What are the Real Risks of Body Piercing? -- Advice for Parents & Teens

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“I’ve chosen the parlor and piercer and I got a really cool body piercing. Now what?”

AFTERCARE!!! There is nothing as crucial to addressing the risks of body piercing as properly following the guidelines for piercing aftercare. Since you’ve chosen a reliable, professional piercer, you will have a set of aftercare instructions that will tell you what to do to properly care for your piercings.

Do not skip a day because you are too tired, too busy, or because you “forget.” Aftercare is literally preventative care –- you are taking care of your piercing in order to prevent an infection and to enable the wound to heal properly. While following your aftercare instructions, watch for signs of trouble so that you can address them early on before they turn into real problems.

Signs of a potential problem that you should bring to the attention of your parents (if you are a minor) or your piercer are:

• Discharge that is green or yellow from the piercing
• Splitting, oozing or cracking and bleeding of a piercing more than a week old
• Swelling and redness after the first few days
• Pain and redness or red streaks radiating out from the piercing
• Migration (movement of the piercing) up through the layers of skin
• Difficulty breathing and swelling of the tongue within hours of a piercing, especially an oral piercing
• A rash or hives soon after a piercing
• A lump or bump forming at the base of the piercing

In some cases, you will need to see a doctor; in others your piercer will be able to advise you on the proper steps to alleviate the situation. The important thing is to catch any small problems before they turn into big ones. If you follow your aftercare instructions and monitor your piercing carefully, you can minimize the risks of body piercing so that you can enjoy your new body piercing completely!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lori Wilkerson is a full-time freelance writer who loves her work because it gives her the opportunity to learn more about the world every day. Right now, she knows a little bit about almost everything, and a lot about body jewelry, wholesale body jewelry, and toe rings. She has two dogs who are spoiled and one teenager who is not.

This article "What are the Real Risks of Body Piercing?" reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2004 Evaluseek Publishing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lucy_P._Roberts

This document last modified Saturday, 11-Oct-2008 10:19:24 EDT

Tidbits & Stuff was born on Thursday, March 9, 2006
© 2006, 2007, 2008 Felicia A. Williams

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