Getting a new piercing is like having a baby. You are like a soon-to-be mother excited at the prospect of having a precious little bundle of joy. After the baby is delivered, you take extra care and caution so that he/she will blossom into a wonderful child. It’s the same with new piercings, you get it and after that, you take care of it. Very simple.
But hold up! It’s not only fun and games. Initially, there will be some bleeding, swelling, tenderness or bruising. During healing, there will be some discoloration, secretions and itching. But no worries, just follow the pointers below to get that right result for your new found love of piercing.
Here are what to expect when you’re expecting:
First things first! Myth buster!
They say that having a piercing by using a “gun” hurts less but this is just hearsay. It can cause unnecessary damage to surrounding tissues because of the pressure. You need to tell your piercer that you want it done by needle. It’s more accurate and sterile. It makes a small incision, making minimal damage to the area. Also, if done properly, it’ll hurt less.
Arm Yourself.
Get your cleaning solutions ready. You can choose from the following:
Packaged sterile saline solution with no additives or a non-iodized sea salt mixture: Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of non-iodized (iodine-free) sea salt into one cup (8ox) of warm distilled or bottled water. You don’t want a strong solution because it irritates the piercing.
A mild, fragrance-free liquid soap.With these on hand, you are ready.
Clean the Right Way.
Before anything else, you need to wash your hands. Proper hygiene goes a long way. Soak a clean gauze with saline solution and apply it to the area for five to ten minutes once or more per day. With soap, lather up a pearl size drop and clean the jewelry and piercing. Don’t leave it for more than 30 seconds. After you’ve done this, rinse thoroughly and dry using clean paper towels. Cloth towels harbor bacteria and snag on jewelry that can injure the area. Be gentle, always.
Do’s
Piercers will tell you this, “Do not touch your piercing often.” You may open a wound that has already healed. Because tissues heal in an outside in manner, the interior is still fragile. Remember what your momma told you? Patience is a virtue!
How long does it take?
Some body parts take longer to heal than others. The average healing time of most piercings are six to eight weeks but others may take as long as six months. Earlobe, eyebrow, tongue, and nasal septum are the first to heal being in the average. The ones that are last to heal are ear cartilage, navel, lip, and the female genitalia. Remember, you should wait for last one to heal before you do the you-know-what. Don’t want to have intense pain in pleasure, right?
Piercing After Care Made Easy
Whilst there are many tips on how to care for your piercing, these are the ones that you should not forget. I’ve put together some items for your next piercing aftercare! Everything below can be found at BodyJewelry.com’s AFTERCARE section.
