Introduction
If you’ve been thinking about getting a lip piercing, congratulations! It’s a great way to express yourself and make a bold fashion statement. But before you go under the needle (or is it needle?), there are some things you need to know about proper aftercare. We spoke with Elizabeth Haime, the owner of Body Electric Tattoo in San Francisco, California, who shared her expertise on the subject. Here are her top tips:
How to properly care for your new lip piercing.
- Wear a retainer for at least 24 hours.
- Use a sea salt solution to clean your piercing, and avoid water or other liquids that may cause irritation to the area.
- Avoid sleeping on your side with the piercing in, as this can result in swelling and pain around the mouth area.
- Avoid eating foods that cause irritation to your piercing (e.g., spicy foods).
Wear a retainer for at least 24 hours.
For the first 24 hours after your piercing, you should wear a retainer. This keeps the piercing open and prevents it from closing. It’s important that you replace the retainer every 24 hours, as well as clean it with alcohol or antibacterial soap between each use.
Do not remove your retainer except when replacing it with a new one! You will know when it’s time to replace your current retainer because there will be some drainage coming out of your lip piercing–and this is normal!
Use a sea salt solution.
After you get your piercing, you’ll want to start cleaning it with a sea salt solution. This will help prevent infection and speed up the healing process. To make a sea salt solution, mix 1/4 teaspoon of non-iodized salt in 8 ounces of warm water (make sure it’s not too hot).
Then, use a cotton swab (or something similar) dipped in the mixture to gently clean around your new piercing every few hours while you’re awake. Make sure not to touch any metal parts of your jewelry with this tool! You can also use Q-tips if necessary; just make sure they’re brand new so they don’t have any bacteria from previous use on them yet before applying them directly onto open wounds like scars or piercings!
Don’t sleep on your side with the piercing in.
- Don’t sleep on your side with the piercing in.
This will cause a lot of problems, as it can cause the piercing to migrate, get pulled out by your bedding and damaged by it, or become infected. If you’re worried about sleeping on your back (which is recommended) and you don’t want to buy another pillow just for this purpose–or if you already own one but it’s too firm–you can try putting some soft material between yourself and the hard surface underneath before going to bed each night. A thin towel folded into quarters works well; so does an extra blanket or comforter folded up several times until it’s thick enough that when laid across both sides of yourself at once provides enough cushioning without being too heavy or bulky as well as being easy enough for anyone who may be sharing their bed with someone else who isn’t interested in buying new pillows themselves either!
Avoid eating foods that cause irritation to your piercing.
- Avoid eating foods that cause irritation to your piercing.
- Don’t pick at or rub the healing area, as it can damage the fresh wound and slow down the healing process.
- Avoid smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages while you’re healing your new lip piercing (or any other body piercing). These activities speed up blood flow to the area and make it easier for bacteria to enter into your bloodstream, which could lead to an infection or even scarring of your lip piercing site.
As long as you follow proper aftercare, healing should go smoothly.
As long as you follow proper aftercare, healing should go smoothly. The key to a successful piercing is following the advice of your piercer and using the products they recommend.
During the first few weeks of healing, it’s important to keep your mouth clean and avoid touching or playing with your new piercing unless absolutely necessary. Don’t worry–you’ll still be able to eat, drink and talk without damaging your lip ring! But if you must touch or play with it (and let’s face it: we all do), make sure that both hands are clean before doing so.*
If at all possible, try not to sleep on either side where your lip ring resides; instead use a pillowcase that won’t rub against any jewelry in order to prevent migration.*
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you understand how to properly care for your new lip piercing. As long as you follow these tips, healing should go smoothly!
