Guidelines for healing your piercings - UPDATED

Will

**At the first sign of trouble go into the piercing studio. Do not rely on the internet and advice here. Nothing beats being seen by professionals**


Ive compiled a small list because I am a bit bored

Everyone is different though and please dont take what I say as gospel. If you are having major trouble go see your piercer and theyl sort you out

Genereal Troubleshooting and good practice

*Sea Salt soaks - boiled water and let it cool to a bearable temperature, add sea salt until it tastes like tears (perfect salt water balance). Soak your piercing for 10 minutes or so.

*Chamomile tea bags - great for reduction in scarring. God send. Honestly. Boil water, throw in your tea bag. Add in cold water until cool. Place tea bag over piercing for 10 minutes. Works wonders. Used it on my very troublesome conch.

*Sea Salt steam - for awkward areas to soak. Basin/Pot with sea salt in it. Place towel over your head. Pour in boiling water into pot and place your head above (not too close) let the steam do it's thing. Gently clean after 10 mins steaming.

*Good healthy diet, if you are lacking vitamin E & C tablets are great. Zinc tablets in small doses, never more than 30 day run.

Piercings from your neck up: (includes nipple and navel though )


*wash your hands before tending to your piercing, if they are dirty you will just increase the chances of introducing an infection.

*clean off the crusties that have formed in or around the piercing with some anti bacterial soap. (I find using a Q-tip quite helpful sometimes) However don't force them off, if it doesn't come off after a soak removing them will agitate the piercing more.

*Using make up remover pads (cotton pads) clean the area with warm/hot salty water (if it tastes like tears - perfect)

*Gently dry.


Oral piercings:

*wash your hands

*rinse your mouth out with diluted mouthwash. About half mouthwash, half water. If it stings increase the amount of water in the solution.

*Remove crusties gently after soaking (never force them off) its a labret or cheek piercing. Clean the outside of the piercings also with your salt water mix using a cotton pad.

*Avoid cigarettes, drinking and kissing for the first while at all costs. Also if it is a tongue piercing keep away from dairy products, spicey food, alcohol etc. Solid food will also be difficult enough to chew. Soup is a good place to start


Genital Piercings:

*wash your damn hands

*wash with anti bacterial soap and remove any crusties, never force them off.

*Dont play with it, no sex or DIY's for a month

*When you first urinate it will sting. AmazingEmmet recommended (for guys) peeing into a cup of warm water which does lessen the stress and pain of it The passing of urine also cleans the piercing from the inside for both sexes.


Surface Piercings:

*By far the hardest of piercings to keep. They demand alot of attention and minimal stress. The slightest agitation will cause them to reject.

*Basically follow the instructions for piercings above your neck and hope for the best.

*They generally will not work.

Microdermals:

*Soak daily with salt water solution

*Do not try remove crusties, leave it be

*Even when you feel it is healed keep soaking daily. They require maintenance 24/7, any slip up will result in an agitation and possible subsequen loss

Dermal punched procedures: e.g conch punching

*Soak in salt water solution maximum twice daily, no more.

*DO NOT PICK AT SCABS/CRUSTIES, the temptation is there but please don't

*Leave the jewellery as it is, do no remove or fiddle with it

*Gently wipe off crusties after soaking, do not force them off. If they stay either soak again or leave them be

*Swelling is a major issue usually, make sure the jewellery is long enough to accommodate for it. I swell like a b¡tch so standard 16mm tunnels aren't an option. I tried my best by taking nurofen to ease swelling but wasn't happening. I ordered a 19mm glass piece previously for my other conch and had that handy. So basically, if you swell a lot keep an eye out and make sure your ear isn't trying to engulf the jewellery, it causes so many problems which take months to heal.

*At the first sign of trouble go into the piercing studio. Do not rely on the internet and advice here. Nothing beats being seen by professionals.

Holistic approach?

*Make sure you are in the peak of your health before getting a piercing, no matter how small.

*Going on holiday in the next 3 months? Probably not a good idea to get a piercing as you will be cleaning it with water you aren't used to.

*Make sure you are on a good healthy diet and looking after yourself.

*Stressed? Work long hours regularly? Will probably slow the healing process of your piercing. Stressful times ahead? Exams and the like. Best to wait till after the ordeal

Hellrazer

Nice one Wilburt--Ive stickied this.

Will

Cool, hopefully people will find it helpful

It wasn't me!

Very useful and very reasonable.

Fantasy_Suicide

Any advice on scalpeled ears??

Mine won't stop bleeding!!!

Will

probably just make sure you keep it clean, you cant really make it stop bleeding, you did get it scalpeld after all. Just let it heal, follow ear piercing guidelines but im sure (hope) you know em already

Fantasy_Suicide

Hahaha! I could damn well rhyme off ear care to ya by now!!

I just had to tighten the o ring on the tunnel. It's fine now....

I'm real parro now. Keep thinkin there's blood on me!

dizzle

out if curiousity...

I know your supposed to refrain from oral sex and kissing for about a month with a tongue piercing.

I was on day 12 when I broke those rules...Asking anyone if it should be alright, I mean it's a bit sore and swollen, but im assuming thats from the irriation not an infection.

so yea is this an issue?

amazingemmet

Well if you pick up a bad infection it could cause your toungue to swell up so much it restricts your airways then you'll need medical intervention to live so yes , yes it is an issue. (worst case sceanario)

Jack B. Badd

Silly question, but how long should one wait before going swimming in a public pool after getting a piercing? In my case, it's a surface piercing and it's all of a month or so old. Do I have to wait for it to heal fully, i.e. 6 months to a year?

Fantasy_Suicide

Nah.

Should be ok now, I'd think.

rannerap

yeah should be fine its only if its fresh really it can cause hassle

Jack B. Badd

Goody Now I just have to get up off my fat ass and actually head to the pool...

popecatapetal

i think you may have the sea salt mixture a tad strong there wilburt. my piercer advised 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt in a mug of cool boiled water.
btw, anyone know why it's sea salt specifically? rock salt is purer - why isn't it recommended?

It wasn't me!

Apparently it has some irritant minerals in it, or just doesn't have the useful ones sea salt does.

Fantasy_Suicide

And wilburt got the measurements spot on...

1/4tsp of sea salt.

If the water is salty to taste to the point you can't drink it, theres too much. There should be just a hint....

gucci

i want to get my tragus pierced (first piercing!) however im a wuss and because i play gaelic football would i have to remove the stud everytime i play....?well i presume i would for safety/catchin in jesreys, knocks etc.
how long should i wait for the piercing to heal before i can be taking it in and out without too much discomfort?

Fantasy_Suicide

A tragus should be grand, in my opinion. They're fiddely, so be warned.

Um I'm thinking 3mths?
Anyone esle got an opinion?

Gauge

They're fiddly as be damned, I've pissed off my three year old tragus just by mucking around trying to get the ball back on. They take a little while to heal because it's a hunk o' cartilage and I don't know about removing the stud- mine tightens up after a few minutes, but it differs from person to person. To be honest I'd be worried about getting any cartilage piercing if you play a contact sport...

Fantasy_Suicide

Exactly.
I would of thought the tragus be alright.
Especially if it's just a bar.
A ring could be dodgy.
But a bar would be grand, I'd of thought.

amazingemmet

Meh i used to play rugby with pierced nips and others, just tape it up with medical tape before hand and it should be fine, make sure to wash it well after wards.

Fantasy_Suicide

Lads. The surface bars on my arm are doing alright. Getting a clean once a day and a soak every other odd day. But I've noticed the skin around the opening of either bar is reddish and the skin looks super dry. Do ya think I'm putting too much salt in the solution?

bounty_hunter

Sounds like that's exactly what the problem is Fantasy_Suicide, considering you're only doing the whole rigmarole once a day. I've made the same mistake a load of times just through over-enthusiasm to keep everything clean, and then as soon as I've cut down on the salt the problem has sorted itself out.
I've got this particularly badly with facial piercings, cos the skin on my face is fairly dry anyway. If you're making a full mug of solution (going with a mug measure cos I use it for doing my nips...don't ask...), only stick in a level teaspoon of salt and not a pinch more. Try that measure for a while and see if it makes a difference for ya!

Fantasy_Suicide

A teaspoon is a tat too much.

I was using 1/4 tsp to a pint of hot water. I dunno. Going in on friday to have it looked at.

bounty_hunter

Yeah it's the same amount as a quarter teaspoon if you actually put it on a quarter of the spoon, if you look at the teaspoon at eye level you shouldn't be able to see the salt. That makes absolutely no sense, sorry. Well I know what I mean! *scampers away*

Fantasy_Suicide

Hahaha! Well. I'm gonna give it an hours soak before bed time. Personally I think they look pretty ok, but having seen my piercers disaproving look today, I take it that they're not. Ha! Ah well. I tried.

xcutiexamberx

Thank you, that will come useful when i get my tougue done tomorrow x

Will

sucking on ice can also be good

Crumble Froo

hmmm...it appears i may be having a free holiday in teh sunshine (*gasp*:eek: ) next week... as a complete waterbaby, it just occurred to me that i should maybe not be swimming after getting my nipple done... cant remember how long ago i got it done though! this board only seems to go back 4 pages and i cant find it in threads ive posted.


tis still a lil crusty, though pretty much painless, bar when it's pulled/catches on something. i definitely wouldnt consider it healed (it's healed when i can grab and pull without pain/side effects:D ).

any ideas if i should be swimming with it?

bounty_hunter

Definitely don't go swimming in chlorinated water, it'll irritate the **** out of it. If you're really dead set on swimming though you can buy little waterproof bandage type things (words fail me this morning, but I'm sure you get the general idea of what I'm talking about) that you can stick over it and they seal the area and keep it dry. They're used after surgery so you probably won't be able to get hold of them in somewhere like Boots, you might need a more specialised pharmacy. I've used them before and they work great, I'll try and find out a brand name for you so you can ask for them.

Star Lord

narco wrote:

hmmm...it appears i may be having a free holiday in teh sunshine (*gasp*:eek: ) next week...

How does one go about getting such a "free" holiday? :eek:

Crumble Froo

bounty_hunter wrote:

Definitely don't go swimming in chlorinated water, it'll irritate the **** out of it.

i was afraid you'd say that

i know the kind of the plasters you mean... actually, there's a *chance* im allergic to them. had surgery on my neck a year or so ago and demanded a shower the day after, so they put some waterproof stuff on it... literally every single plaster type thing htey put on it brought me out in a really itchy rash. it's weird cos ive never suffered allergies before, but then again, i usually avoid plasters and just let the wound heal anyway.

(ooh! and check it out! this is a bit of the scar when the plaster kinda failed a bit on the waterproof front after the shower, im quite proud of this scar )

ill look into it this afternoon at the local pharmacy anyway

How does one go about getting such a "free" holiday?

my dad got a raise a couple of years ago (seeing as his boss left and wasnt replaced so he was doing both jobs), but decided to invest the money in some dinky little apartment in bulgaria or something... the family have spent a couple of summers out there now, but my bro is dead set on me coming out this year before i fúck off to nz, and after working a 144hr week last week (i kid you not), ive finally caved and wouldnt mind the free bit of rest in another country. hmmm... ill have to find out if there's any sea in bulgaria and see if i can go swimming there...

Star Lord

Theres the black sea on the east coast...

a 144 hour week? Jesus woman, are ye mad? :eek:

Crumble Froo

i did have a slight lil breakdown on monday night actually... spent about 2 and a half hours crying... my job can be quite the intense sometimes, especially with hours and conditions like i had last week. like i said, i think ive earned this holiday!:D

fruitengine_han

i should have read this thread... now, my belly suffered from surface piercing rejection... damn!
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Crumble Froo

have to ask.. ive never understood the surface piercing rejection thing... what happens? why doesnt the piercing stay in? is it cos of lack of care? or are some just always gonna come out? (eg, back of neck)?

Jack B. Badd

From what I understand of it, rejection is kinda like what happens when you get a splinter - if you don't remove it yourself your body eventually pushes it out. If your piercing is badly placed, not cared for properly or if your body decides to take a dislike to it, the tissue above it will selectively die off until the piercing is pushed out of the area. Of course this is a bit of a simplistic view of it and I could be talking out my ass but that's the way I understand it...

garthv

Surface piercings are extremely hard to get right. There is only a few places on the body that surface piercings will actually stay. I had a surface piercing under my belly button and that rejected after 3 months.

It all depends on the placing of the piercing and how much stress is put on it. My nape has been in for nearly 3 years now and Ive had no problems with it.

Crumble Froo

hmmm... i'm torn... nape is back of neck, right?

cos i want a piercing there... but i really want that tattoo there... and the tattoo i can be guaranteed will stay there...

and i just got paid a ridiculous amount of money today so i intend to get one or the other before i go broke again...

Will

uhm you can always take the piercing out, tattoo will be there forever, and who says you cant have the two!?

Crumble Froo

see, i dont want the piercing to be taken out! i tend to leave my piercings in... most of my jewellery is actually my original stuff, bar one or two that have gotten lost on the way and been replaced by a similar (but slightly more shiny ) bit of jewellery.

im talking to my b/f online now,and have pretty much made up my mind gonna go for the tattoo... it's more likely to be permanant, and has a lot more meaning to it for me than 'wow, that looks cool, i want it'

hehe, still not ruling out the piercing, but that's for hwen ive money to burn...

gucci

i posted a while back about getting tragus pierced, and im still on for it, just decided to wait for my football season to be over before getting it done (coupla more weeks) just does anyone have it done? explain to me can you use head phones after its healed?? you know the in ear type ones? just i use them quite alot at work , im prepared to go "one-eared" for a while but how much of a discomfort is it long term??

Will

alot of people have it done, myself included.
I would stay away from ear phones for at least 2 months because it will just irritate the sh!t out of it and most likely reject. Theyre quite tempremental piercings (in my experience, ive had my right tragus pierced 3 times)
Id go one eared for ages or get a set of spacy headphones, like the ones dj's use

gucci

will hardly get away with using them big headphones at work...id never hear the phone then, im bad enough as it is!!:) i like the tragus piercing as i think its the most discrete type, cos im not really into having a showy type piercing right now, my hair will sort of cloak it for a while til it heals hopefully!!

Crumble Froo

wow, have to say now, i actually never had any problems with my trag at all. admittedly, i did practically no research on it, and got it done in a not-particularly-reputable-place (*shifty eyes*), but within a month i was using my earphones again, and haven't looked back since


though i think i should take wil's advice if i was you, he does know a hell of a lot more than me on this one, and you're always better safe than sorry.

glue

Hey, I just got a scaffolding piercing yesterday and as I'm totally paranoid I'm freaking out. How long is it supposed to bleed for? And how am I supposed to go about cleaning it, because my piercer didn't say, she just gave me a sheet that said to wash it in saltwater every 2 hours, so I have no idea about what salt or concentration or anything. Help!

Star Lord

Just read some of the stuff posted here already, everything you need to know is already here.

It wasn't me!

glue wrote: »

Hey, I just got a scaffolding piercing yesterday and as I'm totally paranoid I'm freaking out. How long is it supposed to bleed for? And how am I supposed to go about cleaning it, because my piercer didn't say, she just gave me a sheet that said to wash it in saltwater every 2 hours, so I have no idea about what salt or concentration or anything. Help!

Where did you get it done? It'll bleed every once in a while. All my helices bled a bit while cleaning for a good while. every two hours will destroy your healing piercing, dry out the skin and make everything a bit shíte, so ignore that completely. What you want is to wash it with a mild salt solution twice a day, morning and night. You should use about a quarter teaspoon of sea salt, not table salt, in a glass of hot water. Boil the water and let it cool. You should be able to drink the solution without retching. If you can't, it's too salty. Use a cotton ear bud to gently clean around the jewellery. Be very gentle and keep watch out for little lumps forming. These are keloids or, more likely, hypertrophic scarring, very easy to pick up on cartilage piecings. If any appears, add a little tea-tree oil to your salt solution for about a week and it'll clear right up. Follow this and keep in touch with a decent piercer and your scaffold will be healed in about three to five months.

glue

Thank you Yeah, I thought that every two hours seemed a bit strange. I don't have any sea salt at the moment though, so do you think using table salt would be ok until I can get some or should I just use water?

It wasn't me!

table salt contains iodine, which irritates piercings, so just use water, but get sea salt as soon as possible, it's quite crucial.

glue

Ok, now I KNOW something is wrong. Last night it wouldn't stop bleeding, it was gushing from midnight til 7am, I ended up having to go to the bloody hospital, where they had to take the piercing out, clean me up, and put a bandage on. Apparantly after two days it'll be possible to put the piercing back in though. If you ask me, this is all the goddamn piercer and her crappy instructions fault.