I’m a piercer – here are the 5 most common mistakes that endanger your health

A PIERCING is essentially an open wound.

As with any open wound, careful precautions must be taken to minimize the risk of infection.

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David out Boy’s Don’t Cry in London and Matthew Harris, co-owner of metal morphosisalso in London, discussing some of the biggest no-gos when it comes to new piercings.

1. Clean

Not cleaning your new piercing is a surefire way to get an infection, experts warn.

Speaking to Sun Health, Davida advises: “First of all, you should use warm water and antibacterial soap.

“The next step is to use a saline solution and wash the new piercing twice a day.”

Hands and fingers should also be clean before touching your new piercing to avoid nasty infections, says Davida.

2. Twist a new piercing

When a piercing is brand new, many tend to add a few twists here and there—they think it’ll help, but experts strongly warn against it.

“That is a fallacy. You don’t have to twist yourself,” Matthew told dem daily mirror.

He added, “One of the main reasons I don’t roll it every day is that you usually roll it with your fingers.”

He added that the risk of infection is high since hands harbor germs and bacteria when you rotate your jewelry.

Instead, you should use a cotton swab to clean rather than your hands, he adds.

3. Swapping for a tire too soon

Fans of hoop earrings may be inclined to wear them in the early days while the piercing is still healing, but this can increase the risk of infection, the experts said.

Because this type of jewelry is not suitable for body tissue that is still healing.

The risk lies in their shape, which can make stinging worse as the ring moves.

Davida recommends waiting at least six weeks before adding ring jewelry to your new piercing.

4. Use of a piercing gun

A gun may be a common way to get a piercing, but they are also controversial in the piercing world.

The risks include cartilage damage or blunt force impacts, according to the experts.

The Association of Professional Piercers warns that “it can cause significant pain and swelling for the client,” including “scarring” and “auricular chondritis, a severe tissue disfigurement.”

“Cannulas, or American style needles, are my go-to choice when it comes to piercings,” adds Davida.

5. Wearing costume jewelry

Trendy jewelry needs to be carefully considered, as certain metals could increase the risk of infection, experts warn.

Nickel is one of the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis, Denmark even bans the sale of anything on the skin that releases nickel – but gold can also pose a risk.

Gold plated jewelry can also be to blame as it contains either silver or brass.

Titanium is the preferred type for new piercings because it contains no nickel and is lightweight.