How To Care For A Lip Piercing

CDHubbard

Jan 13, 2008

Health

The proper aftercare for a Lip piercing so that it will heal as it should.

(Healing Time 3 - 6 weeks)

1. Rinse with your mouth out with an ‘Alcohol-Free' mouthwash for 45 to 60 seconds after eating or smoking for the first 2 weeks.

2. Never touch your piercing with dirty hands. You should always wash your hands first then wash your piercing with a mild liquid Anti-bacterial soap (Soft-Soap).

3. Do Not rotate your jewelry for the first day just wash around your new piercing before bedtime.

4. When you get up in the morning wash your piercing and be sure to clean all the crusty's off the jewelry before moving the jewelry though the piercing so that the soap actually gets into the piercing, this may sting some but that's okay that is just your body letting you know that the soap is actually getting into the piercing. Then rinse your piercing with some luke-warm water, pat dry and leave your piercing alone.

5. Repeat washing procedure 3 times a day for the next 6 weeks. Clean all the crusty's off the jewelry before rotating the jewelry because if they are left on the jewelry when you move your jewelry through your piercing they can scratch the inside of the piercing causing some pain and irritation. Do Not pick anything off the skin it will come off naturally during the washing procedure.

6. Do Not put any make-up on the piercing because this will get into the piercing and irritate it which could led to a more serious problem for you.

7. Be sure that you wash your piercing after using any facial cleaners, to make sure that you get all the cleaner out of the piercing so that no irritation occurs.

8. You may experience some swelling with the piercing so eat Ice and cold foods like Ice cream, slushies and Popsicles for the swelling. The swelling is natural and should go away in a few days. You can also take an over the counter anti-inflammatory like Aleve or Midol for the swelling. The swelling is different for everyone so don't ask your friend, always ask you're piercer.

9. Do Not drink anything with a straw for the first 2 weeks because this creates pressure in the mouth that pulls on the piercing and could cause tearing or ripping in the piercing this will prolong the healing process.

10. Do Not eat spicy or really salty foods for the first 2 weeks. These foods will irritate the piercing and may cause swelling or a stinging sensation in the piercing.

11. Do not play with the Piercing with dirty hands, dirty hands are the worst possible thing for any type of body piercing and don't let anyone else touch your piercing with dirty hands. You are constantly picking up bacteria on your hands when you touch things and if you touch your piercing with dirty hands you are putting all that bacteria straight into your piercing.

12. No wet kissing or any other type of oral body fluid exchange for 2 weeks. This could cause a problem with your new piercing. You should have been pierced with 316L Implant Grade Surgical Steel Jewelry and it will not cause a problem for you, the only way you will have problem is if you don't take care of your new piercing.

13. DO NOT remove your jewelry from your piercing because it will close-up. Only remove your jewelry if you are changing to another piece of jewelry.

14. Stay out of hot tubs, pools, lakes, ocean, ect. for 2 weeks. These things carry bacteria even if it is chlorinated water it still has bacteria in it and this could cause some type of infection so stay away.

15. Stay out of Tanning beds for the first week because the tanning bed will heat the jewelry up and burn the inside of the piercing which will prolong the healing process and sun tan oils and sweat will get into the piercing and cause it to get irritated.

If Irritation Occurs

1. Twice a day use a saltwater rinse (not table salt). Fill a Dixie cup ¾ of the way with warm water, then mix ½ teaspoon of Epsom or Sea salt.

2. Submerge a cotton ball in the mixture and place it on your piercing for 5 mintues. This will mixture will help clear up any irritation your piercing may have so your piercing will heal completely.

3. Wash your piercing afterward with a mild liquid Anti-bacterial soap (softsoap).

Do Not use any of the following:

Alcohol, Peroxide, Ora-Jel, Listerine, Scope, Listermint, Hibiclens, Povidone-Iodine, Neosporin Or any other types of cleaners or ointments. These things are made for minor mouth irritations, cuts, scrapes and sunburns.

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