Wellness Facts : Body Piercing & Modification

Things to Consider Before Choosing a Safe Piercer Proper Aftercare If Your Site Appears Infected and a Note on Scar Tissue

Body Piercing has become very popular among people of many ages in the past 15 years. Here are some tips to keep you safe if you are considering a piercing, and information on how to care for your piercing if you already have one.

The number one thing to remember is that getting a body part pierced is a very personal choice, and you don't have to pierce your body to belong. If you are with a group of friends who are encouraging you to get your first piercing, just remember that you can say no if you aren't ready. If they keep pushing and your gut is telling you that it is not the right thing to do, stay firm and they will back off. Especially if they don't have any piercing themselves. It is a lot easier to convince someone to do something that you may be afraid of doing yourself....

Here are some general principles to follow if you are considering a body piercing:

• Don't let alcohol, drugs or friends influence your decision.
• There is a risk of contracting an infectious disease through body piercing - Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS are just a few. You can protect yourself from Hepatitis B by getting vaccinated. There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C or HIV.
• Choose the place on your body carefully. Facial piercings are visible and people might not look past the piercing at "the real you". Covered piercings (belly button, nipple, genitals) take longer to heal because of body moisture and being rubbed by clothing. Tongue piercing can change the way you speak.
• Talk to someone you trust. Steer clear of anyone who cannot answer each and every one of your questions.
• Learn all you can before you get pierced. A lot of good information is available online. One great web site about body piercing safety is: Keep asking questions.
• Never pierce your own body or let a friend do it. It isn't worth the risk.

Remember...

• Piercers are not licensed, even though professional piercers (the good ones) are certified to do body piercings.
• Although more standards exist for body piercing than there were a few years ago, there still aren't many health regulations about piercing.

Take time to shop around. Check out many different artists and ask the piercer if they have done your type of piercing before. Ask to see pictures of his/her work. Ask for references, and don't be afraid to ask questions.

Also check the space to make sure it is clean and it has the appropriate sterilization tools. The place should be clean and in good repair. Good lighting and a sink to wash hands are also necessary.

Additionally, always follow the following guideilnes when choosing a body piercing establishment and artist.

• The piercer is not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• The piercer clearly explains the procedure and consent forms are used.
• A sterile needle and sterie jewelry is used for each piercing. Piercing guns are not to be used. They are not accurate and not sterile.
• Cleaning products and sterilizing equipment (such as autoclaves) are available and used. Autoclaves are the only acceptable sterilizers.
• The piercer uses jewelry designed for the body part pierced. For example, earrings are only for ears.
• A new pair of latex gloves are used for each piercing.
• Skin is cleansed before each piercing.
• Aftercare instructions are provided.

Remember to discuss all aftercare instructions with your piercer. Unfortunately, no standard aftercare instructions are available, and what you will receive depends upon the piercer and piercing establishment.

Healing time varies from two to 18 months. Different piercings take have different healing times so make sure you leave with written instructions specific to your piercing. Facial piercings heal quicker as they are exposed to air. Cartlidge piercings, such as the outer ear, can take much longer because cartlidge does not have a large blood supply and those areas are often exposed, making them susceptible to accidental disruption through touching or hitting.

The following are the most standard aftercare instructions available:

• Wash your hands before touching or cleaning the pierced area. Don't let other people touch your piercing during the healing period.
• After washing your hands, wash the site once a day with either an antibacterial soap, or a non-alcoholic based cleaning solution often available from the piercing establishment.
• Every few days, soak the piercing site with a diluted salt water solution. You do not want the site to become too dry, so although salt water rinses can improve the healing process, don't rinse so much so as to dry the area out and delay the healing process.
• Remember that body fluids can cause infections. These include hepatitis and HIV. Don't let blood, saliva or semen that come in contact with unhealed area, even if they are your own.
• Do not play with your jewelry, as it can cause skin tearing and infection.
• Do not remove the jewelry until the area is healed. Some "O" or "U" rings are removable only by the piercer.
• Eat well and get plenty of rest to help yourself heal.

Infection from a body piercing can occur for a variety of reasons, and although taking good care of your site can reduce your risk of infection, it does not guarantee that the site won't become infected. Infections can occur due to anything from oil from your hands and hair to the body's recognition of the jewelry as a foreign object (when the body does this, it will try to push it out any way it can).

The following are a few signs and symptoms of an infected site:

• pain
• redness
• heat
• swelling
• oozing pus (yellow or white indicates a defnite infection, clear is serum and causes pain due to pressure in the piercing site).

If you suspect that your piercing is infected, see a health professional.

It is very important that you don't remove the jewelry if your site is infected. If you remove the jewelry, the hole will close up, trapping the infection and causing a delay in the healing process, or an infection that is much worse.

** A Note on Scar Tissue
Additionally, sometimes a keiloid, which is a buildup of scar tissue that often presents as a hard, red bump around the entrance of the jewelry can be confused as an infection. These scars are not an infection, but they can be painful, permanent or take a very long time to disappear. People with darker pigmented skin have a higher rate of keiloid tissue developing after a piercing or a wound that turns into a scar. If you have a keiloid scar, continue to take care of your piercing as you normally would. Still, if you suspect an infection, even if it might just be a keiloid scar, always see a health professional.