Getting ready to have your ears pierced, or some other body part? While you may be excited or nervous about the prospect, you should certainly have certain things in mind. Consider the 9 things below as compiled by the beauty team at seventeen.com
1. It’s important to find a reputable piercing specialist. Nope, your overly excited BFF is not! You really have to see a licensed piercer or a doctor to get your ears — or anything else — pierced because you can be sure they have the proper training.
The reason is that improper piercing could “lead to permanent and disfiguring scarring, and the formation of cysts underneath the skin.
3. The piercing specialist should sterilize the “gun” after every piercing. Regardless of where you decide to go, the piercing gun should be cleaned properly. Certified tattoo and piercing shops have an autoclave machine, which uses high temperature and steam to sterilize the gun.
If the gun is not cleaned correctly, there is a risk of bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. So, it’s important to ask when and how the tool to be used is cleaned, and make sure you see them clean it.
4. You can get a hypoallergenic earring. Many people are allergic to different metals, most often nickel. So if you know you are allergic or just know certain metals in jewelry makes you itchy, make sure you tell the technician before your piercing. They can use a nickel-free ring, so you won’t have any scary reactions.
5. The piercing will hurt, but only for a second. Of course it’s a bit intense — there’s a needle going through your skin! But it really only hurts for a second, and then you will forget all about it. If you are nervous or afraid you might faint, make sure you tell your piercer so you can lie down if you need to.
6. It will probably be sore for a few days. While the instant pain from the piercing will go away quickly, you will have some mild pain/soreness, redness, and swelling for 24-48 hours after, plus for another 1-2 days afterward, when you apply pressure to it, such as when you sleep on your side.
But if the redness and swelling increases after the first couple of days, or reoccurs days after the piercing, then there may be an infection. In that case, head to a doctor.
7. You might get a scar. Dark skinned people and people between the ages of 10 and 20 have a higher risk for keloid scars, lumpy and raised skin patches that are basically excess scar tissue.
Additionally, if you have scars that have not healed well in the past, you should be careful with piercings. Keloid scars aren’t exactly dangerous, but you might not like the way they look, and they could be itchy.
8. Before you leave, make sure to learn exactly how to care for your piercing afterward. In addition to answering your questions, you should receive cleaning instructions that you really have to follow. This will keep the area from getting infected.
It is advised that you continue cleaning the area a few weeks longer than the standard six weeks some places recommend. If there’s any increase in swelling, drainage, pain, or warmth, go see a doctor right away.
9. Nose piercings have a few extra risks. All piercings have risks, but there are different concerns when cartilage is pierced, such as the nose or upper ear, because infections involving cartilage are more serious. In this case, you should pay extra attention when you clean the area afterward.