14 of 17

Write now Article Tools

The first time I got a piercing, I followed all the rules.

Rule 1) Soak piercing in sea salt three times a day, followed by a soap bath, followed my a nice drench in emu oil. And yes, emu oil is from emus.
Rule 2) Follow Rule 1 to the letter.

But all their little formulas didn't work. Within a week, my infection was so bad that I couldn't move my stomach without being in severe pain. I went back to the piercer, who was quite reputable and sterile, to find out what I was doing wrong. I hadn't been doing anything wrong, he said. I needed to just learn to tough it out. But I knew my body, and I knew that an infection left to fester wasn't going to be a good thing. After consulting a second piercer and several nurses, I went down to the drugstore and purchased a bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide and a tube of Neosporin. I cleansed the area, applied the Hydrogen Peroxide (which bubbled all of the infection to the outside, where it could be cleaned away), and rubbed a small amount of Neosporin to the area. Within three applications of my home-remedy, the infection was completely gone and there was no more pain in my stomach. After several days of success, I returned to the original piercer and told him what I had discovered. Shocked and dismayed, he warned me that I was doing it all wrong and that I should stick to his salt/soap/emu oil ritual. I thanked him politely for all of his non-help and continued applying the Hydrogen Peroxide and Neosporin. My piercing has since completely healed and no longer has pain of any kind.

Oh and if they try to tell you that Neosporin isn't for piercings, think again. When my ears were pierced, what do you think they told me to put on them to keep them clean and free of infection?

Bottom line: you know your body better than anyone else. Despite what a piercer will tell you, it is not normal to experience severe pain from infection. An infection means there is something WRONG. And if that something is not fixed, you can wind up hurting that part of your body severely. Follow your instinct. If what your piercer is telling you seems off, then consult a doctor. And if all else fails, ask your mom. Mothers know everything.

Learn more about this author, the little dreamer.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Tips for surviving your first body piercing?
We want to hear your view. Write now!