As of now, I have twelve body piercings. By no means would I consider myself an expert, but I'd like to think that with all of the research I've done and the experience I have, I know a little something about body piercings.
DO research your piercing shop
Please, please, please do not just go to the first shop someone recommends you to, or the first one you see on your drive into town. The chances of you finding yourself at a reputable shop aren't all that great. When researching shops, check out customer reviews. If the shop has a website, check and see if they have an "About Us" section that goes over their qualifications and the products they use. Also, chances are that the shop you wind up going to will have more than one person that's licensed to pierce you. If you've heard good things about a certain person, request them. If not, chances are, if it's a great shop, the piercer you wind up with will also do a damn good job.
DON'T twist your piercings
I know, I know. This goes against everything we were taught as children if we went and got our ears pierced at Claire's or a piercing pagoda in the mall. They say that it will help get the "crusties" off of your piercing, but really all you're doing is irritating it and prolonging the healing process. When you soak the piercing with a saline solution, the "crusties" will more than likely come away with the cotton ball that you use and if not, dab a q-tip into the saline solution and gently rub it off.
DON'T use alcohol or peroxide
It is way too harsh for a piercing of any kind, but especially a fresh one. You can go to your local Walmart and pick up a bottle of NeilMed Wound Wash Saline Spray. Walgreens also carries their own brand of saline solution, which is what I use. Of course, there's also the H2Ocean spray that most piercing shops sell. If none of these sound like your cup of tea or aren't available for you, you can always make your own, which I also do! All you need is 1/4 teaspoon of non-iodized sea salt and a cup of warm water. When soaking my piercings, I take a cotton ball or pad, soak it with my saline solution and hold it onto my piercing(s) for about five minutes. After that, I gently use a q-tip to clean up any blood or "crusties" that may be left over.
DON'T be afraid
I got my first lobes pierced when I was just months old, so i can't tell you about the pain. I was maybe twelve or thirteen when I got my second lobe piercings and I also couldn't tell you what the pain was like. For starters, I used a numbing cream (never do that; it can cause infections) and secondly, I got it pierced in the middle of a dirty mall with a piercing gun (I shouldn't have to explain why this is wrong). However, I was smart when I got my septum done and I went to a piercing shop. While I'd stretched my lobes at home a long time ago, I'd never had a "professional" piercing done. It was over in ten seconds and the pain was minimal. I'd give it a two out of ten, honestly. When people see my piercings, they always tell me how they're afraid of how much it'll hurt, that they hate needles and that it's not worth it in the end. I call bullshit. Please don't let a few seconds of pain determine whether or not you get a piercing, because they're really not what people make it out to be.
DO take care of them
I'll be the first to admit that when I got my second lobe piercings, I cleaned them for about a week or two before I said "screw it" and stopped. My lobes were infected within two days. Also, if you get a piercing in the summer, don't get into a body of water, for at least a month. Really, the same goes for any time of the year. No baths, no pools, no oceans, rivers, etc. Bacteria is everywhere and if you can avoid it, do it. If you absolutely have to get into a pool or another body of water (maybe you're on the swim team, I don't know your life), clean your piercing(s) immediately and thoroughly.
DO try to get pierced with titanium
Growing up, I could never walk into Claire's and buy a package of earrings for $5. Turns out, I have a sensitivity to most metals out there, because they're not pure. They use alloys, which is a big no no for my body. I won't get too much into it, but if you want to read up on it, I seriously recommend this article by Derek Lowe. Also, if you get pierced with a crappy piece of jewelry, your chances of that piercing rejecting becomes much higher.
As I said at the beginning, I'm no expert. I have many piercings and I have nine more planned, but that doesn't make me qualified. These are just some tips I've picked up over the last few years, from extensive research and talking with piercing professionals. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, feel free to contact me!
