We’ve all heard about the importance of self-care. But that term takes on a whole new meaning when you’re talking about piercings. Things like yoga and meditation are great but that’s not what we’re talking about today. Today we’re going to discuss self-care, specifically how it applies to your piercings and your lovely, pierced self.
Cleanliness Is Confidence
Please, please, please, do not touch your piercings with dirty hands. This is first and foremost. Particularly on a healing piercing, the best way to introduce bacteria to your piercing is to put it there with an unwashed hand. If you are going to touch your piercing, pretend you’re back in 2020 and wash your hands accordingly. Also, keep your piercings clean! Make sure you are consistent with your aftercare during the healing phase. Clean your piercing with sterile saline spray, twice a day, no exceptions. And don’t forget to swap out your towels and pillowcases regularly during the healing period. (And afterwards, too. A clean piercing is a happy piercing.)
Know Your Healing Stages
Every piercing and every body heals at its own rate. In the beginning, tenderness, swelling, and discharge are all totally normal. As it begins to heal, some remaining tenderness is still normal, and your piercing is still very vulnerable to irritation. When you have no discharge, crustiness, or pain when you move the jewelry, you’re in the final stages of healing. Do not rush to change your jewelry before your piercing is fully healed. This can set back the entire healing process, and nobody wants that.
Quality
Make sure your jewelry is as high-quality as you can afford. 14k gold and ASTM F-136 titanium are great choices for quality jewelry. And once it’s time to make your final jewelry selection, consider treating yourself to a piece that reflects your personal style while keeping the quality of the jewelry high. The marriage of fashion and function is a beautiful thing….and looks beautiful on you!
Help It Heal - Part 1
Don’t forget to eat nutritious foods when you’re healing. Your body is doing extra work and will be grateful for the extra vitamins and nutrients. Another thing that often gets overlooked? Don’t forget to stay hydrated! Make sure you’re drinking enough water. Your piercing will thank you. Also try to avoid alcohol and heavy smoking as these can delay the healing process as well. They can also irritate oral piercings and create problems.
Help It Heal - Part 2
Get some rest! Sleep helps you heal from the inside out. And while you’re sleeping, don’t forget to grab your traveler’s pillow! If you have an ear piercing, these can keep the pressure off your ear and help prevent irritation. A satin pillowcase can help as well, for facial piercings that don’t easily fit in a neck pillow.
Help It Heal - Part 3
Stress management should be an important part of your healing regimen. Stress is bad for your body anyway, but it’s especially hard on your body when you’re healing a piercing. Stress can actually delay the healing process. Your piercing care routing should be a timeout for yourself, to take care of your body. And stress management tools like journaling, light exercise, and breathing routines can all help you keep that stress level under control.
Care For Your Skin
Don’t forget to look after the skin that isn’t around your piercing. It also should be kept clean and moisturized, taking care not to get any skincare products in the piercing. Using gentle, fragrance-free products will help keep irritants out of your piercings too.
You took the time to select proper jewelry and a skilled piercer. Don’t forget to take the time to look after your whole self after you get pierced! Your body will feel better, your piercing will thank you, and it will help you to heal. The benefits are obvious! Happy piercing!
