Body Piercing Aftercare Helps Prevent Infections

How to Care for New Piercings and Promote Healing Time

Mar 13, 2009 Sharon Kirby

Body piercing aftercare is important because it helps new piercings to heal cleanly, hygienically and safely, reduces the risk of infection, and promotes healing time.

When getting a new body piercing, it is important to be aware of the necessary aftercare in order to aid the piercing's healing process. Looking after a body piercing properly helps to ensure the new wound doesn't take longer to heal than necessary, and reduces the risk of a nasty, and sometimes serious, infection.

Approximate Healing Times for New Body Piercings

The time it takes for a new body piercing to heal depends on the individual, because different people heal at different rates. It also depends on the part of the body that is pierced, the type and size of jewellery that is chosen, and good piercing aftercare. A new piercing usually takes several weeks to heal completely.

Here are some approximate healing times for various body piercings:

Ear Cartilage Piercing (tragus, rim, pinna): 8-16 weeks
Ear Lobe Piercing: 6-10 weeks
Oral Piercing (cheek, lower lip, upper lip, fraenum, tongue): 4-12 weeks
Body Surface Piercing (ankle, chest, bridge of nose, eyebrow, neck): Up to 8 weeks
Nasel Piercing (nostril, septum): 12-16 weeks
Abdominal Piercing (navel, nipple): 6-16 weeks

Body Piercing Jewellery

A professional body piercer will be able to advise on the most appropriate jewellery for the body part that is to be pierced. Studs, ball closure rings, straight barbells, curved barbells and labrets are just some of the body jewellery types available. Fitting body jewellery of the correct gauge and length will encourage the new piercing to heal quicker and make it less likely the skin tissue will reject it.

The type of metal the body jewellery is made from also affects piercing healing time. Pure metals such as titanium or surgical stainless steel are biologically inert (they do not cause an allergic reaction) and promote faster healing.

Body Piercing Aftercare for a Greater Chance of Healing Quickly

Always wash and dry hands thoroughly before attending to a new body piercing. It is advisable to clean a new piercing twice daily with saline solution and a cotton bud. Carefully wipe away any crust or mucus that may have formed around the piercing's entry and exit holes, and dry well afterwards.

More frequent cleaning may be necessary if a new body piercing is in an area that is aggravated by heat and sweat, because sweat harbours bacteria. It is important to allow fresh air to get to piercings covered by clothes, such as navel piercings, as often as possible. Try to prevent clothes from rubbing against body jewellery, because this can irritate a piercing and make it sore. Don’t fiddle with a new body piercing unnecessarily.

Showers should be taken rather than baths because the water is cleaner, and swimming in chlorinated pools should be avoided until the body piercing is healed.

A good, healthy diet will help reduce healing time, and zinc supplements will help to strengthen the body’s immune system and resist infection.

It is important to follow any advice the body piercer offers regarding the aftercare of a new body piercing, and revisit the body piercing studio at a later date if asked to do so.

New Oral Piercings

With a new oral piercing it is important to rinse the mouth out regularly with saline solution, as well as with a non-alcoholic mouthwash to reduce the risk of infection. An oral piercing can become aggravated by chewing, so try to keep to soft foods for a while to avoid moving the body jewellery around.

Never underestimate the importance of body piercing aftercare in helping to prevent infections.

Resources:

Body Jewellery Shop. “Body Piercing Aftercare.” (Accessed March 13th 2009)

The copyright of the article Body Piercing Aftercare Helps Prevent Infections in Beauty is owned by Sharon Kirby. Permission to republish Body Piercing Aftercare Helps Prevent Infections in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Body Piercing Aftercare Helps Prevent Infections	Good Aftercare Helps Piercings Heal Quickly	Healing Time Depends on the Body Part Pierced
Body Jewellery Metal Affects Healing Time	Allow Fresh Air to Get to Piercings