Finally, we have come to the end of our Piercing extravaganza! You’ve got the hole, you’re nursing your itsy bitsy wound and now all you have to do is recover and show it off. Too easy.
The low down on recovering:
- “Make sure you eat healthy” said Dr. Huy Vo, a GP, “It will make it heal faster.” Boost your body with Vitamin C and Zinc so that it recovers from the shock.
- Rejection of the piercing is more common for those who heal slower than others. If you excessively knock the jewelery, your body could start pushing it out like a splinter.
- Since the popularity in piercings, people expect more from their body. “Bellybutton rings aren’t viewed as piercings anymore. It’s seen as jewellery and it’s not like that. Some people think that fixing a ring is like exchanging a t-shirt that’s too big. Piercings take time and effort. If you screw up, there’s no 24 hour assistance to look after it.“You’re growing skin in an area that doesn’t want to grow skin. Have some patience.” Bament sighs in frustration.
- Never use the cheap, shiny jewellery you can get at the corner store. Your body would probably reject it. Sterling silver or gold-plated jewellery should never be used during the healing process.
- Use a saline solution on the area (pure salt and clean water) three times a day. This gets rid of lymph fluid, that white waxy stuff similar to sleep.
- Eyebrows and bellybutton rings are more prone to infections because of sweat and dirt. Keep these über clean with saline solution.
- Oral piercings will get aggravated by smoking and drinking. Take this time to detox. If you have to drink, avoid hard liquor and yeast-based booze, such as beer. Strong booze will make it seem like you’re piercing is burning. Using mouthwash can make the environment worse for a tongue ring. Such high alcohol content not only stings, it also kills the healing cells.
- Nipples are more sensitive than other parts of the body so they have a long healing process. Surprisingly, genitals heal the fastest.
- It’s rare, but a piercing can weep for years.
- If a piercing is uncomfortable after the healing process, it’s incorrect. Get it checked out. “If your piercing is red, hot to the touch, swollen or excreteing pus, see you General Practitioner, you could need a dose of antibiotics” suggested Dr. Vo.
- A ring can only get caught on something if it’s too long. Those stories of ripped nipples exist because the person was fitted incorrectly.
- Dettoll will “melt off your skin” if used more than once, warned Bament. Sure, if you’ve spilt motor oil on your piercing, make an exception but otherwise, stay away from the stuff. Iodine will also do a lot of damage, “it’ll destroy all your cells, the good with the bad, and it’s absolutely evil stuff.”
- Don’t use anti-bacterial lotions. Soaking your healing piercing in moisture is leading it by the hand to infection. A piercer, who shall remain nameless, told me to apply Bepanthen Ointment on my fresh wound three times a day. Big no no. The piercing took twice the normal amount to heal and hurt like hell for three months. It’s fine to use on tattoos, but not piercings. Adding moisture is making a breeding ground for bacteria.
- Too much after-care can overkill the good bacteria. Not enough can lead to a messy healing process.
Remember, be informed about the decisions you make on your body. There’s a rumour going round that once you pop you can’t stop so bear that in mind. If you think you have too many piercings, just remember, Canadian Brent Moffat holds the world record of 700 piercings in seven hours. Compared to him, you’re normal.
Previously, on Little Flutters:
Piercings 101: Pick an expert piercer
Piercings 101: Suit your lifestyle