DISCLAIMER: This aftercare is meant for optimal scarring and is hard on the body and immune system. It’s a good idea to see your physician about antibiotics to be proactive in avoiding infections.

Days 1-3:

-Keep all of your cleaning and bandaging items in a clean, dry place. Keeping them in a sealed container is best to avoid dust and contamination.

-Always wash hands thoroughly before touching your scarification piece. You may also wear fresh medical gloves. If another person is assisting with your cleaning, they MUST wear medical gloves following their hand washing.

-Carefully remove the wound dressing after 6-12 hours. Wash the wound thoroughly with clean water and an antibacterial or antimicrobial soap twice per day; in the morning and at night. The shower is a great place to do this. Lather soap in hands and gently rub into the wounds. Always rub in the direction of the scar to avoid uneven scarring. Rinse well. Gently pat dry with a fresh disposable paper or cotton product.

-After washing, coat the wound with a thin layer of antibiotic ointment, then cover air tight in fresh cellophane dressing (Saran Wrap). Seal the covered wound with medical tape to avoid any leakage (the area must be 100% clean of any soap or residues for the tape to stick). This will deprive the wound of oxygen, thus keeping it moist and unable to heal. Do not wrap the wound too tightly, as this can keep scar tissue from healing outwards.

Days 3-10:

-Continue to wash your scarification piece twice daily.

-New tissue should now be forming, but continued cleaning is vital to avoid infection.

-Rather than using an antibiotic ointment after cleaning, you may choose to start using an irritant at this point. This helps build extra scar tissue. Toasted sesame oil works well as it will break up healing tissue as well as keeping the area from drying out.

-If you choose to continue using antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly (Vasoline), you can add a small amount of sugar to it for a comparable effect to the toasted sesame oil.

-Gently rub your irritant in the direction of the cutting lines to avoid altering or "blowing out" the scar. Scrubbing against the wound from open skin will increase the chance of uneven scarring. For the most even scarring, scrubbing during the initial healing should be avoided completely.

-After coating the wound with your irritant, be sure to seal the wound under cellophane dressing with medical tape to keep the area airtight. Not allowing the area to dry out will force your body to create more scar tissue rather than new, healthy skin cells underneath a non-existent scab. Do not wrap the wound too tightly, as this can keep scar tissue from healing outwards.

-After day 10, discontinue the use of irritants and let the wound dry out and scab. From this point on, try not to move or bend the scabbed area, as the scabs may crack and affect the healed result.

Additional Tips:

-It is common to find a heat rash below the cellophane during some point in your initial healing. If this irritation bothers you greatly, you can discontinue irritating and wrapping your wound. This may create undesired keloid scarring as a result.

-At about the 5-6 week mark you body should have created enough scar tissue to fully cover the wound. At this point scratching, slapping and irritating the wound by hand will increase scar tissue. Please note that if you do this, you should do it consistently to the whole scar to avoid some spots scarring more than others.

-The amount of scarring you end up with is heavily dependant on your genetics. Some people simply scar more than others. A scarification piece that is done over and area of muscle groups or high tissue movement may scar more in certain areas due to everyday movement.

-Remember: a scarification piece is a wound. Consequently, you should expect tenderness, swelling, discoloration, and possibly bruising, bleeding and itching. Also, a natural part of the process for healing any wound includes the secretion of a white-yellow fluid (containing dead cells and plasma).

-Always wear loose and clean clothing around your scarification piece.

-Do not expose your scarification piece to oral contact or other bodily fluids.

-Do not expose your scarification piece to cosmetics such as make-up, hair styling products, lotion, etc.

-Eat nutrient-dense meals throughout the day and consider supplementing your diet with Vitamin C (3000mg in mineral ascorbate form, in doses of 1000mg at a time) and Zinc (120mg for males and 60mg for females). These supplements are most effective during the first 2-3 weeks of the healing process. If you are very active (e.g.- work hard, partake in regular exercise, etc.) extra nutrient-dense meals and an additional multi-vitamin supplement may help keep your immune system working efficiently.

-Drink plenty of fluids. Drinking 8-10 glasses of bottled or purified water per day is a great way to keep your body hydrated.

-Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep per night. This is considered the optimal amount of sleep for the body. This will help your body heal as best as possible. If you are living in a high-stress environment, consider resting as much as you can in your down time.

-Replace your bedding with clean sets of sheets, blankets and pillow-cases as often as possible during the healing process.

-Avoid going into pools, hot tubs, lakes, etc. These types of water can be unclean and may induce infection.

Click here for the scarification aftercare article in the BME Encyclopedia