How to Avoid Body Piercing Infections

If you are thinking about getting your body pierced, especially for the first time, you should take the time to get informed before you get pierced. Because not knowing what to expect could be disastrous.

For example, did you know that:

1. You CAN get a serious infection including Hepatitis or even HIV if the piercing equipment hasn't been sterilized properly.
2. Infections caused by bacteria getting into the puncture of the piercing may also happen later, even after the piercing has healed.
3. If the studio uses a piercing "gun" to do body piercings, you should leave immediately because they CANNOT be sterilized.

So how can you avoid the serious hazards described above when you get pierced?

The following are some tips to help you evaluate the piercing place as the first step to prevent body piercing infections:

1. When you go into a salon, look around. Is the place clean? Because it SHOULD be kept clean and sanitary.
2. The lighting should be good so the piercers can see well while working. Do they wash their hands and use sterile gloves and instruments?
3. All the instruments should either be brand new and disposable (meant to be thrown away after one use) or be sterilized in pouches. If the piercer uses disposable needles, you should see him/her open sealed packages of the needles!
4. The piercers should throw away the needles in a biohazard container after using them.

There are also some things you can do personally to keep your piercings clean and help stave off nasty infections:

1. Do NOT use alcohol or Peroxide to clean the area because both products will dry out your skin.
2. Keep the pierced area from coming in contact with other people's body fluids, such as saliva and sweat.
3. Do NOT use a hot tub or swim in public pools until your piercing has healed.