Body piercing has been walking this earth since ancient times. It was adorned by the Pharaohs, to the kings and queens to people of today. It is a trend that is going nowhere. In many countries like India, it is a custom for girls to get their ears and nose pierced. In some it is a custom and in others it is done as a fashion statement. If done right, they are aesthetically pleasing and a form of art. But the process of body piercing doesn’t ends on getting the piercing. It is essential to know the appropriate body piercing aftercare so that the pierced area is not infected and remains disease free for you to flaunt.
Body Piercing 101
• Always get the piercing done by a needle than a gun.
Needle is the sterile option to go for a piercing. The gun pressures the earring onto the ear by damaging more tissue. It is even difficult to sterilize due to its plastic parts. If the process is done right the needle gives a precise piercing without a lot of damage and pain.
• After care should be done with saline solution not rubbing alcohol
The body piercings should be cleaned twice a day with oil based soaps and water or by saline solution. This enables to hydrate the wound helping it heal soon. Rubbing alcohol on the other hand dries the piercing out, sometimes dries it to the extent that it starts to bleed keeping the wound open.
• Turn the earring from time to time
Once the wound starts to heal, the earring is needed to be turned from time to time making the piercing defined. But this should only be done when the piecing is wet by some moisturizer. Never turn it when the piercing is healing and dry as it open up the wound again.
• Stay hygienic and lookout for signs of healing
A healthier lifestyle helps the piecing to heal up quickly. Different body parts take different amount of time to heal. Once the hurting stops, the other symptoms will also go down and the piecing will be healed
• Don’t panic on an irritated piercing
Many a times piercing irritates for no rhyme or reason. It may not be an infection. One needs to go to a professional piercer to get it checked out. There is no need to panic, the maximum that will take place will that the jewellery needs to be taken off.
• Avoid over cleaning
Don’t over clean a body piercing as it would just delay the healing process.
• Don’t remove quality jewellery in an infection
If an area is infected, any quality jewellery should be left in place till the infection drains out. As on removing the jewellery the body piercing may close up. This leads to sealing the infection in the piercing channel leading to an abscess.
• Just remove jewellery if you are done wearing it
If one decides to no more wear the piercing just take out the jewellery and keep cleaning till the time the piercing closes. It will gradually close up leaving a slight mark behind.
Keeping the Ear Piercing clean
The ear piercing needs to be cleaned twice a day and sprayed 3-6 times a day with a saline spray throughout the healing process. There is no need to use antiseptic piercing spray till the time there is no ear piercing problem. Do not use direct soap during the healing process over the ear piercing
Stay Hygienic
A healthy immune system heals faster. So, eating healthy, keeping your ear piercing away from germs, not allowing people to touch it or not swimming will accelerate the healing process.
Non-thinning of blood
It is essential that one should avoid blood thinning agents during he/ she is going through ear piercing and its healing process. Aspirin, Alcohol and excessive amount of caffeine are blood thinners and should be avoided during this process.
Don’t shake up the ear piercing
Once the ear piercing is done avoid traumatizing it through any daily process. Don’t touch it unnecessarily, even if had to be touched touch it with clean hands.
Don’t change earring too soon
An earring in the eye piercing can be easily changed first time in eight weeks. But in cartilage piercing one needs to keep in mind to change the piercing in six to eight months. The longer you will wait the better the piercing will heal.
Daily cleanse
It is an easy after care to follow, while you are in the shower just clean the nose piercing daily wild mild soap and water.
Avoid infection
To avoid any infection, use antibacterial products.
Cleaning wound
Don’t use rough materials to clean the wound. Try and use soft materials like cotton to take care of the wound.
Don’t move the piercing
When the wound dries it gives the sensation of itching. You need to control that urge and not touch or move the piercing unnecessarily. Over touching helps infection to spread.
Lavender oil usage
Lavender oil is very useful in reducing pain and redness in the pierced area. It has healing and soothing properties that helps in the healing process.
Vitamin B usage
Vitamin B and zinc also accelerate the healing process and helps reduce the pain.
Harmful things removal
If any product was used to pierce the nose to fasten up the process then that product needs to be removed soon as it can be harmful for the skin.
Stay healthy
Stay healthy for your oral piercing to heal faster. Avoid doing any recreational drugs during the healing time. Swish your mouth for 5 minutes 2-3 times a day before and after eating. Do a 5 minute session morning and night for 30 seconds. Repeat the process 3-6 times a day. After brushing use sea salt solution swish afterwards. Do repeat the process after you have had a smoke.
Avoid smoking
Smoking should be avoided during an oral piercing. If you cannot, then invest in an e-cigarette that avoids drying. Wearing a nicotine patch can also help.
Keep piercing clean
Sea salt mouthwash should be used for keeping your oral piercing clean. Do not use alcohol based mouthwash. It will rather dry out the piercing making the process of healing more delayed.
Brush and floss carefully
In terms of an oral piercing it is essential to brush and floss carefully so that you don’t hurt your piercing in the process especially, when you have oral web piercing done. Always do the sea salt solution swishes after you are done brushing and flossing for the healing properties of it to work.
Do not kiss and engage in oral sex
Try and avoid engaging in open mouth kissing. An oral piercing takes around 4-6 weeks to heal. Kissing may also lead in sharing your partners bacteria and infecting the piercing.
Keeping the surface piercing clean
In any kind of piercing it is essential to keep it clean. For a surface piercing one needs to sprits the pierced area with a quality aftercare spray 3-6 times a day. A 5 minute long sea salt solutions soak should be done for first few months and the times whenever there is any problem with the surface piercing.
Staying healthy
It is essential to stay healthy during any kind of piercing. In order of doing so, one should stay hydrated, get sufficient sleep, eat healthy, wash your hands from time to time, minimize stress and avoid other people’s germs.
Don’t apply moisturisers to Surface Piercings
Creams, oils and balms clogs up the piercing hole or fistula so it is better to avoid them totally. Clogging up the fistula can trap bacteria and lead into an infection. In case of dryness or irritation around the piercing area one can use tea tree oil or sea salt solution soaks to get the moisturisation and antiseptic properties the skin needs.
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Keep hands clean
Always keep your hands clean with antibacterial soap, as it is very easy to spread infection to your nipple piercing with unclean hands.
Removing crust
If any crust forms around the open wound, it is essential to carefully remove the crust in order for the wound to heal. It is optimum to remove this crust while the wound is wet and the crust is easy to remove. Use a Q-tip to remove the crust gently.
Avoid contact with the piercing
For the first few days try to avoid contact with the nipple piercing as the area is tender and swollen. Wear loose fitting clothes; use extra padding for protecting the piercing.
Keep piercing clean
Keep the piercing clean by using mild soap. While cleaning try to move the nipple piercing gently and clean around the edges. Avoid any product that has alcohol in it.
Keep piercing dry
A wet nipple piercing is a ground for bacterial growth. It is essential to keep your piercing dry by patting it down with a dry paper towel.
Avoide any intercorse
This is an obvious precaution. Total ban is not compulsory but taking a short break from sex will help your piercing to heal faster. Even if you do engage in sex during the healing process then pay attention to discomfort and clean the piercing immediately.
Avoid fluid exchange
During the healing process it is essential to wear condoms while engaging in sex. Unprotected sex is not advisable at all as that is the easiest way to catch an infection.
Emu oil
Emu oil works wonders when it comes to genital piercing aftercare. Gently rub a drop of oil around the piercing with clean hands. This helps in healing as well as preventing the formation of crusty discharge around the piercing.
Religiously follow up with the sea salt rinses
For women soap can be strong during a genital piercing resulting in a yeast infection. Stick with sea salt or saline rinses.
Don’t panic on bruising
Bruising is common in these type of piercings so don’t panic. Also expect a bit of bleeding in the initial days.
Urinate after cleaning
For piercing that go through urethra, urinate after cleaning to remove out any left out soap or cleaning solution from the urethra.
Prepare yourself for bleeding
With piercings like Prince Alberts, reverse PAs, ampallangs, and apadravyas, expect to see good amount of bleeding. Keep the piercing wrapped in gauze for initial days. Put a condom or likewise item over the gauze wrap the first night.
