Everything You Should Know About Body Piercings

Body piercing is all the rage with people of all ages. It involves making a hole in a body part in order to wear jewellery in the opening created. After a healing, a fistula will be created so that there is a hole. There are different piercing methods depending upon your requirements.

The standard method involves using a hollow needle to make an opening in the skin which does not go all the way through. The jewellery is then inserted and follows the needle back, to hold the slit open. The cannula method is similar to that of the standard but at the end of the needle there is a hollow plastic tube to insert the jewellery which is pulled through the hole along with the cannula. Piercing guns mechanically forces a stud through the body part.

A medical scalpel or pierce and taper is used for a large gauge body piercing, although the latter only works where the skin is very elastic. Pierce and taper is similar to the standard method, but after the hole is pierced with the needle, a tapered steel bar is inserted in order to make the opening bigger. The jewellery is directly inserted, following the bar. Piercings in the upper ear require removal of skin and cartilage therefore, a dermal punch is used to remove a circular area of tissue, where the jewellery will be worn.

PIERCINGS TIPS

Whether you are choosing to pierce ears, lips, noses, eyebrows, tongues, or something a bit more risqué, safety and hygiene should be your priority. Here are top ten tips for piercing safety.

1. Go To A Professional

Piercing is something that should only be performed by a professional to avoid complications or infections. It is a great deal more complicated than simply pushing a needle through a part of your body.

Choose a reliable professional and seek a consultation before you make the final decision.

2. Ask Questions

Think of a interviewing a potential piercer the same as you would a doctor. Ask about their cleanliness and disease prevention policies.

Diseases such as AIDS and Hepatitis can be spread through using dirty needles, so you should ensure your quality of health is not compromised.

If the professional is unable to provide you with the correct answers or seems to be unwilling to answer your questions, you may need to avoid the piercing parlour. Do not feel ashamed or embarrassed to ask the necessary questions, and beware of any so-called professional who seems unwilling or unable to provide answers.

3. Choose Carefully

Just as each body is different, everyone will not be able to successfully pierce their chosen spot. Once you seek a professional to pierce your body, ensure the piercing can be successful.

For example, individuals with a stick out belly button are unable to have a belly button piercing. Some people are unable to have their tongue correctly pierced due to the orientation of essential nerves and blood vessels.

4. Consider The Impact

It is a necessary fact of the matter that most employers frown upon visible body piercings. Regardless of your personal feeling on body piercings, know that you may be discriminated against or viewed in an unfavourable light by some individuals only due to your body piercings.

Before you decide on any piercing, consider the impact on your image and your life.

5. Choose Top Quality Jewellery

When it comes to choosing body jewellery, ensure you choose quality metals or high carbonate plastics that will work well in your body and not have any complications.

Most body piercing jewellery is either gold with a high karat count or surgical quality stainless steel. Avoid cheap or flimsy body jewellery and focus on the quality instead of the design.

6. Hygiene, Hygiene, Hygiene

Just like any type of trauma to a part of your body, body piercing comes with a risk of infection.  Infections from body piercings or any other type of trauma to your body can result in serious heart problems or even death if not properly attended to by a trained physician.  After the body part has been pierced, it is essential to keep the hole clean. Your body sees a piercing as a wound, so cleanliness is the key.

7. Keep It Dry

The hole should be kept dry until healing has commenced. Keep your piercing hole free of salvia, sweat, salt water, or chlorine water, since all of these liquids can case infection.

8. Avoid Makeup

If you are choosing a facial piercing, avoid polluting the hole with makeup. Most cosmetic products are made with oils that can invade the piercing hole and cause infection.

9. Identify Any Infection

Keep an eye out for infections that can quickly and easily cause pain and discomfort. Not all infections work in the same manner, but warning signs include any type of discharge from the wound, fever, pain, discomfort, swelling, and redness around the hole.

10. Medical Attention

If your piercing is exhibiting signs of infection or complication, immediately seek medical attention. Also, if the piercing is routinely painful and does not seem to heal, you should seek treatment by your primary health care provider.