It’s winter, meaning layers of clothes and hot mugs of coffee. But for a lot of people it is also the time to finally get that piercing they have been dreaming of. Winter, most believe, is the best time to get piercings because the weather helps in speeding healing and allows for lesser chances of inflammations. While this is a commonly held thought, piercing artist Jeevan Rajbanshi explains that this isn’t necessarily true, and that weather doesn’t have much to do with the healing.
Rajbanshi has worked at Gagan’s Tattoo and Piercing in Thamel, Kathmandu as a piercing artist for the past four years. Although he explains that piercing is a relatively simple work, without skills and patience, it isn’t something you can do well either. And with all the pain and hassle that comes with getting one, nobody wants a badly done job so here he elaborates on the things you need to keep in mind while getting any body part pierced.
Buddhakrishna piercing his tongue for the seventh time
Get pierced at good parlors
Getting pierced entails breaking into your skin and sticking a foreign object onto the area. So this is something to be serious about. Wanting to save a few rupees don’t end up compromising on the place. Most places in Nepal have gun piercers and they use these to pierce tens of people everyday, and without sanitizing and sterilizing the instrument either. You never know what might go wrong so it’s always better to be on the safe side. However, there are some parlors that are really good. They use needles to pierce, dispose the needle after each use, and work with gloves. Also it’s important that your piercing artist be good. When a piercing is done well, there’s never blood and it all depends on the skill of the piercer.
No direct contact with the freshly pierced skin
For a few days, it’s very natural to experience slight pain and throbbing. But for some the delicate skin may itch too. Direct contact shouldn’t even be considered because that area has to be left untouched for at least two weeks. You must keep the area dry too. So in these cases, blowing mild air into the pierced area should help. Or you could lightly fan around the piercing. Keep your piercing out of mind as much as you can, constant thinking will lead you to focus your attention on that particular area and you may end up reaching out to it. If you got an ear piercing and your hair is long, tie it up in a ponytail. You don’t want your hair falling onto it constantly. But be mindful of not using a tight rubber band because if your hair is pulled in a tight clutch you will experience pain.
Be careful with the studs and rings
After you get your piercing you get your stud or ring in. If you aren’t careful you might get infected and you will just have to give up on it and wait for the area to close up before trying it again. So leaving the area untouched is the rule but you don’t want an accumulation of dirt and fluid discharge on your studs. So after you put in the jewelry for the first time, give it a few slight twists occasionally. Be cautious to not be forceful and do it two to three times a day everyday. A month after the piercing it’s recommended that you change your studs. If you feel too attached to them, take them off, rinse them with warm water, and wait a few hours before putting them back on.
Take proper care
Make sure that you keep your piercings as clean as you can. Give it a slight dab of Dettol every day and do it regularly. Ask your piercer for a hypoallergenic ring/stud, mostly made of nickel. These usually have minimal reaction and are suited to most skin types. Never use different drying products. As far as possible don’t cover the area you have pierced. Stifling it will only slow healing. If you work out, cleaning up the area is very important but don’t go overboard with it as it may cause irritation. Gently dab the area around the piercing to avoid accumulation of dirt and sweat.
Remember every case is different
Piercings aren’t the same for any two individuals. It isn’t just the spot that makes it different but different skin types and post piercing care. Often people think that certain metals aren’t good for them but that really isn’t the case. There is no reason why someone who wears gold jewelries regularly can’t wear titanium jewelries. Also, the results with piercings vary depending on the sensitivity of the region of the body. Piercings on the tongue, nipple, and belly button take a lot more time to heal than an earlobe piercing. For inner mouth piercings, use a mouthwash twice a day and don’t eat hot food.
