Body Piercing Mistakes

Body piercings are overall a safe way to express yourself and decorate your body. However, it is important to remember that a piercing is a wound.

This means that there are a lot of problems that can occur if you do not have it done properly or taken care of right away. Here are some of the most common body piercing mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Not going to an experienced piercer: Many people think that they can bargain shop for body mods, get their friend (who works at a jewelry store) to do it, or even pierce themselves. This is a mistake. Not all piercing shops are created equal, and not all piercers are equally skilled.

Look for someone who knows what they are doing and who runs a clean shop. Be willing to ask about practices; if you are given vague, evasive answers, please look elsewhere!

If you are thinking about avoiding professional studios altogether, stop immediately! Home piercings and jewelry guns are not safe for use on body piercings.

They cause greater tissue damage and cannot be properly sterilized. Without the right equipment and a piercer who has been through an apprenticeship, you risk nasty infections and/or rejections with serious scarring.

2. Not thinking things through: A body piercing should never be a spur of the moment decision. Be willing to spend weeks or even months deciding on the right piercing for you.

And think about how you will feel once you have it. Remember that a good piercing is a significant monetary and time investment.

If you are not willing to make these investments, do not get pierced! Never get pierced while on drugs or after drinking alcohol.

While it might seem like a good idea to have a drink beforehand to relax, this will actually increase bleeding. Have the piercing first, then get a drink.

3. Improper aftercare: A piercing is a wound and like any other wound, it is subject to infection and complications.

If you do not take care of your body piercing properly, you could end up with very unpleasant side effects. It could scar more than you want, migrate, or even reject, pulling out of your body completely.

Some very unfortunate people have ended up in the hospital from poor care of a piercing-related infection. Do not take the risk! Every piercing should be cared for as much as possible, even if it looks like everything is going just fine.

4. Poor choices: Choose the piercing that will work best on your body, not one that you think is the most attractive on someone else. Just as clothes do not look the same on different bodies, anatomy affects a piercing too. Some piercings are not even possible on certain individuals.

Those with a single large vein in the tongue cannot get a central tongue piercing without risking serious bleeding and nerve damage. Other problems include a piercing that will not heal or one that simply looks out of place.

When in doubt, discuss matters with your piercer. They may certainly be able to tell you what will look best on you.
By Alan Largo