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Piercing Do's and Don'ts |
Having a new piercing done is different for everyone. People all heal differently and everyone reacts differently to the effects that piercing is known to have on the body. In essence, piercing is not a natural thing as far as your body is concerned and the aim of the aftercare process is to help you to allow your body to accept your new piercing so that it won't lead to rejection. Alongside this, you need to keep your new piercing (which is an open wound by the way) free from the everyday dirt and debris which can lead to infection.
Do......
- Maintain good personal hygiene. Piercings can become infected as a result of bacteria which lives on unwashed skin and hair so keep yourself clean!
- Clean the piercing with products recommended at the time of your piercing.
- Contact your piercer as soon as possible if you think that you are beginning to experience any complications.
- Be prepared to put up with a little bit of pain for a few days. A piercing is a type of puncture wound after all and your body needs to heal.
- Use over the counter Ibuprofen to deal with any initial swelling. Do not exceed the recommended dosage.
- Clean the piercing with products recommended at the time of your piercing.
- Contact your piercer as soon as possible if you think that you are beginning to experience any complications.
- Be prepared to put up with a little bit of pain for a few days. A piercing is a type of puncture wound after all and your body needs to heal.
- Use over the counter Ibuprofen to deal with any initial swelling. Do not exceed the recommended dosage.
Don't....
- Try to change the jewellery before the piercing has fully healed. Healing times range from 6 weeks to 6 months. You will have been advised about healing times when your piercing was done.
- Overclean your piercing. If you clean a new piercing too often, the skin will constantly be damp. Bacteria breeds in damp areas so allow your skin to dry naturally after cleaning and clean only as frequently as your piercer recommends.
- Pick your piercing! It is natural for new piercings to form little bits of crusty stuff around the piercing site. Do not pick these off or you will damage the piercing. Simply wet a cotton bud and then clean the crusties away gently.
- Leave infections "just to see how it goes". Infections can occur in any piercing but if you leave them to develop they are hard to deal with and may result in the loss of your piercing. Deal with infections whilst they are still small and chances are the piercing will be fine.
- Overclean your piercing. If you clean a new piercing too often, the skin will constantly be damp. Bacteria breeds in damp areas so allow your skin to dry naturally after cleaning and clean only as frequently as your piercer recommends.
- Pick your piercing! It is natural for new piercings to form little bits of crusty stuff around the piercing site. Do not pick these off or you will damage the piercing. Simply wet a cotton bud and then clean the crusties away gently.
- Leave infections "just to see how it goes". Infections can occur in any piercing but if you leave them to develop they are hard to deal with and may result in the loss of your piercing. Deal with infections whilst they are still small and chances are the piercing will be fine.