Piercing Care

Piercing care

Proper care is essential for the complete and problem-free healing of piercings. Whether you want to find out about [piercing] care before your piercing appointment or after your piercing has been pierced: this is the right place for you. In this piercing care guide you will learn everything about the right care from care products to rules of conduct.

• Piercing care tips
• Piercing care products
• Care of oral piercings like lip and tongue piercings
• Ear piercing care
• Intimate piercing care
• Problems despite care
• Care after healing

Piercing care tips

The following general care tips apply to most piercings. On the day of piercing, the piercing should definitely be left alone. Daily care does not begin until the second day.

Hands should always be washed and disinfected before cleaning to avoid spreading germs into the wound.

Crusts that have formed around the piercing can be softened with lukewarm water and gently removed. The crust must not be scraped off! Afterwards, the care product can be dabbed onto both piercing sites from the inside to the outside.

The piercing should not be turned unnecessarily. The agent gets into the puncture channel by itself. This cleaning should be done twice a day for at least 14 days after the piercing. However, one should not overdo it with the care and clean the piercing much more often than recommended, as too much care can also be harmful.

Outside of the care, the piercing should not be touched or moved back and forth. The piercing Jewelry should also not be taken out for cleaning or changed before it is completely healed.

Apart from cleaning, there are also some other things to consider in everyday life to additionally support the body in healing the piercing. For example, sufficient sleep, little stress and a healthy and balanced diet are beneficial for the healing process. Sports, saunas, solariums and full baths should be avoided during the first few weeks, as the piercing will not be able to endure the extreme temperatures and physical strain.

Alcohol and certain medications such as aspirin thin the blood and should therefore be avoided during the first few days.

It is also important not to play around with the piercing or move it back and forth unnecessarily, as this irritates the wound and prevents it from healing properly. When using cosmetics and creams, it is advisable to avoid the area around the piercing so that nothing gets into the puncture canal. In general, you should pay special attention to good hygiene during the healing phase of a piercing. Taking a shower or washing every day and changing your bed linen and clothes regularly will help keep body sweat and dirt away from the piercing.

Piercing care products

In this section the common care products are presented. Many piercers have different opinions and therefore prefer different products. Of course, you should always trust your piercer's advice and use the care product recommended by him, because your piercer knows best, which product is the right one for your individual piercing.

Disinfectant sprays such as Octenisept or Prontolind are often used for piercings with a normal healing process. Cleaning with salt water, either with a ready-made sea water salt spray or a saline solution (NaCl 0.9%) from the pharmacy, is also recommended by many piercers for daily care.

In case of problems such as inflammation or wild flesh formation, other care products are used, but these should only be used for a certain period of time specified by the piercer. Especially in case of problems it is important to contact the piercer and listen to his advice. In case of inflammation he can prescribe local antibiotics such as Tyrosur Gel. There are a number of remedies that can be used for the treatment of game: for example, three percent hydrogen peroxide or tea tree oil.

When using these care products, under no circumstances should several products be used at the same time. The care product should be used for several weeks before another product is used. You should also consult with your piercer each time you change.

Care of oral piercings such as lip and tongue piercings.

Lip Piercing and Tongue Piercing belong to the so-called oral piercings and need to be cared for especially thoroughly. This is because they share space in the mouth with countless bacteria, which can have a negative effect on healing. Therefore, it is important to rinse the mouth with a special piercing mouthwash after every meal. After an oral piercing, it is also recommended to buy a new, soft toothbrush and a milder toothpaste to support healing and ensure hygiene in the mouth area.

In general, there are some rules to follow when eating: you should avoid extremely hot, cold, spicy or acidic foods for the first 14 days. Dairy products are also taboo for oral piercings. You should also drink plenty of water during the healing phase.

Oral piercings tend to swell in the first few days after they are pierced. The swelling can be easily controlled by carefully cooling the piercing with an ice cube. Smoking should be avoided for the first three days, in the best case even for the first 14 days.

Ear piercing care

There are a number of things you should pay attention to when having an Ear Piercing, so that the piercing heals quickly. First of all, after piercing your ear, you should change your sleeping position so that you do not lie on the pierced ear and put unnecessary pressure on the healing piercing. You should also not use the pierced ear when using the telephone. If both ears are pierced, it is advisable to switch to loudspeakers or messages while the piercing is healing. Headphones should also be avoided for the time being.

If you have long hair, it should be pinned up so that it does not get caught in the piercing. Hair colouring should be avoided during healing to avoid exposing the piercing to the irritating chemicals of hair dye. In general, use mild shampoo or conditioner when caring for the hair and avoid running care products over the ear as much as possible.

Intimate piercing care

To enjoy an Intimate Piercing for a long time, it is essential that they are properly cared for. For uncomplicated healing in this sensitive area, special care rules must be followed. While showering, the intimate piercing should only be cleaned with clear water and should not come into contact with soap, shower gel or similar. The use of flannels or sponges in the intimate zone should also be refrained from in order not to transfer any bacteria.

After showering, the intimate area should not be dried with a towel for the same reason. Instead, it is advisable to either let the piercing air-dry or dab it with a clean paper towel. Body lotion and other creams should also be kept away from the wound.

Wearing the right clothing is very important during the healing process. Loose-fitting clothing and breathable cotton underwear will help prevent pressure or friction on your intimate piercing. Panty liners are helpful in the first few days after piercing to catch any fluid or blood that leaks out. You should also avoid sexual intercourse for the first four weeks, as the piercing should not come into contact with any foreign body fluids during the initial healing phase.

Problems despite care

Despite conscientious care, it can happen that problems arise with the new piercing. In the beginning, slight swelling, itching, crusting and the discharge of blood or clear wound fluid are completely normal. As long as this only lasts for one to three days and no yellow or green pus comes out of the wound, you don't have to worry.

However, if the symptoms worsen considerably and the signs of inflammation appear, such as pus, severe pain as well as redness and a warming of the area, you should definitely seek advice from your piercer about further care. In case of a severe inflammation, a visit to a doctor is advisable.

In any case, you should never remove the piercing jewellery on your own in case of inflammation, because otherwise the wound secretion will encapsulate in the piercing canal and abscesses will form, which can aggravate the inflammation.

Care after healing

Now that the piercing has been properly cared for and healing is complete, you can breathe a little easier. However, the piercing still needs to be cared for and hygiene maintained, because even after healing, complications can occur if you are careless.

The care after healing is by far not as time-consuming as directly after the piercing. The piercing should be cleaned with mild antibacterial soap while showering. Coatings on the piercing should be carefully removed. For this purpose, the piercing jewellery should be taken out and cleaned.