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BODY PIERCING FACTS |
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What type of jewelry
can I wear in my piercing?
- Tongue: Any straight
barbell may be worn. Those with
smooth, flat, or rounded balls
will be most comfortable.
Captive bead rings or ball
closure rings can often be worn
in piercing close to the tip of
the tongue.
- Eyebrow: One of the
most versatile piercing, it can
sport both straight and curved
barbells, as well as captive
rings.
- Navel: Curved
barbells or captive rings are
generally worn. Belly rings are
popular, but care should be
taken by those who are pierced
at an angle to avoid those
styles that require a straight
vertical axis. A Twister or
spiral barbell may be worn in a
navel piercing in the same way
that a circular barbell would.
- Earlobe: Probably the
easiest piercing to fill, the
earlobe can wear anything that
is the correct gauge. Some
styles may not be visually
appropriate for an earlobe. This
piercing tends to have the
widest variation of gauges, but
that is due largely to
stretching and the unfortunate
use of piercing guns.
- Labret/Lip: A labret
will nearly always require a
flatback barbell. Flatback
labrets are ready-to-wear.
Simply unscrew the front ball
and insert into the piercing,
being sure to retighten the ball
all the way. Lip piercing can
often accept a captive ring that
encircles the lip, but if the
inner diameter of the ring is
too small, significant pain can
result when facial tissues swell
while you sleep.
AFTERCARE (Do's
and Don'ts)
- Do wash your hands prior to
contact on or near the area of
your healing piercing.
- Do leave the piercing alone
except for when you are cleaning
it. It is not necessary or
advisable to rotate the ring
while healing except during
cleanings.
- Do leave the starter jewelry
in during the entire minimum
initial healing time.
Inappropriate jewelry should be
changed out by a professional.
Those with captive-style rings
or barbells can change the
bead/ball portion of the jewelry
at any time.
- Do check twice daily with
clean hands to make sure the
balls are screwed on tight on
threaded jewelry such as
barbells.
- Do make sure your bedding is
clean and changed frequently
while you are healing.
- Do wear clean, comfortable,
breathable fabric clothing in
the area of a body piercing.
- Do get enough sleep, eat a
nutritious diet, avoid undue
stress, recreational drugs, and
alcohol consumption.
- Don't use alcohol, peroxide,
Betadine as they are overly
strong and drying which can
hinder healing.
- Don't apply any ointment
such as Bacitracin, Neosporin or
on your piercing. These prevent
oxygen from reaching the wound
and form a sticky residue which
can cause complications.
- Don't over clean. Cleaning
more often than once or twice a
day is NOT better. This can
delay your healing and irritate
your piercing.
- Don't use too many different
products; select and use only
one cleaning solution (such as
Provon or Satin) plus sea salt.
- Don't hang charms or any
object from your jewelry until
the piercing is fully healed.
- Don't submerge your piercing
in water such as pools, lakes,
Jacuzzis unless you feel
confident that the water is
clean enough for you and an open
wound.
HEALING
TIME
Body Part Pierced |
Healing Time |
Ear lobe |
6 to 8 weeks |
Ear cartilage |
2 to 12 months |
Eyebrow |
6 to 8 weeks |
Nostril |
2 to 4 months |
Nasal septum |
6 to 8 months |
Lip |
6 to 12 weeks |
Tongue |
4 to 6 weeks |
Nipple |
6 to 12 months |
Navel |
6 to 12 months |
Female genitalia |
4 to 10 weeks |
Male genitalia |
1 to 6 months |
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