Trapped moisture around a piercing can cause a buildup of fluid in the piercing channel as well as other complications with healing.
Excessive moisture can be a problem and this is most commonly experienced in navel and ear piercings. Keep the piercing dry by using a piece of gauze at the end of your shower to gently pat the piercing, or let it air dry before putting clothing over it.
For piercings to heal it is important that the area remains clean and dry. Swimming may surround the opening of the piercing with bacteria. This may cause infection, through the opening in your skin.
Let air-dry or pat dry with non-woven gauze or clean paper towel (no hand towels that could snag jewelry or contain bacteria). Rinse your piercing daily with fresh warm water in the shower to clean away any excess crusty discharge. Keep yourself healthy!
3) It is normal for dried blood or serous fluid (yellow crust) to form around the edges of your piercing. DO NOT pick it away while it is dry.
If it's wet, dry it by dabbing it with a sterile disposable tissue/gauze or by using a hair dryer on the cool setting. If it's dirty, gently wash around the piercing with a mild anti-bacterial soap and rinse with distilled water or saline.
Note: Do not let your piercing air dry while healing. If you are having difficulties with drying your piercing, after you've dried all the moisture you can off the piercing, use a hair dryer on a cool setting to evaporate moisture left behind.
Avoid baths, hot tubs, swimming pools, saunas, lakes, etc. for the first three weeks after being pierced as they contain bacteria which can increase the risk of infection.
DRY by gently patting with clean, disposable paper products because cloth towels can harbor bacteria and snag on jewelry, causing injury. For hands-free drying that won't move your jewelry or irritate your piercing, you can use a hair dryer on the cool air setting.
DO NOT pick the crusties off—that's just introducing your dirty hands to a healing piercing and can increase your risk of infection. The best way to clean them is to soak the piercing in warm saline solution, softening the crusties which then come off easily.
Handle your piercing ONLY after washing your hands, and ONLY when it is being cleaned. Be sure to follow the cleaning directions outlined in the information below. Overcleaning can slow healing and cause irritation. Overcleaning is just as bad as undercleaning.
If you don't clean your piercing regularly, you could develop complications like infection, scarring, and inflammation, our experts explain. Additionally, the piercing could potentially take longer to heal. Keep in mind that some types of piercings are more likely to become infected than others.
But make sure you don't use too much salt or not enough water. If you over salt the mixture, you will not only dehydrate the bacteria but also dry out the upper dermis around the piercing, which can lead to microscopic cracks in your skin.
Furthermore, as with anything good, over doing sea salt soak will dry out the piercing or cause chaffing. This is where a Steri-Wash spray become invaluable. The spray is much more convenient to use by just spraying on the sea salt which helps with the crusties, lymph and healing.
Don't touch a new piercing or twist the jewelry unless you're cleaning it. Keep clothing away from the piercing, too. Excessive rubbing or friction can irritate your skin and delay healing. Keep the jewelry in place.
You should avoid swimming for at least 24 hours after having a piercing, and ideally until it has healed properly. While it's still healing, it's important to keep the piercing dry as there's a risk of infection.
Don't eat spicy, salty or acidy foods or liquids while you are healing. Avoid hot drinks such as hot chocolate, coffee, and tea. Eat cold foods and drinks as they lessen swelling. Be extra careful when eating crunchy foods.
It's best to just clean the piercing and jewelry thoroughly without actually moving it. Rinse the piercing and jewelry several times with warm water, ensuring that all soap has been removed.
Tongue piercings have the fastest healing duration of all piercings at only two weeks before you can downsize the bar. Lower lip piercings have a minimum of 6-8 weeks, while upper lip piercings (such as madonna or monroe piercings) take around 8 weeks.
A piercing may not heal as fast if it gets infected or irritated or if scar tissue forms. You may need to see your doctor if your piercing does not seem to be healing.