A nipple piercing is probably one of the most painful types of piercing around. The nipples have thousands of bundles of nerve endings as it is an erogenous zone, like the lips and some other parts of the body. As such, it is a big decision to get a nipple piercing, if you have only been acquainted with milder forms of piercing, such as ear lobe piercing. If you are planning and determining what kind of work is needed for this type of piercing to heal fully, then you have come to the right place.
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Nipple Piercing Aftercare: Do’s and Don’ts
Having a freshly pierced nipple is going to require changes in the way you do things and your general lifestyle. Here are some specific guidelines on what to do to minimize tissue damage and accelerate the healing of your nipple piercing.
Things You Should Do for Your Fresh Nipple Piercing
Things You Should Do for Your Fresh Nipple Piercing Aftercare
1.Do Cleanse And Rinse Your Nipple Piercing Regularly
By regularly, we mean twice to three times per day, especially during the first few weeks after the initial piercing.
We recommend using clean and warm water. Wash the area with unscented soap. Natural soaps like coconut soap and castile soap are the best. Do not scrub or rub the area. If you want to remove any crusting, use a clean cloth only.
Do not apply too much pressure, and do not try to squeeze out anything from the piercing. If there is some bleeding, don’t exert pressure on that area and use a clean cloth to blot out the bleeding.
We don’t like telling people to use paper towels as bits of the paper towel can be left behind. Some paper towels are rough, which may irritate your nipple piercing, causing more itching and swelling.
Rinsing is essential whenever you take a shower. If you didn’t like showering frequently before, you need to do so when you get a piercing.
2.Do Soak The Pierced Area With Saline Solution
Saline solution is water mixed with lots of salt. This is the best type of wash for open wounds, and it works great for all kinds of wounds, too.
Saline cleansing is not just for the first month. In the second month, your nipple piercing may look fully healed, but it is still fresh on the inside. You can still bleed, and the chance of moderate to severe infections still exists.
On the one hand, you can significantly reduce the chance of any untoward infections by using a saline solution to cleanse the area. Take a small container like a shot glass and fill it with saline solution.
Dip the pierced nipple into the shot glass and submerge it for a couple of minutes. If the shot glass drains out, simply refill it and submerge once again. The total submersion period should be about five minutes at the minimum. If you have two nipples pierced, then it’s essential to submerge the other nipple, too.
If this technique doesn’t work for you, you can take clean cotton balls, submerge them in the saline solution, and then gently press the cotton balls on the nipples to soak them. Take note that this may cause some stinging and pain, but this is part of the process, and you shouldn’t worry about it.
3.Change To Loose Clothing For a Few Months
Wear loose clothing after nipple piercing
The worst thing you can do to your pierced nipples is exposed to a lot of rubbing and fiction. This can be problematic, especially for freshly pierced nipples. In this case, you can wear looser clothes that minimize contact with the fabric only.
Another practical reason for shifting to loose clothes is that open wounds also need air to heal properly. Tight-fitting clothes limit air circulation across the skin’s surface, which makes it more difficult for the skin to breathe and heal.
4.Use Padded Bras During Sports and Other Activities
Women, in particular, weight their nipples because of their breasts. Besides wearing the right size of the bra (not too tight), we also encourage women to wear pad bra for additional support and cushioning for their pierced nipples.
This will ensure that during rigorous activities, your nipples won’t bleed because of excess friction. If your nipples are painful and sensitive, they will be sensitive to snagging different fabrics, especially when you are sleeping at night. Feel free to wear padded bras even to bed.
5.Take Extra Care While Dressing
It is possible to snag your nipples while dressing. Be mindful of your movements, and take it easy!
Things You Should not Do for Your Fresh Nipple Piercing
Things You Should not Do for Your Fresh Nipple Piercing Aftercare
- Don’t take blood-thinning medications.
- Don’t consume tobacco products as they have been known to slow down the healing process of tissues.
- Don’t go swimming or submerge anywhere where there are other people. This may introduce many possible risks for infection.
- Don’t expose your piercings to scented gels, perfumes, colognes, body washes, etc. Harsh chemicals may cause inflammation and allergies that may subsequently lead to swelling, bleeding, and infections.
- Don’t touch your nipple piercings at all. The hands usually are just dirty, and they’re not safe for open wounds.
- Don’t roll the barbell or attempt to remove it.
- Don’t use any antibiotic creams and other products. Ask your physician first even if there are so many creams that are available over the counter.
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How Long Does It Take for Nipple Piercing to Heal?
Common nipple piercings take the longest to heal. Instead of three to four months, they may require a total of nine months to a full year before they completely heal.
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Ideal Nipple Piercing Jewelry
The ideal nipple piercing jewelry is straight barbells made of either surgical-grade titanium or surgical-grade stainless steel. These two are the least likely to cause allergies.
Dos and Don’ts for Your Fresh Nipple Piercing Aftercare
More articles about nipple piercing you may interest.
If you’ve got or you are considering getting other body piercings, click to know more about what you should know and how to take care the piercing.
