Usually, piercings are only found on women’s ears. Nowadays, more and more women and men are getting other parts of their bodies pierced - from eyebrows, navels, tongues, and genitals – as a popular form of personal, cultural, or artistic expression.
When done by a professional, body piercing is fairly safe. The most common problem is an infection. Most often, the bacteria infections are at the piercing site. Other complications may include bleeding, allergic reaction, skin tearing or scarring. Therefore, this guide will provide you with useful tips and insights for you before getting your body pierced.
1. Know your infection risk. If you currently have an infection or an open wound, it's a good idea to postpone the piercing until you've fully recovered. The risk of infection is higher, especially if the piercer is poorly trained, working in an unsterile environment or using dirty equipment – or if the wound doesn't heal completely.
2. Be aware of health or medical issue. If you have health problems, such as poorly controlled diabetes or other conditions that weaken your immune system, your chances of infection are higher and piercing makes it riskier.
3. Consider lifestyle factors. A tongue piercing when you're twenty may look cool, but it may not be so impressive or acceptable at thirty in some workplaces. If you're planning to remove piercings frequently to hide them at work or home, this may increase the chances of infection. It may also lengthen the healing time for the newly pierced skin. If you play a contact sport and your piercings are in an area where they might rip or snag on clothing, this may cause injury to your skin.
4. Recognise healing tendencies. Some people may be prone to scarring that may be raised or thick, and form what are called keloids. Piercing may not be a good idea for people with keloids. Healing times vary depending on the site pierced, with navels, nipples, and genitals among the slowest to heal.
5. Consider your anatomy. Not all skin surfaces are well-designed for the desired piercing. For example, a belly button with a distinct ridge is the easiest for a navel piercing. Tongues with a short frenum (the fold on the bottom of the tongue), known as “tongue-tie”, are not good candidates.
6. Use trained professional’s services only. Most body piercings are done in tattoo and piercing parlours while earlobe piercings may be done in jewellery or department stores. Qualified and experienced professionals should have a good understanding of the physiology and anatomy of the body to be pierced. They should also use sterilised tools and follow safety precautions for dealing with blood and infections.
7. Tell your piercer about your health history. They should obtain a medical history, including allergies, heart disease, diabetes and asthma so your health risk is identified. Medications taken should be discussed. To limit the bleeding, it's recommended to avoid aspirin for a week before piercing and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for at least a day before getting pierced and for seven days afterwards.
8. Ensure proper materials are used. Nickel-free rings, pins and studs should be inserted to reduce the risk of allergic reactions and infections. Jewellery that’s too small, thin or poor quality can get loose from its initial placement (known as “migration”) or be rejected from the body.
9. Follow the safety instruction. Find out how long the wound typically takes to heal and how to keep it clean afterwards. Know the possible side effects from the piercing, such as pain or swelling and the way to minimise them.
If you have decided to get a body piercing, visit the most trusted body piercing centres in Australia today.