Body piercing has become very popular around the world in the last few years. Many people think about it as creative expression or body art. Body piercing was done as far back as the Egyptians, Greek, and Romans to show their position in a clan or group, or to ward off evil spirits. Today, piercings are done to express beauty, to express style, and sometimes to fit in to the crowd.
Risks with Body Piercing
Getting your body pierced is a big decision, so don’t take it lightly. There are health risks associated with body piercings, so it’s important to be aware of them to be better prepared.
Piercing equipment must be sterilized otherwise serious infections and disease like HIV, hepatitis, and tetanus can be spread. Piercing guns are a strict no-no! Piercing guns cannot be sterilized and should not be used! Infections can also occur by bacteria getting into the pierced skin even after it’s healed over, so make sure to clean regularly.
Allergic reactions, nerve damage or bleeding can also result from body piercing. Did you know that you could be allergic to the metal in your piercing? Anytime a foreign object enters your body, it can reject it and try to force it out. Also, make sure the jewelry being used is big enough for the body part. If you insert a very small earring, you can cut off blood flow to the area resulting in pain and swelling.
Healing Time from Piercings
Depending on the body part you’re piercing, it can take anywhere from 4 weeks to 1 year to heal completely. Fleshy tissue like the ear lobe takes 6-8 weeks to heal while the cartilage part of your ear can take 4 months to a year to heal. Nipple piercing can damage the milk glands. And, oral piercings like the tongue heal quickly but are risky.
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Pierced Body Part
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Time it Takes To Heal
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Ear lobe
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6 to 8 weeks
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Ear cartilage
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4 months to 1 year
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Eyebrow
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6 to 8 weeks
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Nostril
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2 to 4 months
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Nasal septum
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6 to 8 months
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Nasal bridge
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8 to 10 weeks
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Tongue
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4 weeks
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Lip
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2 to 3 months
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Nipple
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3 to 6 months
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Navel
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4 months to 1 year
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Female genitalia
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4 to 10 weeks
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Male genitalia
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4 weeks to 6 months
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Finding a Piercing Salon
When looking for the best piercing salon, there are a few things to look for. First, you’ll want to find a piercer that’s licensed. There are many salons that have no licensed piercers on staff, so make sure your technician is skilled. Secondly, check the equipment to see that it’s disposable or kept in a sleeve to prevent contamination. And, use your common sense. Does the place look clean? Do you get a good vibe from the staff? Do they use biohazard waste dispensers for the needles? Protect yourself by ensuring the staff and facilities are clean and safe.
If you want to express your inner creativity and style by getting body piercings, know the risks involved and choose your piercing salon carefully to ensure a safe and happy experience.
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Comments
Robert says:
Most of folks who get pierced can’t usually await on changing the initial body jewelry to a new one.
So the initial healing period gets sometimes ignored and by inserting a new piece of body jewelry the fresh piercing gets damaged again! Not to mention the risk of body piercing infection.
The folks who get pierced should also note, that the fresh piercings sometimes may look fully healed despite being just partially healed.
The bottom line – better wait for a bit longer, than to rush and eventually incur an infection or prolong the healing time!