HOCL Spray for Fresh Piercings: An Optional Extra to Saline

If you've had a piercing with us recently, you'll have gone home with a bottle of sterile saline. Some clients also ask about the small HOCL spray we keep at the counter. This post explains what it is, how it fits into your routine, and why saline is still the main event.

Saline comes first

Every client who gets pierced at Guns and Inks receives sterile saline free of charge. That's your main aftercare, and it's all most fresh piercings need.

The Association of Professional Piercers (APP) recommends sterile saline for cleaning a new piercing. Look for a product labelled for wound wash, with no added ingredients. Rinse the area gently, then let it be. Sterile saline is clean and simple, and it won't irritate the skin the way harsher products can.

A simple routine looks like this:

• Wash your hands thoroughly before touching anything near your piercing.

• Spray or rinse the piercing with sterile saline, usually once or twice a day, or as your piercer advised.

• Gently remove any loose crust with clean, disposable non-woven gauze or paper, rather than cotton wool, which can leave fibres behind.

• Pat dry with a clean paper towel. Cloth towels can carry bacteria and snag jewellery.

• Leave the jewellery alone. There's no need to twist or turn it.

What is HOCL spray?

HOCL stands for hypochlorous acid. The spray we stock is Minimalist 150 ppm HOCL, in small 10 ml bottles that come sterile-packed.

It's an optional extra, priced at Rs.100 and available to buy at the studio. You don't need it. It's not a replacement for saline. Think of it as a gentle, convenient extra some clients like for on-the-go cleansing.

How HOCL fits alongside saline

Some clients like having a small bottle in their bag for the middle of a long day, after a sweaty commute, or when travelling. The 10 ml size is easy to carry. If that sounds useful, you can use it as well as your saline routine, not instead of it.

A few sensible points:

• Keep using your saline as your main aftercare.

• Wash your hands before using any spray near your piercing.

• Don't overdo it. Cleaning too often can irritate a healing piercing.

• If the spray seems to irritate your skin, stop using it and stick with saline.

What to avoid

Fresh piercings heal best when they're kept clean and left largely undisturbed. The APP advises against:

• Touching the piercing with unwashed hands, or fiddling with the jewellery.

• Harsh products such as alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or strong soaps.

• Creams, ointments, and home remedies. We no longer give out creams, and we don't recommend them for fresh piercings.

• Swimming in pools, lakes, the sea, or hot tubs while your piercing is healing.

• Sleeping on a new piercing, or letting tight clothing, hair, or phones rub against it.

• Removing or changing the jewellery before your piercer says it's ready.

What's normal and when to see a doctor

In the first days and weeks, some tenderness, slight swelling, redness around the piercing, and a whitish-yellow fluid that dries into a light crust can all be part of normal healing. Healing times vary depending on the placement and the person.

Signs of a possible infection are different. Please see a doctor if you notice:

• Redness that spreads outward from the piercing

• The area feeling hot

• Thick yellow or green discharge

• Fever or feeling unwell

Don't remove the jewellery unless a doctor tells you to. You're also welcome to drop us a message so we can take a look and advise on the piercing itself, but a doctor is the right person for anything medical.

Our full aftercare guide

For the complete step-by-step routine, read our aftercare guide: gunsandinks.com/after-care

Frequently asked questions

Do I need HOCL spray for my new piercing?

No. Sterile saline is your main aftercare, and we give it to every client free. HOCL is an optional extra some clients like for convenience.

Can I use HOCL instead of saline?

No. Please keep using saline as your main aftercare. If you choose to buy HOCL, use it alongside saline, not in place of it.

How much does the HOCL spray cost, and where can I get it?

The Minimalist 150 ppm HOCL spray comes in a sterile-packed 10 ml bottle and costs Rs.100. It's available to buy at the studio.

Should I put cream or ointment on my piercing?

No. We don't recommend creams or ointments for fresh piercings. Keep it simple with saline, clean hands, and patience.

Book your piercing

Ready for a new piercing? Book online or message us on WhatsApp at +91 88868 86600. We'll talk you through aftercare on the day, and send you home with your free saline.