So, you decided to get a piercing done and now you’re not sure what’s the right (and safe) way to go about it. And as you begin your research, you discover that there a quite a ton of risks involving piercing. Which is why safe piercing practices are the first way to go about for your new daring mission.
Now, piercings have existed for centuries and can be done on nearly all parts of the body, such as ears, noses, eyebrows, tongues, lips, nipples and even genitals. But since you’re basically puncturing a hole in your body, the health risks are there, so care and precaution must come first, even if it’s only for a cute nose stud.
Nose studs can be pretty, but be aware of their risks.
Some health risks…
Making a piercing on your skin, you run the risk of contracting a bacterial infection, develop an abscess, and perhaps even get sepsis, which is a life-threatening response to an infection that can result in organ failure or even death. Sometimes if the equipment used for the piercing is not properly sterilized, there is a possibility of contracting blood-borne diseases like hepatitis B and C, HIV, tetanus, and tuberculosis.
Infections are more common with mouth and nose areas since they contain more bacteria, but there are other location-specific risks with body piercings. A genital piercing can cause painful sex and urination. Tongue studs have caused tooth breakage. And nipple piercings have even caused a partial removal of the breast because of an infection or abscess.
The risks go higher if you suffer certain medical conditions like diabetes, allergies, skin disorders, weak immune system, among others. You should always ask your doctor about any health problem that might become liable before you get a piercing done.
Precautions to take…
When going to get your piercing made, make sure it’s in a safe and reputable shop that follows proper hygiene and safety standards. It should have a separate area for piercing and use an autoclave for sterilizing the equipment.
The staff should wash their hands, wear new latex gloves before each procedure, and show you the needles and piercings that will be used on you when opening them from the packaging. Pre-sterilized and individual use disposable instruments should be utilized whenever possible, and any reusable equipment washed thoroughly. When using a piercing gun, this should only be for earlobe pierces; a hollow needle or catheter needle can be used wherever else on the body.
Remember that when selecting the jewelry, this should be non-allergenic only and available in a variety of sizes. It should also be suitable for the area that is to be pierced and sterilized properly.
Always know where and how your piercing is going to be done.
For the after-care…
After the procedure is done, never be afraid to ask questions! Ask all that you want regarding how long it will take to heal, how to clean it, what to use to take care of it and what not. You paid for this and you don’t want your money wasted, right?
If you notice any odd swelling around the piercing, pus, redness, heat on the area or fever, go see a clinician. If everything goes well and you want to change the jewelry for your piercing but don’t know how to, go to your piercer for help so he can change it for you.
Let’s be radical.
Piercings can be both a beautiful and radical fashion statement. The only thing is that, since it has to do with your body, you should always be careful with it. Take these precautions in hand, see what piercing you would like to have and simply be safe when the time comes to do it. Â