Proper Piercing Aftercare for the Beginner

In the last couple of years body modification has become quite the trend. Everyone from Grandma to the 12 year old next door seems to be flashing something shiny, somewhere other than the ears. Hopefully, the piercer that performed the modification gave the piercee some great aftercare instructions. Here are some simple instructions for piercing aftercare that one should read if for some reason you were not given instructions, you have lost your information sheet or you are just simply interested in the healing process.

Piercings generally fall into two groups, oral and body. There are sub-categories that fall under the body piercing group, but most who choose those options, such as surface piercings, are more than likely a bit more knowledgeable about the piercing and healing process. This informational article will cover the general groups, assuming that the piercee has newly entered the realm of body modification.

Body piercings are comprised of piercings such as the belly button, nose, nipple, various different piercings in the ear, genitals, and eyebrow, though there are others as well. These piercings are taken care of you in essentially the same manner throughout the healing process, which will differ depending on the placement of the piercing. More than likely, your piercer gave you the option to have a barbell (or nostril screw, if the piercing was the nostril) or a captive bead ring- a ring that is secured by a bead, and must be changed with tools. Most piercers recommend a captive bead ring, because it can be rotated through a fresh piercing, so as to be sure then entire piercing has been cleaned. Sea salt, or a specially formulated "piercing aftercare spray", is also wise, as the sea salt has natural healing attributes which with shorten the healing time.

When cleaning your piercing, make sure you have a couple of sterile cotton swabs, the sea salt mixed in water and clean hands. First dip one of the swabs into the solution and use it to clean any of the crust, or blood plasma, that has dried on the surface of the metal. This will ensure that you can pull the metal through the piercing efficiently, without tearing the hole open. When this has been completed, saturate the other end of the swab with the sea salt solution and either push one end of the barbell up with the other hand or rotate the ring as far to one side as the ball will allow. Completely clean the exterior hole of this side of the piercing, and completely clean the steel that is extended. If you have a barbell, do the same for the other side, with a fresh cotton swab. If you have a ring in place, rotate the ring through the piercing, and do the same with the other side of the piercing. You can do this two to three times a day, as long as the salt does not dry your skin. If this happens, use less salt in your solution.

If you have a spray, it is easier. You would spray the piercing, use a swab to clean the crust, rotate and spray the other side. The spray ensures that the inside of the piercing is being cleaned just as well as the outside.

Oral piercings are slightly different. On a piercing that is completely on the inside of the mouth, such as a tongue, the best way to take care of it is to use strong mouthwash, such as Listerine, to rinse after eating, smoking or drinking anything. You also need to do this if any portion of a piercing is inside the mouth. If the piercing is partially in the mouth, and partially on the body surface- such as a labret or Monroe- you would use the body aftercare instructions on the portion that is on the outside of the body.

All piercing require minimal touching. If you must touch, such as to clean, make sure you have washed your hands with an antibacterial soap. The fewer bacteria one introduces to a fresh piercing, the better. Make sure you rotate your piercings with each cleaning, as this ensures that the inside is being cleaned as needed. NEVER use an antibiotic ointment on a piercing. A piercing is a puncture wound. The ointment will cause the outside to heal faster than the inside. If there is an infection, this could become trapped inside the piercing, and cause damage to the tissue or even make you sick.

If you notice signs of infection in your piercing, please see your piercer as soon as you possibly can. Call them if you need to. Don't remove the jewelry, because this is left in place many times to help infection drain from the piercing if needed. Continue to clean the piercing until you have new instructions from your piercer. Signs of infection include, but are not limited to, green or whitish red ooze (not pinkish clear, which is normal blood plasma), noticeable redness in the area of the piercing, extreme tenderness and/or heat near the piercing site.

As reminders, with any body modification facility, make sure the proper safeguards are in place. The facility and employees should be clean. All employees should be wearing gloves at all times when working on a client. Proper sterilization should be taking place by autoclave, even if the equipment they buy claims to be pre-sterilized. Only surgical grade stainless steel is being used in new piercings. They should answer any and all questions that you may have, and be willing to show you their equipment and safety logs. Not least of all by any means, you should feel comfortable with who you choose to perform your body modification.

Good luck with your new piercing. When following the proper aftercare, you will be enjoying it for years to come.