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This article was co-written by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee is a licensed family physician practicing in Tennessee. She received her MSN from the University of Tennessee in 2006.
There are 10 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 1,243 times.
Piercing is a great way to show off your personality, but your body sees it as a wound that needs to be healed. That’s why you should clean your piercing gently with salt water several times a day. You should be active gently so that the wound heals quickly and does not become infected. With proper care, the wound of the piercing will heal quickly.
Steps
Keep the piercing site clean
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Buy saline at a piercing or drugstore. A piercing facility sells saline, or you can buy it at a drugstore, supermarket, or online. On the salt water bottle, it is often written “Salt water for wound cleaning”. [1] X Research Source
- Homemade brine:
Completely dissolve 1/8 teaspoon (0.7 g) of non-iodized salt in 240ml of warm distilled water. - Don’t buy saline solution to clean contact lenses because it’s too strong for the wound.
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Wash your hands before cleaning the wound. The wound can become infected if bacteria get into it, so wash your hands thoroughly with soapy water before touching the wound. Dry your hands with a clean cloth or paper towel. [2] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source
- Avoid exposing freshly pierced wounds to dirty water such as lakes, swimming pools or bathtubs to reduce the risk of infection.
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Apply a saline-soaked gauze to the wound for 5 minutes. Dip gauze or tissue in either purchased saline or homemade saline and gently place the gauze over the wound for 5 minutes. This will soften the skin flakes near the piercing site, which will be removed as you pat the wound dry. Do not pluck these scales while the skin is dry, or the skin may become irritated.
- Some medical professionals recommend rotating the jewelry while the skin is still wet to help introduce saline into the wound. Never rotate jewelry when the skin is dry to avoid affecting the healing process.
- If you can dip the piercing in salt water, soak it for about 5 minutes. To soak the wound, fill a basin with water and dissolve the salt in it. You can also use a sitz bath to soak your genital piercing.
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Pat the wound dry with a clean paper towel. After the salt water has penetrated into the piercing, gently blot the wound with a few sheets of tissue. Once the wound is dry, throw away the used tissue. [3] X Research Sources
- Do not use a cloth towel even if it is clean. Cloth towels are easy to get caught in jewelry, as well as can carry bacteria that are harmful to the wound.
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Clean twice a day until the wound heals. While you might think that cleaning a wound more can help it heal faster, cleaning too often can actually dry out the skin. You should only clean the wound twice a day until it is completely healed. The healing time depends on the piercing location. [4] X Research Sources
- For example, an ear piercing takes up to four months to heal, while a navel, genital, or nipple piercing takes six months. Most mouth or face piercings will heal within 8 weeks.
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Avoid using rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to clean the wound. You should clean the wound as gently as possible, so do not use products that dry or irritate the skin. Avoid alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antibacterial hand sanitizers, and highly alkaline soaps. [5] X Research Sources
- Some of these products contain alcohol which will dry out the skin. It causes dead skin cells to accumulate and form scabs near the wound.
Prevention and treatment of infection
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Do not touch or scratch the piercing. Try not to touch the wound so that the skin can heal normally. If you touch or rub your piercing unnecessarily, bacteria can enter and damage the skin. [6] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source
- You should also avoid wearing makeup or using cosmetics such as body oils or perfumes. They can cause wound irritation.
- If you often touch jewelry, the wound will take longer to heal.
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Watch for swelling or irritation in the wound, as that is a sign of infection. A new piercing will cause pain and bleeding for a few days, but if it doesn’t get better or gets worse, it may be infected. Look for the following signs of infection if you have had your piercing for at least 3 days: [7] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to source
- Continuous bleeding or pain to the touch
- Swelling
- Painful
- Translate yellow or green
- Fever
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Get medical attention right away if you think the wound is infected . Do not hesitate if you suspect the wound has become infected. Do not remove jewelry and contact your doctor. They may have to prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection. When you leave the jewelry in place, the pus can drain out for a few days. [8] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source
- If you remove jewelry, the wound can close and make it difficult to treat an infection.
Supports wound healing
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Wear loose-fitting and non-tightening clothing. If the wound is in your clothes, you should not wear tight clothing. Friction will cause irritation and prolong healing time. Instead, you should wear loose, soft clothing that doesn’t get caught in jewelry. [9] X Research Source
- Loose clothing will help circulate air, prevent infection, and help wounds heal.
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Get plenty of rest to help your body recover. As with other wounds, healing will happen faster if the body is not busy fighting other problems. If you are a teenager, you should sleep at least 8-10 hours. If you are an adult, you should sleep at least 7 hours a night. [10] X Trusted Source Centers for Disease Contrp and Prevention Go to source
- Find ways to manage stress so your body can focus on recovery. You can do yoga, meditate, listen to music, or go for a walk.
- If your piercing is somewhere on your head, spread a clean pillowcase over your pillow so it doesn’t irritate the wound while you sleep.
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Take a shower instead of a bath until the wound is completely healed. You should avoid letting shampoo, soap or germs come into contact with your piercing. Since this can’t be avoided if you take a bath, shower with soap and shampoo and don’t let soap or shampoo get on the wound. [11] X Research Source
- If you still want to take a bath, clean the tub thoroughly before entering. Do not let soap or shampoo get into the wound and wash the skin thoroughly after stepping out.
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Make sure to provide adequate nutrition and water to the body to maintain a healthy immune system. Eat a healthy diet that includes good sources of vitamin C and zinc to help wounds heal faster and prevent infection. Eat foods like whole grains, strawberries, spinach, and dairy products to maintain a balanced diet. In addition to a healthy diet, you need to drink 2.5 – 3.5 liters of fluids per day to stay hydrated. [12] X Research Source eatright.org/health/wellness/preventing-illness/nutrition-tips-to-promote-wound-healing
- Avoid drinks with a lot of sugar because they are not helpful for the immune system.
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Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol to speed up the healing process. Research shows that drinking alcohol and smoking can slow wound healing. In order for your piercing to heal faster, you should quit smoking and stop drinking alcohol. [13] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source
- Remember that your body treats the piercing like a normal wound and will heal on its own. You should not work much for a few days to help your body recover faster.
Advice
- Ask your piercer for advice if you are concerned about anything. They will be happy to hear from you.
- Ask your piercer about healing times and instructions for caring for your piercing.
Warning
- Leave jewelry alone if you think the wound is infected, and seek medical attention immediately. If you remove the jewelry, it will be difficult to treat the infection and drain the pus.
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This article was co-written by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee is a licensed family physician practicing in Tennessee. She received her MSN from the University of Tennessee in 2006.
There are 10 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 1,243 times.
Piercing is a great way to show off your personality, but your body sees it as a wound that needs to be healed. That’s why you should clean your piercing gently with salt water several times a day. You should be active gently so that the wound heals quickly and does not become infected. With proper care, the wound of the piercing will heal quickly.
Thank you for reading this post How to Clean a Piercing Wound? at Tnhelearning.edu.vn You can comment, see more related articles below and hope to help you with interesting information.
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