Piercing Tips Masterlist
Hiya~!Â
 Todayâs list is on piercings. I currently have five (and want more), and Iâd like to share some tips and tricks Iâve discovered for getting them, taking care of them, and all of that lovely stuff! :D
1. CLEAN EM. SERIOUSLY. AT LEAST TWICE A DAY. This is especially important if you have a cartilage piercing. Those take longer to heal and are more finicky, so you are more likely to have complications if you arenât cleaning them (infections, scarring, bumps).Â
2. Make sure you follow your piercerâs aftercare directions. Itâs for your own good.
3. Do not use hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol to clean your piercings. This is really bad for them and can dry them out too much. Instead, use some saline (salt water designed to mimic your body fluids). You can buy some, but making your own is much cheaper. Just take a cup of water and stir about 1/2 tsp of sea salt in until itâs dissolved.
4. Learn the differences between an infection, irritation, and a normal healing piercing. Obviously we arenât all experts, so if youâre REALLY concerned, go see your piercer or a doctor. But there are a few key things to know:Â
- Your piercing is likely to be infected if: itâs swollen, abnormally warm to the touch, extra painful, red/purplish, and oozing YELLOWY GREEN or BROWNISH pus. There may also be a visible cyst or a pocket filled with pus. It is worth noting however that sometimes pus isnât visible until the hole is opened (by turning the ring a bit). When my lobes were infected, they looked fine on the outside, but if I turned the rings a bit they would ooze. Nasty stuff. Generally you arenât supposed to turn them, but if youâre suspicious, it canât hurt to check.Â
- If your piercing is: swollen, reddish, a little sore (especially when touched), and has a bump or two, but is NOT pussy or warm, itâs likely just irritated. You may have bumped or torn it accidentally at some point, or you might be allergic to the metal. If youâve torn it a bit, it may bleed a little.Â
- If you just got your piercing recently and itâs: bleeding a little, swollen, red, sore, and oozing clear/white/yellow liquid, itâs healing and this is all normal. If, however, you see signs of infection early on, get some help as soon as possible.
5. Bumps on cartilage piercings are not always scarring, keloids, or infection. Sometimes itâs just a little irritated. One thing that Iâve found really helps for bumps and swelling is to do warm saline soaks (fill a small cup with warm saline and dunk your piercing in for about five minutes or so). I often notice a difference the same day.Â
6. Cartilage piercings can be really tricky to heal. Some peopleâs just never heal. Make sure you see a doctor/piercer if youâre concerned and feel you may need to take it out.Â
7. On that note, DO NOT remove the jewelry until your body is fully (or mostly) healed. Your piercer will have specific instructions for this (if theyâre good). And if you suspect you have an infection, DO NOT take it out. This can trap the infection inside of your body and cause complications, since the jewelry keeps the hole open so it can drain.Â
8. In cases where you have to take out jewelry, try not to leave it out for too long if you want to keep the hole, otherwise it may need to be re-pierced. Generally, the longer youâve had a piercing, the longer itâll stay open, but this wonât be the same for everyone.Â
9. Be gentle with new/infected piercings. Donât touch it unless you have to, and donât play with it. Be extra careful with your hair (for ear piercings, especially the helix). Youâll want to put it up when itâs wet because it can put painful pressure on your ear. Also be really careful when brushing/combing--catching a hoop on the tines of a brush is NOT FUN. If youâre getting your hair done professionally, donât be afraid to mention to the hairdresser that you have a sensitive spot. That way they can avoid accidentally hurting you by bumping it. If you are a side sleeper and you have an ear piercing, get a really big sock and tuck one end into the other to make a donut. Sleep with your ear in the hole. It really helps and is more comfy than a travel pillow!
10. Most infections can be treated at home by doing saline soaks and/or hot compresses (wetting a washcloth and applying it gently to your ear). You can also try silver spray/drops, which is a powerful antibiotic.Â
11. However, if you have signs of a blood infection, like: a fever, upset stomach, and red streaks radiating out from the site of infection, see a doctor ASAP. You may need antibiotics.
12. Studs, in some cases, can be less irritating than hoops. If youâre having trouble healing a piercing, try switching to a stud.Â
13. Make sure youâre getting pierced with implant-grade metal (titanium, surgical steel, or niobium). Some people are prone to allergic reactions to other metals, especially nickel.Â
14. For the love of all that is good and pure, DO NOT PIERCE YOURSELF AT HOME. Please donât. There are so many things that can go wrong, even if you think youâre doing it right (sterilizing, using an actual kit, etc.). Just because it worked for a Youtuber or your friend doesnât mean itâll work for you. Piercers get lots of education on the proper methods of piercing certain spots. There are certain spots on your body where if you pierce it, you can hit a nerve and cause lasting damage or an infection. Please, please donât. Getting it professionally done may be more expensive, but itâs better than having to pay massive bills for treating a nasty infection or having to deal with permanent nerve damage or scarring.
15. If you have blood sugar issues or fainting, youâll want to be extra careful about getting a piercing because it can cause your levels to drop drastically really fast. Some piercers will offer you some juice or something to make sure your levels are high enough beforehand, but just to be safe, have something at home before you go. Make sure you let them know if you have any of these issues. Itâs also a really bad idea to not eat before you go for this reason as well.Â
16. Donât get a piercing impulsively. Do some research beforehand, and maybe even do a little photo editing to see if youâll like it. The last thing you want is to spend lots of money to get a piercing only to realize you actually hate it on yourself. A piercing is also a hole, and it will most likely leave a scar of some kind, and some will be more visible than others.
17. At the same time, donât get a piercing because someone else wants you to, or because everyone else is doing it. Get a piercing because you want to, and you think itâll look good.
18. Make sure your piercer sterilizes everything properly in front of you. Do your research and make sure that the studio you go to is a good one. This can make a world of difference in terms of healing.Â
19. DO NOT get your piercings done with a gun. It causes way more shock to your bodyâs tissues, and they are very hard to sterilize properly. Trust me, a needle is a lot less traumatic.
20. Pain levels will be different for everyone. Obviously some places will hurt more than others. A general rule of thumb though is that soft tissue (earlobes, septum), will hurt less, and cartilage will hurt more. Healing time also tends to be longer for cartilage piercings. Try not to tense up during the procedure if you can, because this will make the pain hurt more. Itâs usually only bad for a second or two though, so donât worry!
21. If you get something thatâs a little out there, some people are going to stare, and some people are not going to like it. Ignore them, and if they stare, just stare back and smile! A piercing is your own special form of self-expression, and no one has any right to judge you for it.
22. Whether or not you get a piercing is up to you, but there are a couple things you need to consider still--where you want to work and (donât come after me please) if youâre still young, what your parents will think. Some workplaces donât see specific piercings as professional, and having them could decrease your chances of being hired at a job. It sucks, and itâs not fair, but unfortunately thatâs the way the world works at this point. :(Â
28. And as for your parents, generally if they donât want you to get pierced, they are speaking for your own good and they have a legitimate reason for it. Generally for any body mods itâs a good idea to wait until youâre older anyways, because they are often permanent, and what you like and what you think looks good is going to change a lot as you grow up. Your parents are likely worried that youâre going to do something you regret, or that people will judge you because of it. Itâs annoying sometimes, but parents often know best (theyâre older and more mature), and thinking you know better than them can be really dangerous. It sucks, but it doesnât hurt to wait until youâre a little older first. Besides that, going behind their backs to do something can really hurt your relationship with them, and tells them that you canât be trusted.
On the other hand, if you arenât legally a minor anymore, they donât have a right to prevent you from getting one. Itâs still worth considering the consequences though.
Hope this was helpful in some way! If I got any facts wrong, please please message me about it! I donât want to spread any misinformation.










