Make sure you use a professional body piercer.
Some tips to safe body piercing:
- The best place on your body to pierce is a meaty skin area. Avoid the neck, joints, arteries and tendons. Talk to your artist about where you want your piercings to decide on the best and safest place for you.
- All body piercings are tricky and require extreme care.
- Jewellery for new piercings should be made of surgical steel 316-L, niobium, titanium or 14-18 carat gold. These metals can be sterilized.
- Sterile surgical, single-use, disposable piercing needles must be used for body piercing.
- The artist must first clean the area to be pierced with soap and water and then with a skin antiseptic such as alcohol.
- The artist should provide written aftercare instructions.
- If the pierced area becomes red, swollen or tender or if pus develops, you may have an infection. See your doctor immediately.
Healing times for body piercing will vary according to site:
|
Ear lobe |
six to eight weeks |
|
Ear cartilage |
four months to one year |
|
Eyebrow |
six to eight weeks |
|
Nostril |
two to four months |
|
Nasal septum |
six to eight months |
|
Nasal bridge |
eight to 10 weeks |
|
Tongue |
four weeks |
|
Lip |
two to three months |
|
Nipple |
three to six months |
|
Navel |
four months to one year |
|
Female genitalia |
four to 10 weeks |
|
Male genitalia |
four weeks to six months |
Aftercare for new piercing:
- Wash your hands with soap and water before touching the pierced site.
- Clean the pierced area with soap twice a day until the site heals. Avoid products with heavy moisturizers, dyes, fragrances or deodorants.
- Do not use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to clean the site because it will dry your skin.
- Avoid contact with other people's saliva, sweat or other bodily fluids.
- In the shower or bath, spin the jewellery when the pierced area is wet.
- Do not tightly cover the piercing.
Ear piercing guns must be used only on earlobes and on no other parts
of the body.
Make an informed decision and protect your health!
Please call Health Line Peel at 905-799-7700 to report any establishment(s) you feel lacks sanitary conditions or is performing unsafe services.
Please print 'Choosing A Safe Body Piercing' checklist (Acrobat PDF document 67 KB) to help you make your decision!
