Piercing Don'ts

I spend a great deal of time focusing on what you will need to do to help your piercing heal, but other than covering the things you don't want to do in my consultation and aftercare instructions, I don't really focus too much on the piercing do's and don'ts. So I thought I'd write a whole blog on some of the most common mistakes that people make and the reasons that it isn't a good idea. 

As a disclaimer, often when a problem comes up with a piercing, we run to the internet and began jumping from one option to another to find a solution, It's easy to get confused with the conflicting viewpoints and advice and I think it is essential to state that no amount of research can replace a visit to an educated and experienced piercer. Also, I think it is crucial to return to a piercer who gave you the wrong advice. Think about it if people keep coming back with the same problems over and over, maybe it will be enough for them to rethink their aftercare, methods, and advice.

The Basics:

1. Removing or Changing Jewelry - Do not remove or change the jewelry until the piercing is healed. Jewelry should only be changed during the healing period if leaving the original jewelry used during the piercing poses a risk of causing additional damage. For example, tongue piercings where a longer-than-needed barbell is used for the piercing to allow for swelling should be downsized in a week to 10 days to reduce the risk of damaging teeth, gums, and bones in your mouth.
2. Don't Forget to Downsize - With some piercings that are done with post-style jewelry, we use jewelry that is too long to allow for swelling. This jewelry should be downsized during the healing by your piercer. This is critical with oral piercings and piercings through cartilage.
3. Healing Times - Do not stop the aftercare regimen until the piercing is healed. The piercing may seem healed because there is no discomfort or limited discharge after a week, but the fact is that the piercing is not healed.  Just because it looks healed doesn't mean it is. When in doubt, ask your piercer to decide whether it is healed or not.
   1. Tongue piercings typically take 2 to 4 weeks to heal.
   2. Ear Piercings, eyebrow piercings, nostril piercings, septum piercings, lip and labret piercings typically take 2 to 12 Months to heal.
   3. Nipple and Navel piercings take on average 6 to 12 months to heal
   4. Genital piercings take on average 6 to 8 weeks to heal, but due to sexual activity, should be treated as a healing piercing for at least 3 months.
4. Problems - If something comes up that doesn't seem right, do not put it off; get it taken care of immediately. Meaning, if you think your piercing is infected or doesn't seem healthy, don't put off contacting your piercer or seeking medical treatment in hopes that it will just get better. Also, don't run to the internet and start trying everything that is suggested to solve the problem. There is a great deal of good information on the internet, but it doesn't replace sitting down with your piercer firsthand to figure out the cause of the problem and determine the best course of action.
5. Healthy and Diet - Being unhealthy or having a poor diet can prolong the piercing's healing time and increase the likelihood of infection or other problems. Eating a nutritious diet, getting plenty of rest, and reducing stress will all aid in your body's ability to heal your piercing quickly and prevent infection.
6. Overcleaning - Piercings only need to be cleaned a couple of times a day; I suggest washing them twice daily. Overcleaning the piercing can prolong the healing process, dry out the tissue around the piercing, and cause additional problems.
7. Squeezing or Popping the Bump - From childhood, we are taught to squeeze and pop bumps or other fluid build-ups in the body. The idea is to eliminate that substance from our body, and somehow that will correct the problem. With piercings, these fluid build-ups are usually a sign of a much bigger problem and are often how your body reacts to solve, expel, or isolate the issue. By trying to force the fluid out of the body, we are preventing the body from doing what it naturally wants to do. It often exacerbates the problem or causes it to spread. These bumps will, in most cases, only become larger when they are drained. Until the underlying cause is corrected, they will continue to recur when the individual comes into contact with their piercer or seeks medical attention. So the cause can be addressed as soon as possible.
8. Antiseptics, antimicrobial soaps, and Disinfectants - Only use saline. Harish products can prolong healing and cause additional problems.
9. LIFA Live it the F**k Alone - Do not play with the piercing, pick at the discharge and spin or rotate the jewelry.

Cross Contamination:

A healing piercing is an open wound and an open pathway into the body, through which foreign pathogens can invade and cause infection. It can take anywhere from two weeks to a year for a piercing to completely heal, and most of us are not accustomed to having an open wound for that long. Precautions need to be taken, including the following:

1. Handling the Piercing: Do not handle the piercing or let others handle it without first washing your hands under running water with soap for at least 30 seconds. Aside from your piercer, no one else should handle the piercing or jewelry until the piercing is completely healed. Additionally, the only time you should have any contact with a healing piercing is when cleaning it. Handling and playing with a healing piercing can only increase the chances of infection, prolonged healing, or other complications.
2. Oral Contact: No oral contact. This includes your own. Even your own mouth can contain some foreign pathogens that, when they are introduced into an open wound, will cause an infection. Mom was right, the second filthiest part of the body is the mouth. With oral piercings where the tissue is acceptable to minor tears, you should wait additional time after the piercing has healed to give the piercing tunnel time to strengthen—usually, a minimum of 6 weeks after the piercing is healed.
3. Others' Bodily fluids: Do not allow bodily fluids of anyone other than yourself to come in contact with the piercing or the jewelry until it is completely healed. This is basically anything that comes out of another person's body. With genital piercings, a latex barrier should be used. Understand that we are not only concerned with STDs but also other pathogens that your partner may have that are acceptable to them but not to you. For this reason, I suggest practicing safe sex for a minimum of 6 months.
4. Your Own Bodily Fluids: Your bodily fluids are not sterile, but acceptable to you under the right conditions. Meaning that anything but fecal matter is acceptable to you if it is at body temperature. This doesn't include saliva, which can contain various contaminants.
5. Your Environment: Keep your environment clean and free from anything that might come into contact with the piercing. This includes clothing, bedding, towels, washcloths, etc With ear piercings, be cautious of contact with telephones that may come in contact with the piercing. Avoid contact with phones, earpieces, or headphones used by other people, especially those in public settings such as office phones, payphones, and mobile phones used by individuals other than yourself. Additionally, hats, helmets, or other headgear should be cleaned regularly. If it comes in contact with your piercing, clean it.
6. Swimming: Do not submerge the piercing in waters that you can not control the quality of. In other words, only in your own clean bathtub. Swimming should be avoided until the piercing is completely healed. Especially natural waters like lakes, rivers, ponds, and the ocean, where there is no way to ensure that the water is free of pathogens. Pools that have been correctly tested and treated should be free from pathogens; however, it is essential to understand that there is no guarantee of this, and the chemicals used to treat the water may cause adverse reactions. Hot tubs that are accessed by the general public should be avoided altogether. This is especially true of those in hotel rooms. Even with personal hot tubs, ensure that it is properly cleaned and maintained.
7. Pets: Limit your pet's contact with the piercing. As pet owners, we all long for the affection that our pets give us, but since this often involves some form of oral contact, there is a chance of contaminating the piercing. Cats, especially, seemed to be drawn to jewelry and can cause abuse to a piercing. Additionally, if you sleep with your pet, be diligent about cleaning their bedding.

Abuse:

I often use the phrase, "Baby, the piercing," and I frequently get confused looks when I say it. A piercing is a healing wound, and trauma to the wound can prolong the healing process. Abuse of the piercing, both during and after the healing period, can cause healthy piercings to become problematic suddenly. Here are some activities to avoid during and, in some cases, even after the piercing is healed.

1. Clothing: Avoid wearing tight clothing or clothing that restricts the piercing in any way during and after the healing period. If it hurts to wear it, do not wear it. It's best to wear loose-fitting clothing made of a natural, breathable fabric, such as cotton. Contact with clothing can prolong healing, cause migration, or other problems.
   1. Female Nipple Piercing - Everyone is shaped differently, but for at least the first few weeks, you should wear a bra or clothing with even support. Avoid anything that might put additional pressure on the piercing or cause the jewelry to be pushed or pulled away from it. Most women find a sports bra, tank top, or men's a-shirt the best choice.
   2. Male Nipple Piercings - When wearing shirts with pockets, avoid placing heavy objects or other items that may add extra pressure to the piercing.
   3. Navel Piercings - Avoid paints, tights or pantyhose that waste band to in contact with the piercing or above the piercing. Wear either loose-fitting pants or pants with a waistband that is below the piercing.
   4. Ear Piercings and Facial Piercings - Avoid hats, helmets, headphones, or headgear that is pressed against the piercing or restricts the flow of oxygen to the piercing.
   5. Genital Piercings - Avoid clothing that rubs or restricts the piercing. Underwear should feel comfortable and be made of a breathable fabric.
2. Sleeping: Avoid sleeping on the piercing during the healing period. Try to adjust your sleeping habits to avoid contact with the piercing, or change your bedding to prevent contact with it. This means that with most piercings, you should sleep on your side or back. With ear piercings, you can take a clean bath towel, roll it up, and then lay it out in the shape of a doughnut or nest, placing your ear in the center.
3. Exercise and Sports: One of the most common questions I'm asked is about exercise and its impact on the healing of the piercing. The answer I give is to exercise the way you are supposed to. If it hurts to do something, don't do it, or reduce the amount you are doing. In most cases, once the soreness of the acceptance phase subsides in the first few weeks, movement that affects the piercing area should cause discomfort. As far as sports and other activities, common sense applies; if the activity is likely to put stress on the piercing or damage it, then avoid it. With organized sports planning, a time to get a piercing when you are not competing is the best option.
4. Playing with the piercing: Avoid playing with or over-handling the piercing during the healing process. Just like picking at a scab, the wound will take longer to heal, and playing with the piercing will increase the chances of migration, infection, scarring, or other problems. Also, keep everyone else's hands off it.
5. Sexual Activity: This usually only affects genital and oral piercings.  First and foremost, practice safe sex not only when you switch partners but also when the piercing is healing.
   1. Oral Piercings - While the piercing is healing, there should be no oral contact at all, including kissing. This means at least two months, and even though a tongue piercing may heal in a few weeks, you should wait at least eight weeks for the piercing to heal fully. With oral sex, it is best also to wait at least 8 weeks and should even then be gentile.
   2. Genital Piercings - I do not suggest having sex without a latex barrier for the first six months. You should wait until there is no discomfort, and it should be gentle, avoiding stress or pressure against the piercing. Listen to your body; if it hurts, refrain from doing it. Sometimes, changing postures or activities can help reduce stress on the piercing and decrease discomfort. Also, with male genital piercings, avoid condoms that are ribbed or overly tight-fitting. Large reservoir condoms may be more comfortable with piercings, such as the Prince Albert, by allowing additional room for the jewelry.
6. Jewelry: Even after the piercing is completely healed, avoid wearing heavy jewelry. Jewelry with sharp edges or things that hang off it should be avoided. Heavy jewelry can cause a healed piercing to migrate, tear, or experience several other unforeseen complications. Jewelry with sharp edges or items hanging off it will tend to get caught on clothing, bedding, etc., which can damage the piercing. The simpler the jewelry, the better off it is and the less likely it is to experience problems involving long-term wear.
7. Stretching and Pulling: Even if the piercing has completely healed, additional time is needed to strengthen the piercing so that it can be pushed back into place. Stretching too quickly or skipping sizes can damage the piercing. Pulling on the jewelry will not accelerate the body's tissue production and may damage the piercing or prolong the healing process. The only real thing you can do when stretching a piercing is give it time. Yanking and pulling on the piercing or using tapered jewelry will not accelerate the stretching process and may cause more damage than good.

Raiding the Medicine Cabinet:

Most of us, when faced with some medical problems, tend to do two things. Search the internet and then raid the medicine cabinet for anything we think might help. Most will reach for a well-established over-the-counter ointment or disinfectant that has been a family staple for generations. The problem is that most OTC, or over-the-counter, products are designed for common wounds that the average person encounters, such as cuts and abrasions. A piercing is, in fact, a puncture wound, and most OTC products will create additional side effects to the already existing conditions and make things much, much worse. Here are a few that should be avoided. When in doubt, read the label, and if it states "Not for use on deep wounds or puncture wounds," don't use it. Please talk with your piercer before using any OTC products other than what is listed in their aftercare. Even then, I'm sad to report that I've encountered a piercer suggesting some of these products themselves.

1. Rubbing Alcohol -  It is far too harass and will dry out the piercing, not allow it to discharge properly, and prolong healing.
2. Witch Hazel - It is far too harass and will dry out the piercing, not allow it to discharge properly, and prolong healing.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide  - It is far too harass and will dry out the piercing, not allow it to discharge properly, and prolong healing. Also, a by-product of the chemical reaction is that when it comes in contact with Staph Bacteria, it can cause damage to new skin cells.
4. Hibiclens - It is far too harsh and will dry out the piercing, not allow it to discharge properly, and prolong healing.
5. Betadine - It is far too harass and will dry out the piercing, not allow it to discharge properly, and prolong healing.
6. Listerine(or other alcohol bases mouthwashes) - It is far too harass and will dry out the piercing, not allow it to discharge properly, and prolong healing.
7. Bacitracin ointment - Is petroleum-based and will prolong healing, block the piercing's ability to discharge and leave a film for dirt, hair, etc.. to collect and be introduced into the piercing.
8. Neosporin Ointment -  Is petroleum-based and will prolong healing, block the piercing's ability to discharge and leave a film for dirt, hair, etc.. to collect and be introduced into the piercing.
9. A&D Ointment -  Is petroleum-based and will prolong healing, block the piercing's ability to discharge and leave a film for dirt, hair, etc.. to collect and be introduced into the piercing.
10. Vaseline - I wouldn't have thought anyone would think of using it on a healing piercing until a local "pierce" started giving aftercare instructions that involved its use.  Is petroleum-based and will prolong healing, block the piercing's ability to discharge and leave a film for dirt, hair, etc.. to collect and be introduced into the piercing.
11. Bactine - It is too harsh for the piercing and can prolong the healing process. Even their website states that it shouldn't be used on puncture wounds - http://www.bactine.com/bactinefaq.htm 

What it always comes down to is asking. I can't begin to list the number of problems, I've seen over the years that a simple question could have avoided. A professional piercer has a passion for piercing and is willing to share that passion with anyone who has the thirst for knowledge.  If your piercer doesn't have that passion, find one who does. A piercing experience should be, education, more education, paperwork, more education, set up, a little more education, split-second piercing, jewelry insertion, and then even more education.