Pass urine as normal. Rinse with clean water afterwards if you need to.

Sexual contact

Do not have sexual contact of any kind, including oral contact, fingers and sex toys, until your piercer tells you it is safe. Your piercer will give you a timeframe.
Once you restart, use barrier protection every time while healing. Keep the area clean before and after. Be gentle and stop if it hurts.
Keep your regular sexual health checks. You can get free, confidential advice from an NHS sexual health clinic.

Downsizing and long-term care

Initial jewellery is longer to allow for swelling. Book a downsize check when the swelling settles. Tell any midwife, doctor or nurse about the piercing before a medical examination, childbirth or surgery. Jewellery may need to be changed or removed.

Important: Contact your GP or NHS 111 for spreading redness, increasing pain or swelling, heat, thick yellow or green discharge, bleeding that will not stop, a fever, feeling unwell, or any difficulty passing urine. Do not remove the jewellery for a suspected infection unless a clinician tells you to. Call 999 if you feel seriously ill.

What is normal

Swelling, tenderness, a little spotting and a pale crust on the jewellery are normal in the first days and weeks. Contact the studio if you are unsure. We will always take you seriously and keep your information private.

Practitioner to confirm: the healing time and the date after which sexual contact is advised for each genital piercing the studio offers, the cleaning method for each (soak or rinse), the advice on childbirth, and the studio's insurer and local authority conditions for genital piercing.

Questions? Email thedesk@rebelliousink.tattoo. For anything medical, contact NHS 111 or your GP. In an emergency, call 999.