1. Experience Counts in Body Piercing
Lots of tattoo parlors offer body piercing, but this doesn't guarantee that piercer has enough experience to give you a successful piercing. Ask about the procedure and what experience or training the piercer has. Insist on inspecting facilities and seeing for yourself that all needles and equipment are kept sterile and in good working order, and that workers place everything that isn't sealed, such as your jewelry, in an autoclave to sterilize it. The establishment where you choose to get pierced should be clean and organized.
2. Exercise Good Piercing Hygiene
No matter what body part you've had pierced, it's important to keep the piercing clean. Wash the area often with gentle soap and warm water; use soap without dyes or perfumes to keep the area from drying out or becoming irritated. Clean your piercing at least three times daily for the first week after having the area pierced. You can also soak your piercing in salt water or use a sterile salt water spray, such as H2Ocean Purified Ocean Salt Water Piercing Spray. Never use hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or wound care salve on your piercings.
3. Be Especially Careful With Facial Piercings
Tongue, lip and nose piercings look cool but they're especially difficult to take care of and keep clean. If you get a piercing in or around your mouth, avoid eating acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus fruits; the acid makes the pierced area sting and become irritated. Use alcohol-free mouthwash and clean out your mouth several times a day to cut down on the germs and bacteria in your mouth while your tongue or lip is healing. Be careful when you blow your nose or apply makeup until your nose piercing has healed completely to avoid tearing or irritating the pierced area.
4. Wear Quality Jewelry
Cheap earrings or piercing jewelry can irritate piercings and infect them. Cheap metal and jewelry painted or coated with sterling silver can infect piercing sites if the paint flakes off the jewelry into the piercing site. Buy quality stainless steel jewelry in an appropriate size for your piercing. If you have sensitive skin, look for jewelry that is hypoallergenic and made to be gentle to your skin. Avoid jewelry with dangling pieces or jewels to avoid accidental snagging or tearing, especially while your piercing is still healing.
5. Clean Jewelry Often
Germs and dirt can find their way into your piercing site no matter how often you clean the area around it, so take the jewelry out at least once a week to clean and disinfect it, after your piercing has healed. Wash the jewelry thoroughly and inspect it for any loose pieces or signs of wear. Replace jewelry that becomes tarnished, discolored or that has loose clasps. Put the jewelry back in your piercing as soon as you've cleaned it to prevent the site from healing over and sealing up.
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