Proper belly button piercing aftercare is needed to heal your “brand new” navel piercing. The faster your new piercing heals, the sooner you can try new belly rings! There are three stages in the healing process:

Stage One: The Inflammatory Stage. Your new piercing is an open wound. Bleeding, swelling and tenderness are all expected.

Stage Two: The Growth phase. This can last several months when you get a Belly Piercing. In this phase, your body reacts to heal the wound. ‘Crusties’ are common to this phase. Crusties are formed when some discharge from your new piercing dries and forms a crust on your jewelry. Never pick at crusties with dirty fingernails. During phase two, your body seals the channel of the piercing. Your piercing is considered healed at the end of this phase but may still be quite tender and will still need care.

Stage Three: The Maturation Phase. The channel of the piercing matures and becomes scar tissue. You may find that your piercing moves from stage two to three and back again many times before it heals fully. If a piercing is mistreated it can regress very quickly and you may find yourself back at square one.As discussed, crusties, formed by a clear discharge from your piercing, are common. But do not confuse this clear discharge with pus, which is a thick, colored(yellowish-white) and foul-smelling substance. Pus is often indicative of infection.One other normal piercing secretion is called sebum. This is often mistaken for pus but is recognizable by the fact that it is more solid, or cheese-like. It too, is foul-smelling. It is naturally produced by the body and is not a sign of infection.

BASIC PIERCING AFTERCARE

There are many things to consider with a new piercing. You must be committed to your piercing and follow the instructions given to the best of your ability.

Hygiene

Good health

Avoid trauma

Soaking in saline

Cleaning your piercing

HYGIENE

wash your hands before touching jewelry

change bedding and towels at least once a week

don’t sleep with your pets

avoid exchange of body fluids in the affected area

use disposable paper products to dry piercings

your own sweat won’t affect the piercing as long as you clean it correctly

GOOD HEALTH

get plenty of rest

eat a healthy, balanced diet

drink lots of water

avoid emotional stress where possible

avoid excessive alcohol or caffeine

don’t use recreational drugs

don’t smoke – smoking causes narrowing of the blood vessels, which inhibits oxygen circulation in the blood, and lengthens healing times considerably.

AVOID TRAUMA

do not play with your new piercing

do not change the piercing too quickly or unnecessarily

handle your piercing very lightly when cleaning

try to wear clothes and underwear that will reduce or minimize friction

take care of your piercing during physical activity such as exercise.

Do not expose your piercing to hot tubs, pools, oceans or lakes – they are a breeding ground for infection. A Nexcare Waterproof Bandage or Tegaderm Tranparent Dressing can be used to protect the piercing.

SOAKING IN SALINE

Apply salt solution on your fresh navel piercing every day. Just soak some cotton wool with saline solution and place over your navel for 5 to 10 minutes once or twice a day. If there’s some crusting on the belly ring, remove it gently.You can make saline solution at home – dilute about 1/4 teaspoon of non iodized sea salt to 1 cup of clean, warm water and apply on your piercing twice a day. Or you can buy a saline solution at a drugstore or on the Net.Don’t forget to soak your piercing with saline solution after your piercing seems to be well healed and there’s no puss coming out and crusting doesn’t form.

CLEANING YOUR PIERCING

Do not use alcohol, bactine or hydrogen peroxide to clean the piercing under any circumstances. Stick to the following, proven, inexpensive methods and you will be fine.

Use a mild, antibacterial soap to clean the piercing once or twice a day, preferably in the shower. Clean your hands and the rest of your body before cleaning your piercing. This will also loosen any crusties or other dirt around the piercing. Use cotton swabs or gauze pads to remove any stubborn matter – try to avoid using fingernails.

Belly ring materials that improve aftercare

Your piercing will secrete fluids for some time and they will crust on your belly ring. You’ll clean it with belly button piercing aftercare sticks or saline solution, of course. But it may become infected anyway and you should choose a belly button ring that can reduce the likelihood of infection. Bioplast is a material proven to possess such qualities and you can get bioplast navel ring in great colors and styles. Gold, Titanium and Stainless Steel are also popular choices for first-time piercings.

Do you wish to experiment with your look and add some glamour? There are many ways you can achieve this. Going for a different hair-cut or experimenting with some different make-up techniques. But how about going for an eyebrow piercing?Have doubts in your mind? Let us find out what eyebrow piercing is all about, the risks and precautionary measures.

What is Eyebrow piercing ?

Eyebrow piercing is a common facial piercing. Eyebrow piercing is usually done at a 40 degree angle from the outside corner of the eyebrow to make the jewelry sit better and also to prevent any damage to some of the important nerves that run inside.

It is very important to choose a professional to do the eyebrow piercing for you. It is therefore recommended to take your time choosing a right one. Eyebrow piercers often have pictures of their work. So it’s always a good idea to have a look at their work and then choose a style.Like all piercings, eyebrow piercing also hurts. But the good news is that in this case the pain is only going to last only a few seconds, you therefore don’t need to look for any numbing cream. Eyebrow piercing usually takes 5-8 weeks to heal. Proper care makes the piercing heal faster. The eyebrow piercing generally closes within 3-5 weeks of removal of the jewelry.

Eyebrow piercing Risks :

There is a high risk of infection if proper care is not taken during the piercing process or the piercing is not looked after.

Risk during the eyebrow piercing process :

If the piercing is performed at home or the piercing equipment is not properly sterilized.

Risk during the eyebrow piercing aftercare process :

Touching the piercing quite often during the healing period raises the risk of infection.

Eyebrow piercing Jewelry :

The common types of jewelry worn in eyebrow piercing are curved barbells and captive bead rings.

Eyebrow piercing care :

Follow the following eyebrow piercing aftercare steps to avoid infections and quick healing.

Clean the piercing daily. It is important to remove any crusting that has formed around the jewelry. To do this, make a solution of warm water and table salt. Soak a clean cotton ball in the solution and gently wipe around the piercing for 2-3 minutes. Rinse with fresh water and move the jewelry very gently to ensure that there is no crusting left.

Pat it dry. It is important to deal with your eyebrow piercing gently during its healing stage. Use a clean tissue or piece of toilet paper. Avoid towels. And remember not to rub it as rubbing can worsen the situation.

• Apply some healing oils at the piercing and move the jewelry gently.
• It is best not to touch or move the piercing a lot during the months of healing.
• Avoid any cosmetic or hair-product exposure to your eyebrow piercing. Cosmetics contain different ingredients that can trigger irritation and infection.
• Last but not the least once your eyebrow piercing has fully healed, you are free to change your jewelry whenever you wish. Always wear good quality body jewelry of appropriate size and thickness. Take proper care so infections do not creep in after your initial piercing has healed.

  Eyebrow piercing pictures

Properly caring for your tongue piercing minimizes the risk of developing complications associated with infection and improper care regimens. A tongue piercing typically heals in just 2 to 4 weeks. Investing the extra time caring for the piercing during this period ensures you can resume your usual oral activities as quickly as possible.

Care for your newly pierced tongue actually begins with the selection of your jewelry and piercing agent. Acrylic tipped barbells tend to be less damaging to a wearer�s teeth and gum tissue than metal or gemstone accents. Plunging a large, 14 gage needle through your tongue is not a task to be foisted upon a friend. Spend the $40-$75 and hire a professional. Visit a body piercing studio and inquire about their cleanliness and sterilization procedures. You can even contact your health department and find out if the studio you have in mind is in full compliance with local ordinances. Caring for your tongue piercing should never include treatment for a serious disease � such as hepatitis � contracted during the piercing procedure.

It may be a good idea to take ibuprofen before your tongue is pierced. The ibuprofen will not only help to minimize the pain associated with the procedure but also reduce the amount of swelling. Many people expect discomfort associated with pain, but few are aware of how inconvenient it is to have a hugely swollen tongue. Eating, talking and even brushing teeth are difficult for most people after their tongues are pierced. In addition to taking ibuprofen, sucking on ice chips or frozen pops can help. Although it is also nice and cold, avoid ice cream. The dairy may introduce unwelcome bacteria into your mouth which could lead to infection. Swelling can also be minimized by keeping your head positioned well above your heart. During the day, most of us have no problem adhering to this advice. At nighttime, do not lay flat. Support your head with as many pillows as you need to keep your head elevated while sleeping.

Avoid putting anything extra in your mouth while your tongue is healing. Don�t chew on pens, keep your fingers out of your mouth, and try not to smoke. You risk introducing foreign bacteria into your mouth whenever you put something in it. This could result in a dangerous infection. Buy a new toothbrush and start using it right after you get your tongue pierced. Resist the temptation to share eating utensils, food or anything else you put in your mouth with other people. Refrain from engaging in any oral sex during the healing period. This will help your new piercing heal without incident.

Rinsing your mouth regularly is important while your piercing is healing. You will need to use an alcohol-free mouthwash � many of these are available at drugstores in the oral care aisle. A sea salt rinse is also important to maintain good oral health for the first few weeks following your piercing. If you cannot find it at your local drugstore or grocer, ask the professional who pierced your tongue if he carries it. One tablespoon of sea salts dissolved in a cup of warm water should be swished around your mouth for about a minute then spit out. Do this at least twice per day for the first 14-21 days.

Your oral cavity is not likely to become infected because of the presence of saliva. Saliva has many antimicrobial properties since it is part of your body�s first line of defense against disease and bacteria. In addition, the cells lining your mouth are replaced almost twice as fast as the cells that make up your skin and other organs. This means infections don�t have much opportunity to gain a foothold � even with an open wound similar to the one caused by your tongue piercing.

Finally, resist the temptation to play with your new piercing. Don�t bang it against the back of your teeth or chew on it. It can damage your teeth and gums. Leave it in place until you are certain the piercing is healed. The hole on your tongue can close up very quickly if the piercing is removed. Once it is healed, you still will need to mindful about washing your hands before changing your tongue jewelry. It is a good practice to continue keeping foreign objects out of your mouth.

If you have any questions about the proper care of your tongue piercing, ask the professional who pierced it. Many will provide you with written instructions to refer to in the event you experience a problem.