How to keep your piercings clean?

The biggest health concerns for piercings occur immediately after the piercing was made. That’s when after-care matters the most. It’s much harder for a piercing to get infected once it’s had time to heal.

That said, it is a hole in your body, and they can theoretically develop bacterial or fungal growths that aren’t good for you at any point. So, keep your piercings clean.

A basic cleaning solution is 1/4 teaspoon of pure non-iodized salt dissolved in 8 oz. of bottled or sterilized water.

You can also buy packaged saline solution and other cleaning products that will work just fine. If you’re only using soapy water, make sure it’s at least an anti-microbial soap.

Use a wet Q-tip to gently rub away any “crusties” from a new piercing (these are dried lymph fluid — harmless, but gross, and you don’t want to let it build up). It’s not a sign of infection on its own, so don’t panic if there’s a little leakage.

Watch for swelling, pain, redness, or large amounts of colored discharge — those indicate an infection.

A clean lifestyle in general will always help your piercings stay clean as well. Change your bedding regularly so that you’re not lying in old sweat and dirt, and bathe regularly, being sure to clean anywhere you have a piercing.