You might think that when it comes to your piercings, you know how to take care of them, but the chances are that you’re missing out on some important steps. While adorning yourself with numerous piercings can make a fantastic statement, if you fail to look after them properly you can be left seriously unwell.
While a number of piercings are a great way to add an edge to your look, having piercings comes with responsibility. And knowing how to look after them properly is vital if you want to ensure that you don’t end up with a piercing that becomes infected.
Bearing that in mind, below are a number of useful tips that should help to make caring for your piercings that little bit easier and less stressful.
Preventative step: only have piercings done with a needle, not a gun
Did you know that piercings done with a gun rather than a needle can actually damage the tissue? Plus, piercing guns are far harder to sterilize and keep clean, which is why it’s always best to have piercings done with a needle rather than a gun. A needle offers more control and is also completely sterile.
Stay healthy and hydrated
After a piercing – the days and weeks that follow – it’s important to ensure that you stay healthy and hydrated at all times. While a healthy diet and adequate hydration are always important, after having a piercing done it becomes even more important.
Clean a fresh piercing with soap and water or saline
Don’t make the mistake of cleaning a piercing with rubbing alcohol; rubbing alcohol can dry the piercing out which can cause cracking and bleeding. This means that the wound will stay open for longer, and thus be more prone to infection. Instead, use soap and water or saline to clean the new piercing. Oil-based soaps tend to work best as they clean the area while also hydrating the skin.
Only turn the piercing when it’s wet
Yes, it’s perfectly fine to turn a piercing, but only when it’s wet, never when it’s dry. So, whenever you are cleaning your piercing using soap and water or saline, it’s fine to twist the piercing. However, twisting it when it’s dry can cause all kinds of problems.
Don’t take it out too soon
One mistake that you don’t want to make is to take your piercing out too soon after having it done. But how do you know how long you need to wait to remove a new piercing? Are you wondering: when can I change my nose piercing, ear piercing, belly button piercing, or brow piercing? There are plenty of resources online that should provide the information that you need.
There you have it, a few useful tips and pieces of advice to help make caring for your new piercing easier and less stressful. Take note of the tips above and you can ensure that your newest piercing heals as quickly as possible.
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