You adore peeking at your latest piercing, but it can be delicate for a few days afterwards. Minor pain, swelling and redness are expected and normal for a few days, but the thrilling news is that the pain is manageable, and the swelling can be reduced at home with a few simple remedies.
We all know that pain is subjective and affects differently on people, but that doesn’t make it hurt less if you’re going to get a new piercing for the first time and are overwhelmed with the idea. Keep reading this article to find simple ways that can help minimize the anxiety and pain of the first experience.
Things you should know about breathing and meditation
If you are new to the subject, then be prepared to be amazed at how much breathing and meditation calm the nerves and barricade against fear. The method surprisingly lowers anxiety and pain. The jittery, nervous feeling can be reduced by something simple as quietly sitting and focusing while controlling your breathing.
Here are a few pre-piercing calming tips if your appointment is coming up and you want to prepare beforehand.
- Sit or lay comfortably in a position that works both ways for you and the piercer.
- Exercise the deep breathing technique by focusing on the words “breath in” breath out”. This way, your mind will focus on the terms and won’t wander off.
- Calming playlist and soothing sounds greatly help against anxiety.
- Don’t look directly at the needle; close your eyes to eliminate distractions.
If you have your own method of meditation, use it to make things easier when getting under the needle.
Pain relief remedies
1. Chamomile tea compress: Steep a tea bag of chamomile in boiling water and let it be there for at least 10 minutes. Now take a cotton swab, dab it in the water a few times, and compress it gently on your new piercing. Chamomile tea can be used 3 times a week for faster healing. Some people squeeze the tea bag and use it on the wounded area. This helps, too, if you don’t have any cotton swabs. You can dip it twice or thrice in the water for compression. Chamomile enters the deeper skin layers to fight inflammation, which kills germs and soothes the skin.
2. Anti-inflammatory pain medicine: There are also many medicines for pain relief which have a higher effect against swelling. We recommend using the one doctors describe. There are, however, some medicines most people use for pain, like NSAID, ibuprofen, and aspirin, to treat inflammation and pain. Before using the medication, make sure you are not allergic to it. Read the instruction and take the correct dosage to avoid any complications.
3. Cool liquids and food for oral piercings: Within 24 to 48 hours of the oral piercing, try sucking an ice cube or popsicle to numb the area. It helps with lip, cheek and tongue piercing. Drinking plenty of water also has its effects on managing pain. Eat cold foods like frozen yoghurt, ice cream and frozen fruits. It is recommended to avoid hot beverages like coffee, tea, soups and spicy foods for a few days. They might irritate your new oral piercing. Tobacco, alcohol and smoking can scrape the wound, so avoid them too. This works only for oral piercings; however, non-oral piercings don’t need extra ice compression. It can worsen the situation by causing more swelling.
4. Keep the piercing inside until it heals: Always get a recommended time period from your experienced piercer and keep the jewellery inside until that time. Leave it for as long as required because premature removal can cause an infection and your piercing to close. Putting the jewellery back into a swollen, unhealed hole is sometimes more painful. Depending on the location, most piercings take at least 6-8 weeks to heal. Of course, healing is different for everyone, and so does time. For instance, some piercings, like the belly button or nipple piercing, take 12 months or more to properly heal.
Piercing jewellery aftercare
Piercing jewellery usually comes with instructions for aftercare. However, these instructions are not always easy to follow, resulting in some people suffering from infections and allergic reactions due to improper care for their piercing jewellery. Here are a few tips for aftercare that will help you keep your piercing jewellery safe and healthy for extended periods.
- The piercing jewellery should be taken off after a certain period of time as they are not meant to be worn for a long time.
- Jewellery is designed to be worn for a short time, so it is vital to take them off after the recommended time. You may want to take them off sooner if you notice any redness, swelling or irritation around the jewellery.
- It is important to keep your jewellery clean and dry at all times, especially if you have sensitive skin. This will ensure that your body doesn’t react with the metal and cause an allergic reaction or infection.
Apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the jewellery after cleaning it with soap and water.
- Rinse with clean water and pat dry before putting on new jewellery.
- Cleanse the area around the piercing twice daily using lukewarm water and mild soap or an antiseptic solution if available.
- Stay hydrated, consume a healthy diet, and get a ton of sleep.
How to treat a bad piercing reaction
Jewellery piercings can cause infections in the body if not treated properly. There are a few ways to treat an infection caused by jewellery piercing. The best way is to get it removed and then treated with antibiotics or antiseptics. If that’s not possible, the jewellery should be removed and cleaned with soap and water before being re-inserted.
Piercing jewellery can cause infections if it is not treated correctly, so people should always seek medical advice for any problems they experience after piercing their bodies with a new piece of jewellery.
- Clean the infected area with soap and water.
- Apply hydrogen peroxide to the wound to kill bacteria.
- Apply a topical antibiotic ointment or cream over the wound and cover it with a bandage or dressing.
- Take an antihistamine tablet or spray to relieve allergy symptoms.