In the days gone by, body piercing was an art and identified exclusively with royalty that portrayed courage and virility. But modern day body piercing is more about as a way of claiming positive ownership of own bodies, adding oomph, defining sexuality and expression of soul.
WTN draws a checklist of before and after body piercing
When you decide
- Make sure you are immunised- especially hepatitis B and tetanus. If the equipment is contaminated, you may contract various blood-borne diseases — including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, tetanus and HIV
- Check with your medical advisor just in case the piercing becomes infected or leads to irritation, excessive swelling or bleeding
- Visit a dentist once to ensure your teeth and gums are healthy if you are getting a tongue or mouth pierced
Choose a professional
- You need to carefully choose an efficient body piercer. Even though you may have decided a ‘to be pierced spot’ seek you piercer’s advice. They know how people get bored with a pierce on a specific body part.
- A qualified practitioner is excellent in understanding the physiology and anatomy of the body part to be pierced
- It is essential to share your health history with the professional just incase you suffer from allergies, heart ailments, diabetes and the medications you are taking
- Understand the possible side effects such as pain, swelling, and how to handle them
- Pre-visit him/her to check if the environment is clean and get complete information if equipment is properly sterilised
- Ensure the quality of the piercing jewellery is gold, titanium, stainless steel or niobium
- You must not allow an untrained professional or even a friend (which has been seen) must not be allowed to do the piercing.
- Ensure that the professional washes his or her hands and wears fresh disposable gloves for each piercing, uses only fresh, sterile needles, uses heat-sterilisation machine (autoclave) after each piercing
Risks involved
- The pierce can suffer irritation leading to infection and pain if rubbed against clothes
- A wrongly positioned ring can lead to nerve damage
- Tongue piercing jewellery can damage gums, chip and crack teeths and cause swelling thus making chewing and swallowing difficult
After care
- Do not remove or replace the jewellery during the healing period. Most piercings take about six weeks to heal, but certain areas might take months or longer.
- Vitamin B with Zinc helps healing process. Ensure you are not low on them.
- Do not touch a new piercing or twist the jewellery unless it requires cleaning. Your fingers may pass on germs causing infection
- Avoid tight fits or trauma from clothes. Clothes can accidently cause friction, irritate or pull the pierced area and delay healing
- Just stay out of pools, rivers and lakes and water bodies that could be germ struck
- Strenuous exercises and activities must also be skipped especially if the piercing is done on the belly or any place that could get hurt
- Look out for allergies. Swelling, redness, pain or a pus-like discharge is possible after a piercing
- Have a good diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Healing may require six months to two years and a healthy diet ensures quick recovery
Safety measures
a) Postpone piercing if
- You have an infection or an open wound or if the wound doesn’t heal properly
- Have health conditions that weaken the immunity system, such as poorly controlled diabetes etc
b) Think twice if
- People prone to scarring or easily form keloids must ideally skip the idea of piercing
- Not all skin surfaces are suitable for piercing. For instance, people with tongue tie must not opt for tongue piercing
Caution
- Getting piercing done under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a complete no-no
- If you feel that the piercing is infected or if it isn’t healing properly refer to you medical advisor to prevent potentially serious complications
Approximate healing time required
- Ear lobes & eyebrow – 6 to 8 weeks
Naval & ear cartilage – 4 months to 1 year
Nasal septum & bridge – 6 to 10 weeks
Nostril & cheeks– 2 to 5 months
Tongue – 4 weeks
Lips & nipples – 3 to 6 months
Female genitalia – 4 to 10 weeks
Male genitalia – 4 weeks to 6 months
