#saline soaks

[body-modders-unite]

I'm planning on getting a vertical labret piercing soon and I'm wondering if you have any tips for aftercare that won't dry out my lip?

If you have very sensitive skin and it dries out easily, saline soaks probably aren't the best for you. If you don't mind your lips tasting a little soapy, go for antibacterial/antimicrobial soap. Wash your hands in antibacterial soap. Take a q-tip soaked in warm water and use it to clean any lymph discharge. Take a clean cotton ball and apply some antibacterial/antimicrobial soap. Use this to clean the area. Rinse with warm water. This should prevent any drying you may experience from saline soaks. I hope this helps!

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[body-modders-unite]

I got my cartilage piercing 3 days ago and I haven't done any salt water soaks yet but I'm going to buy the right sea salt and start them tomorrow, will it still be effective? And how long should you do them for? Thank you

You've had a piercing for 3 days and having done any saline soaks? Have you done any kind of aftercare? If not, you are putting yourself at serious risk for dangerous infections! You must buy non-iodized sea salt immediately! The soaks will flush out any bacteria in your piercings, and break up any blockages that have built up in the time you have't been cleaning them. 

Buy non-iodized sea salt immediately! Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap. Take a clean q-tip soaked in warm water. Use this to remove any dried lymph discharge and blood from the jewelry and piercing. Mix up a saline solution of 1/4tsp non-iodized sea salt to 1 cup water. For this to be effective, the water must be as hot as possible without burning you. Soak your piercing for 1-3 minutes, at minimum, in the solution. Afterwards, rinse the piercing in clean warm water. Do this twice daily for the next two weeks! This should get your healing back on track. I hope this helps!

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[body-modders-unite]

So I've had my lip pierced for a little over a year now. I have what is usually referred to as 'spider bites.' And no matter what I do, one of the holes is always red and irritated. It got infected about a month after I had it done. Could that have something to do with it? It's no longer infected, but could it have messed it up?

Getting an infection in a fresh piercing could cause the healing process to slow drastically or damage the fresh tissue. Since it's been so long, I would recommend making sure you are wearing a high quality stainless steel, titanium or niobium stud in your piercing. These materials are best in irritated piercings. 

Other then that, I would have to recommend going back to standard aftercare. You'll want to do saline soaks, twice daily. Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap. Mix a saline solution of 1/4tsp non-iodized sea salt to 1 cup hot water. Soak a cotton makeup pad in the solution and hold it to your piercing for 1-3 minutes. Do this for the next 2 weeks. 

Also, make sure you are maintaining good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth twice daily with mild toothpaste, floss and if you use mouthwash make sure it's non-alcoholic. Avoid spicy foods and highly acidic fruits and veggies for the next two weeks also, they will irritate the piercing if it isn't fully healed. After 2 weeks, if you see no results, go in to a professional piercer. You may be suffering other complications, and they will be able to discuss types of treatment with you or they may recommend you to see a daughter. I hope this helps!

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[body-modders-unite]

I was wondering if you could describe to me how you would recommend cleaning a tragus piercing?

Tragus piercings have a definite angle issue haha! I would recommend taking a clean q-tip and soaking it in warm water. Use the q-tip to gently clean the dried blood and lymph off the back and front of the piercing. Then mix up your saline solution of 1/4tsp non-iodized sea salt to 1 cup warm water. Take a cotton ball and soak it in the solution. Hold the soaked cotton ball up to the front of your piercing as a warm saline compress for at least 30 seconds. You may have to resoak it, in order to keep it warm. Do the same thing with a fresh cotton back for the reverse of the piercing. Then cup some clean warm water in your clean hands and splash the piercing several times to rinse it off. I hope this helps!

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[body-modders-unite]

I've noticed a few times you have said that after the first two to three weeks the saline soaks hinder a fresh piercing rather then aid it. Is this true for all piercings, specifically an industrial?

Yes, it is true for all piercings. For the first 2-3 weeks of healing, saline soaks will flush the wound and keep it bacteria free. However, after that point the sea salt will be too harsh, as will regular twice daily cleanings. It will start to break down the healing skin cells or break off scabbing before it has had a chance to heal properly. This can drastically slow the healing process. 

After the 2-3 weeks period of healing, you should switch to washing and rinsing the piercing thoroughly when you shower with anti-bacterial soap. About every other day, to clean it off in the shower should be enough. I hope this helps! 

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