Care for New Piercings
Healing time varies from person to person as it depends on their body’s normal healing rate and also depends on the placement of the piercing.. They may take anywhere between 6 weeks to a year to completely heal. The piercing must be taken care of during the entire duration of the healing process to avoid infection and facilitate a smooth healing process.
Clean the piercing with anti-bacterial soap three times a day. For a tongue piercing, rinse your mouth with Listerine each time you eat. Sucking on ice also helps with the pains and swelling.
Don’t touch your piercing too often to avoid infecting it. Every time you touch it make sure you wash your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial handwash. Constant fiddling will also prolong the healing time.
Use a specialized after piercing lotion twice a day to your piercings. Twist or rotate your jewellery after applying the lotion. This action allows the antibacterial agents to penetrate the piercing. Rotating your piercing at least twice a day also ensures that the skin does not heal stuck to the jewellery. Don’t use alcohol or peroxide to clean the area as those will dry out the skin. They help kill germs but also end up killing the white blood cells required for healing and may cause scar tissue.
Cover your ear piercing with a tissue or cloth when using hair products or perfume. Make sure to rinse with water immediately if any product gets into the piercing. Also clean your telephone or any other object that comes in contact with the piercing, with a disinfectant after each use.
Wear loose-fitting clothes or belts for naval piercings and try not to sleep on your stomach, as air circulation is good for healing. Frequently replace your bedding. Try and wear cotton or other soft fabrics, because these will irritate your skin less. If you know you are going to have to wear some kind of itchy clothing, then cover the piercing till you change your clothes. Make sure to wear clothes, scarves or hats that do not snag on your piercing.
Consume a nutritionally rich diet and additionally take a multivitamin that includes zinc and vitamin C. This will help the body fight off infection and promote healing.
Wait at least 3 months before changing your jewelry in order to give it proper time to heal. Jewelry should be continuously worn for 4 to 6 months after that or the piercing can close up.
If the piercing is hurting you badly, or looks infected, then it probably is, and you should go have it checked out before it gets worse. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience throbbing pain, prolonged swelling, prolonged redness or a burning sensation.
Piercings often feel healed when they aren’t because they heal from the outside in. So the aftercare regime must be followed for the full length of the time recommended.
