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1) When bathing, be sure to use a glycerine liquid soap – due to its pH being closer to the natural pH balance of our skin, it doesn’t irritate the piercing. After washing your hair, bring the glycerine soap to a lather in your hands (having first carefully washed and disinfected them), apply it gently to the site of the piercing and give it time to act. Afterwards, rinse thoroughly with running water (it is preferable that this routine be performed in the shower rather than the bath).
2) A dampened compress with cold saline solution should also be applied over the first few days, and then at room or warm temperature thereafter (in this case, the solution should be heated slowly in a saucepan/bain-marie). NEVER touch your piercing with bare, unwashed (by which I mean disinfected) hands! The compress can be made using sterilized gauze dabbed in 5-10 ml of saline solution. It should be held in place at the site of the piercing for approximately ten minutes. Feel free to dampen it in solution again over the course of this period, should you so wish. This routine should be performed up to three times a day and should only be abandoned 30-60 days after the piercing has been performed, once the site of the piercing is no longer sore, reddened or emitting secretions.
3) Do not rub, fiddle with or adjust your piercing over the first few days, even if it seems “stuck” to the skin, as this will interrupt the skins scarring and regeneration processes, as well as generating a potential exposure to damaging bacteria. Be patient, soon the piercing will loosen up and you’ll be able to move it if you so wish.
4) Don’t dry your piercing with the same towel you use for the rest of your body, as this is a surefire way to expose it to lots of bacteria. Instead, dry it with sterilized gauze (having carefully cleaned and disinfected your hands.
Other essential measures:
– Avoid sleeping on your piercing during the initial scarring phase, as this will subject it to excessive pressure, resulting in irritation and inflammation, as well as potentially twisting the piece itself.
– Sleep well (7-8 hours a night), stay hydrated (at least 1.5 litres of water a day) and stick to as healthy a diet as possible, opting for anti-inflammatory foods that boost our immune system such as orange, pineapple or or acerola juice. Garlic, onion, lemon, ginger, cauliflower, rocket, beetroot and all berries are also great immune boosters!
What to avoid:
Restrições: Steer clear of all foods that can cause inflammation. Examples include fried and fatty foods, prawns, soy, pepper and pork/bacon, as well as processed meats in general. If you must go for some of these foods, eat them in moderation!
NEVER touch your piercing with bare uncleaned hands, as prior to disinfection our hands are crawling with bacteria. There is also no need to touch the piercing even indirectly aside from when performing the daily cleaning/hygiene routines.
NEVER allow your mobile phone come into direct contact with the site of the piercing. Here it is important to be extra-vigilant with ear-piercings. As well as this, avoid the use of any ear/headphones for at least fifteen days, as these are also hives of bacteria.
Avoid swimming or entering the sea, freshwater or swimming pools for a minimum of 30 days after getting your piercing.
Avoid exposing the site of the piercing to an excess of direct sunlight.
Don’t be a hypochondriac – excessive cleaning of the site of the piercing can be highly detrimental.
Avoid the use of helmets for a minimum of 30 days.
Carla Horrana.