Piercing Infection

Piercings have been a part of the cultures of several ancient African tribes for ages. While piercings may have been symbolic in some cultures, people now don body piercings and tattoos to make a style statement. Body piercing is an extremely popular fashion trend that is here to stay. Though one might find body piercing very cool, there is one aspect which must not be ignored. Body piercing jewelry such as barbells, studs or lip rings might make you look cool, but if precautions are not taken, one is at a risk of developing a piercing infection. So make sure that you first find a professional piercing studio. Don't be careless or casual about it or you might end up in a lot of pain and discomfort.

What Causes a Piercing to Get Infected?

A majority of youngsters are getting their lips, ears, navel, nose or tongue pierced. Though these piercings may look cool, one must know that body piercing is an invasive procedure that comes with certain risks. The risk increases if one doesn't follow the aftercare instructions. If you get the piercing done from a professional, he/she will inform you about the precautions that should be taken to avoid an infection. Professionals are also aware of the importance of using a sterilized equipment for piercing. However, going to an amateur might put you at a risk as he/she may or may not be able to tell you the precautions or aftercare measures in a comprehensive manner. Maintaining hygienic conditions are extremely important. Those who don't maintain hygiene are definitely giving an open invitation to the bacteria or pathogens. Those who have sensitive skin and are prone to skin allergies need to be extra cautious.

These piercings take several weeks to heal completely. While one would observe bleeding and inflammation at the piercing site, such symptoms resolve after some time. While bleeding, pain and redness is normal in the initial inflammatory phase, severe pain and development of an abscess are indicative of an infection. Those who cannot resist the temptation of touching their piercing might be at a risk too. If you keep touching the piercing with dirty hands, the bacteria will certainly feel more than welcome.

The healing time differs from piercing to piercing. An ear lobe piercing and eyebrow piercing take 6 to 8 months to heal. On the other hand, a belly button piercing and ear cartilage piercing take anywhere between 4 months to one year to heal. A tongue piercing usually heals within 4 weeks, lip piercing and nose piercing may heal within 2 to 4 months. It is extremely important to take precautions during this period. If you are allergic to some metals, make sure that piercing jewelry is not made of these metals. Not maintaining hygiene could cause an infection. Touching the barbells, studs or rings with unwashed hands or fiddling with the jewelry frequently might give rise to an infection. If you see pus, swelling and redness around the pierced area, you need to treat the infection soon.

How to Prevent an Infected Piercing

Maintaining a good hygiene is the best way to prevent an infection. To diminish the chances of a piercing infection, get the piercing done by a professional. You must avoid the gunshot method completely. Make sure that the piercer uses hollow stainless steel needles and sterilizes the equipment. Be very careful while choosing the metal you plan to use for the jewelry.

You must not allow the bacteria to grow. So, use a saline solution or anti-bacterial soap to keep the pierced area clean. If you have a nose piercing, use an antiseptic ointment over the area. If you have a belly button piercing, avoid wearing very tight clothes. This is to ensure that the jewelry doesn't rub against your clothes. If you have a lip or tongue piercing, make sure that the jewelry is not rubbing against the gums. Barbells should be placed properly as it can harm the enamel if it rubs against the teeth.

Presence of bacteria in the mouth increases the risk of an infected tongue piercing. Do pay attention to oral hygiene. If you have a tongue piercing or lip piercing, make sure you don't smoke, eat or drink for a few hours after getting the piercing. Keep the jewelry clean and don't touch it with unwashed hands. Make sure that you don't change the jewelry till the area has completely healed. You can also apply an antibiotic cream on the pierced area to lower the chances of an infection

This was some information about body piercing aftercare. If you have recently got a body piercing, do follow the aforementioned precautions. There's no harm in following fashion trends, but do care for your health first.