10 Must to Know Piercings Care Tips: When a Few Steps can Save your Life

 Piercings Care Tips: Piercings have become all the rage among people of all ages. The process of getting it done is fairly simple as long as you take some precautions, but it is taking care of the pierced area that requires some effort. You will be happy to know that the pattern and procedure for caring for any type of piercing is pretty much similar.

What you need:
A few essentials –

• Salt water solutions (H2Ocean or Pressions Brand aftercare spray or prepare your own by mixing ¼ teaspoon of non- iodized sea salt with one cup of clean tepid water and use by pouring into a clean spray bottle)
• Cotton Buds

The first thing you need to do before touching a freshly pierced area is wash your hands properly. If you are the kind that fiddles with new adornments, please ensure that you carry a hand sanitizer with you. It is better to look like a clean freak than to risk infection.

Here are guidelines for the cleaning and care of various pierced areas:

Ear Piercings Care Tips: When cleaning the pierced ear area (lobe or cartilage), take care not to twist the earring that you are wearing. This is because the whitish yellow liquid that forms and solidifies around new piercings can harm the tunnel. To clean the pierced area, submerge the cotton bud in the salt solution and gently pat on both sides of the piercing; this way any solidified substances will be softened and removed.

Brows and Nostrils: For the brow area piercing, soak the cotton bud in the salt water solution and gently swipe the bottom and top portion. With the nasal area, ensure that you do not pull at the jewelry. Clean the top part of the pierced area along with the jewelry you are wearing. To clean the inside area, gently hold the jewelry with a clean finger in place to ensure that it does not come off and clean the inside of your nose gently. While cleaning out the insides of your nose, try not to inhale as it will cause the salt water to enter and affect your sinuses. As regard to the septum and bridge areas, clean both sides of pierced area gently along with the jewelry that is visible to you.

 Upper lip, lower lip Piercings Care Tips: Cleaning in this pierced areas should be limited to the hole on the top or outside. This can be done using the salt water solution and cotton bud. For cleaning the in side of the piercings, swish mouthwash (alcohol free).

Tongues and Webbed area Piercings Care Tips: Swish around with a good mouth wash that is also alcohol free. Do this after intake of food, smoking or indulging in oral sex. Please avoid smoking or indulging in oral sex immediately after you get your tongue pierced.

Skin surface, facial skin etc: To clean gently swab with a Q-tip that is soaked in salt water on both sides. For pierced areas on your cheek, clean the outside in the usual manner. The inside can be cleaned by using mouthwash.

Belly Button Piercings Care Tips: Again follow the usual procedure and clean both sides and the jewelry. If the jewelry can be jiggled back and forth, use that movement to get the solution to all the nooks and crannies to get it clean.

Nipples and Genitals Piercings Care Tips: Once again gently clean both sides and jewelry with Q tip and solution.

Frequency of cleansing: It is advisable to clean the pierced area at least 4 times in a day. You can start at the beginning of the day, once again at midday, again in the evening and last one before retiring for the day.

Given below are some things that you should AVOID while taking care of pierced areas:
• Use Alcohol- Tends to destroy cells (cytotoxic) as it is too harsh and drying
• Hydrogen Peroxide – causes similar problems
• Bactine, pierced ear care solutions and similar products having benzalkonium chloride (BZT) and benzethonium chloride (BZT)- These are made to destroy germs and prevent them from increasing but may not clean the skin and can make it dry and flaky
• A+D ointment, bacitracin, Neosporin, etc.- Prevents oxygen from reaching inside tunnel
• Betadine and other providone-iodine products- can damage new cells
• Dial liquid soap- too harsh, dries skin
• Listerine and other alcohol-containing mouth washes- damages new cell growth