With piercings becoming a super popular choice for teens and adults alike, it is important that you place safety as a top priority! Piercings can come with a host of unwanted issues that will lead to an overall negative experience, so we have put together this list of Ten Tips for a Positive Piercing Experience to help all of you avoid any bad experiences! Let's get started.
O N E
Finding a great piercer is super important! Often, your piercer will make or break your piercing experience. Make sure that you have found a professional and reputable piercer and that their shop places hygiene as their number one priority. Do not visit any piercer who uses a pressurized gun to perform any piercing! Great piercers use hollow needles for all piercings and have extremely clean workspaces. Ask them to see their portfolio so you can ensure that they do great work! Many piercers have instagram, profiles where they highlight their very best work and flaunt their style- so its easy to find a piercer that will know just how to express your style!
T W O
There may be a piercing that you really really want, but in order to minimize complications you should only get that piercing if your anatomy is suited for it. This is something you will work out with your piercer, which is another reason you want a professional and reputable piercer. For example, some people want an industrial but the folds of their ear does not allow space for the one end of the bar. A great piercer will help you find an alternative way to do the industrial (such as bend it or vertical industrial), but a non pro would just pierce you anyways, leaving you with lots of issues to deal with on your own as this incorrect piercing would not heal.
T H R E E
Before deciding to get a certain piercing, you should also consider any lifestyle changes you may need to make to allow the piercing to heal. This includes any swimming, sports, or sleep habits that will knock the piercing! For example, if you play the catcher in softball and you have to rip your helmet off often, you may not want to get a forward helix as it would likely be hit every time you remove your helmet! If you are a side sleeper, invest in a 'U' shaped travel pillow to sleep with your ear in the middle of. If you're getting a belly or nipple piercing, remember that a loofah may not be your best friend for washing in the shower!
F O U R
Be sure that the jewelry that is inserted after your initial piercing is made of an implant grade material- 316L surgical steel, Implant Grade Titanium, Niobium, or 14kt Gold are great options! You also want to make sure that this jewelry is internally threaded, meaning that the outside of the bar is completely smooth and any rigid threading is tucked into the inside. If the initial jewelry is externally threaded, you run the risk of messing up your piercings healing when you change your jewelry!
F I V E
Don't be afraid to ask questions! Ask your piercer anything you may want to know. Also, be sure to ask them what gauge they are piercing you with and write it down or memorize it, as this will be very important when buying jewelry later down the road.
S I X
Take a friend for support! Everyone knows that piercings are always more fun with a friend, and they can really help calm your nerves throughout the process. It's even better if they get a piercing too! If you can, make a day of it and go for a movie or dinner afterwards.
S E V E N
Aftercare is extremely important and is most important right under having a great piercer. You should use a gentle sterile saline spray such as NeilMed Piercing Aftercare 1-2 times per day. Do not spin or remove the jewelry during healing and do not sleep on it. When your piercing develops crusts, don't remove them- simply let the warm water in the shower run over then for a few minutes before you get out. The golden rule is LITHA: Leave It The Hell Alone! If you need a more in depth explanation and other aftercare options, see our aftercare blog.
E I G H T
You want to avoid touching your piercing as much as possible, but you do need to check every other day or so that your jewelry remains tight. Since most body jewelry is threaded to allow easy insertion and removal, the balls or tops often unwind themselves throughout your daily life. Get in the habit of checking and tightening them often, because it is super sad to lose a cute piece of jewelry or lose your piercing altogether! Be sure to wash your hands before you check the jewelry and clean your piercings right afterwards to prevent any germs.
N I N E
Don't forget to plan out any future piercings you may want! Be sure to think about this before adding anything new, as you don't want to get a piercing now that prevents you from achieving the look you want later. To learn how to design your own beautiful ear flow, visit our tutorial.
T E N
Be excited! Flaunt your new piercing to everyone! You are one of the few who are brave enough to endure the needle and the whole healing process in order to adorn your body with a tiny piece of art and for that you should be proud. Share with anyone who will listen, and share these tips with them if they are considering getting a piercing of their own.
These are ten tips that I and many others have found the most helpful through the years, and I hope that you have found them helpful as well! If you liked this, it would mean the world if you would share it using one of the buttons below!
Much love,
Kourtney 🖤