Thinking about getting new piercings? Well, join the rave because men and women everywhere are individualizing their styles with some bling. Dressing for the classy and simple look? Single pearls. Going for grunge? Need a little more flare in your life? Pierce that ear all the way to the top. And who cares what it’s like outside because no matter the temperature, piercings are always in. Basically, you can never go wrong in getting them, but you can go wrong when taking care of them. Neglecting your fresh wounds can result in piercing pain – literally.
Here are some tips for the Do’s and Don’ts in taking care of your piercings:
Let’s start simple. Your parents probably carried you to Claire’s and stuck a needle in your lobe before you had hair on your head. And when you turned four, you learned the diamond in your ear didn’t actually grow there. That means your parents dealt with the cleaning, so you’re off the hook. But if you got them a little later in life, NBD! Just look at these tips.
Do:
- Wash your hands! What’s the point of cleaning the open hole in your ear with dirty fingers.
- Swab the lobe with rubbing alcohol and clean twice a day.
- Gently rotate the earring. Also, that crust is normal.
Don’t:
-
Let your friends do it. As exciting or daring as it may seem, Lindsay Lohan most definitely got an infection and you will, too! I know we’re young, dumb, broke college kids but pain and studying don’t mix well.
-
Panic. Scar tissue goes away.
Image courtesy of Sylvie Tittel
If you’re like me, you won’t stop there and why should you? But a lot of piercings means a lot of responsibility. Upper ear piercings can be tricky. Helix piercings are the most common next to lobes but a little more difficult to keep up with. Inner ear piercings are like your favorite Netflix shows: they take full commitment, can be painful at times, but are overall worth it. Both are cute and completely worth the fuss. How you dress your ears represents your personality, so it’s important you take care of them.
Do:
- Wash those hands. Always.
- Clean the piercing following the instructions the parlor gives you. This will typically be 2-3 times a day but be careful because over-cleaning the area can result in irritation. Just make sure you get the gunk out of there.
- Move the earring around. Although you shouldn’t touch it too much, the last thing you want is to never move it and get an abscess.
- Research. Upper and inner ear piercings can be complex, so don’t go somewhere that has a 1 star rating!
Don’t:
- Clean the piercing with rubbing alcohol. Its a total 360 from lobes, but hydrogen peroxide will damage the wound and the results will not be good. If you’re a wimp like me, then use Bactine since it numbs the area to help with pain.
- Use creams or other products on or near the piercing.
- Take out or change the jewelry before the suggested time. Experiencing that pain all over again because the hole closed is not ideal.
- Rush the healing process.
Piercings can be addicting, so know your pain tolerance before you get all 10 at once. If the whole thing freaks you out, that’s okay! Everybody has a different style, so be comfortable with it!