- It is possible to receive/spread an infection if the piercing equipment hasn't been sterilized properly. NEVER get a piercing that wasn't sterilized first!
- Infections caused by bacteria getting into the puncture of the piercing can happen later, even after the piercing has healed. Prevent this by cleaning your piercing and area at least twice a day.
- If the studio uses a piercing gun to do body piercings, LEAVE! Piercing guns cannot be sterilized and should NOT be used for body piercing.
- You can have an allergic reaction to the certain kind of jewelry used. (More information on different types of jewelry listed below.)
- Bleeding may happen from the piercing.
- Ear Lobe 4-6 weeks
- Ear Cartilage 3-6 month
- Tongue 4-6 weeks
- Eyebrow 9-12 weeks
- Nose 2-4 months
- Lip 2-3 months
- Nipple 3-6 months
- Navel (Belly Button) 9 months - 1 year
- Stainless Steel: The most common used. Least likely to produce an infection in the skin.
- Gold: Costs more than stainless steel. it tends to wear away easily and it can chip with even the slightest contact of the body. Some people have difficulty with gold jewelry piercing because it contains "nickel"—a metal that many people are allergic to.
- Titanium: Cost more than stainless steel. Can be used for new piercings. Titanium is usually used for surgical implants inside the human body. It's recommended that titanium jewelry be polished often to reduce the "porosity" it may take a toll in the skin.
- Always wash your hands before touching or cleaning your piercing. This is hard to remember, but any sort of bacteria that you may have on your hands could really mess with your piercing.
- Clean any dirt off the area and from the jewelry with warm water.
- Gently wash the area around the piercing with a mild liquid antibacterial soap every day. There is also a sea-salt piercing cleanser that is sold at your average department store.
- Never use a towel on your new piercing. Towels are often full of bacteria. Instead, use napkins or a paper towel or a cotton ball.
- Repeat steps 1-4 twice a day. Overdoing it or under-doing it may irritate the area.
- Since every new piercing needs air, never use an anti-ornament on it. Anti-ornaments block air from getting through.
- Never use hydrogen peroxide as it can irritate healing tissue.
