Getting a new piercing can elevate your look, but if it becomes infected it can not only be painful but also unsightly. And while we don’t set out to develop an infection, sometimes this happens if we don’t go to a reputable piercer or if we don’t follow aftercare instructions properly. Here’s how to prevent an infection in a new body piercing and, in the worst-case scenario, how to deal with one.
Related: Why you shouldn’t have your child’s ears pierced at the mall
Prevention:
Go to a legitimate piercer
This should go without saying, but it’s important to go to a proper piercing place rather than people who pierce ears in shopping malls or have a grimy, back-alley establishment. Shop around, ask your friends and find someone who is reputable so that you know that they pierce you in a sanitary environment and with the correct, clean tools.
Follow their aftercare instructions
Just like us, all piercers are different and recommend different ways that you should be taking care of your new body art. Listen to them and follow their instructions to a T. They are experts in the industry and know what they are talking about. They also don’t want to have to deal with you succumbing to an infection any more than YOU do.
Keep the area clean
Piercings involve causing trauma to part of the body and inserting a foreign object through or under the skin. This means that it’s going to be an open wound for a while and it therefore needs to be kept clean. Most piercers recommend cleaning new piercings once or twice a day with antibacterial soap. Don’t clean it too much or you can dry out or aggravate the skin even more. And no fiddling!
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Cure:
Learn to identify a problem
New piercings can be red and inflamed for a few days after the procedure, which is totally normal. But if the redness and swelling persist for more than a week and you notice any blood or strange discharge, you have most likely become infected. Sorry! This can be confirmed with a visit to the piercing parlour you went to or a trip to your GP.
Get a topical cream from the pharmacy
If you have an infection, try to refrain from taking the piercing out yourself, as you could damage your skin. If you would rather have it removed, you should visit your piercer to do that for you. Alternatively, go to a pharmacist and ask them for an over-the-counter antibiotic cream that you can apply topically to the affected area. Apply it with a cotton bud twice a day after cleaning.
Go to the doctor
Sometimes you have to admit defeat and go and see a healthcare professional before things get out of hand. If your infection lasts for more than 48 hours or you develop a fever as well, you should go and see your doctor as soon as possible. He or she can then prescribe a course of antibiotics and advise you whether you should have the piercing removed.
Photo: iStock/Casarsa
