What to do to care for an inflamed piercing

O piercing Inflammation occurs when there is a change in the healing process, causing pain, swelling and redness above normal after piercing the skin.

The treatment of piercing inflamed wound should preferably be guided by a nurse or general practitioner, according to the type of wound and the degree of inflammation, but general guidelines include keeping the area clean and dry, avoiding humidity and sweat, in addition to using anti-inflammatory medications or antibiotics prescribed by your doctor.

Check out the main precautions you should take with an inflamed piercing:

How do you know if the piercing is inflamed

Some signs that may indicate that exaggerated inflammation or even an infection is occurring, such as:

• Redness or swelling that does not improve within 3 days;
• Increased red and swollen area to the surrounding skin;
• Very intense or unbearable pain;
• Presence of pus, with white, yellowish or greenish secretion, or blood in the area;
• Presence of fever or malaise.

If these signs and symptoms are present, you should go to the emergency room to begin treatment with anti-inflammatories and antibiotics, prescribed by your general practitioner.

8 steps to take care of your piercing inflamed

If it is noticed that the location of the piercing is inflamed, you need to take some precautions, such as:

1. Wash your hands well with soap and water before touching the piercing;
2. Lavar o local about twice a day, with soap and water, which can be neutral or antibacterial, and then dry with a clean towel or gauze;
3. Avoid leaving the area humid, with sweat or accumulation of secretion, wearing airy clothes and keeping the area dry;
4. Clean the area with saline solution and cotton. A homemade solution can also be used, made with 250 ml of clean, warm water with 1 teaspoon of salt;
5. Apply antisepticsuch as povidone-iodine, which helps prevent local infections;
6. Take anti-inflammatoriessuch as ibuprofen, nimesulide or ketoprofen, for example, help to improve pain and swelling;
7. Avoid friction do piercing with clothes or accessories;
8. Be careful with your diet, as there are types of food that can make healing difficult, such as sweets, soft drinks, fried foods and sausages. Anti-inflammatory foods can help with the treatment of piercing inflamed, like saffron and garlic, for example. Find out which foods help fight inflammation.

Not case of piercing inflammation in the mouth, such as on the tongue or lip, in addition to these precautions, it is important to eat soft foods to help reduce discomfort and pain.

You should not use products such as honey, aloe vera or other homemade ointments, as they can accumulate dirt in the area and hinder healing. Products such as alcohol, iodine or hydrogen peroxide, as they cause irritation, should only be used in cases of larger wounds that require dressings, as advised by a nurse or general practitioner.

Ointments for piercing inflamed

ointments for piercing inflamed area are mainly healing ointments, corticosteroids or antibiotics, which help to reduce inflammation and/or infection in the area.

Thus, some ointments that may be recommended by the dermatologist are neomycin + bacitracin ointment or dexamethasone ointment, for example. Check out the main healing and antibiotic ointments.

These ointments should be used under the advice of a dermatologist after evaluating the condition. piercing and the presence of inflammation and/or infection, in order to indicate the best type of ointment.

How to avoid inflammation

To avoid inflammation of the piercingit is important to adopt some precautions after placing it, such as:

1. Do not allow clothing or accessories to rub against the area where the piercing was placed;
2. Prevent the accumulation of sweat or secretion in the region;
3. Always keep the area clean and dry, avoiding entering swimming pools, lakes or the sea until the wound has healed;
4. When cleaning the area, it is recommended to touch the jewelry a little, carefully and with clean hands, to avoid the accumulation of secretions that could facilitate infection.

Furthermore, the placement of the piercing It must always be carried out in a reliable location, as the use of contaminated material can cause serious infections, in addition to the risk of transmitting diseases such as hepatitis and HIV, for example. See more about the correct ways to treat piercing and avoid an infection.