How to Care for New Body Piercings in Summer
Piercing aftercare is evergreen. No matter when or where you get a new piercing, the aftercare process is the single most important step to a healthy, long-lasting body piercing. Without extra care and attention, your piercing could become irritated, or worse, infected, requiring you to remove the jewelry altogether. Nobody wants that.
Even though aftercare is always key, it’s even more important during the summer. While rising temperatures open the door to a myriad of outdoor activities, it also tees us up for more sweat, more movement, and more chances to irritate a body piercing.
In this blog, we’ll go over some methods to keep your fresh piercing healthy, as well as some important aftercare information regarding summertime body piercings.
Summertime Activities to Avoid
The summertime might seem like a wonderful time to get your new body piercing. Warmer weather encourages shorter sleeves, crop tops, short-shorts, pulling your hair back…the list goes on. And while summer fashion lends itself to all different types of body piercings, the aftercare process can become a bit more complicated in the summer.
Generally, these are things you’ll want to avoid if you have a fresh piercing:
Swimming
Arguably one of the most popular summer activities, swimming in public bodies of water is a sure-fire way to introduce unwanted bacteria or germs into your piercing site.
Particularly, you’ll want to avoid any bodies of water that are chemically treated—like pools and hot tubs. Additives like chlorine can be irritating and may dry out your piercing.
To that end, it’s also important to stay away from natural or manmade bodies of water like ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans. Because there’s no control over what goes in and out of the water, and it’s impossible to regulate its cleanliness, these places are not ideal for a fresh piercing.
Sweating
We know that sweating is natural and no one can control it. But there are some ways to mitigate sweating near your new piercing. For example, if you plan to exercise in a way that you know will cause extreme sweating, take your piercing’s location into consideration. For facial and ear piercings, you can wear a sweatband or a bandana to stop sweat from dripping into your piercing location.
Or, if it’s a bellybutton piercing, for example, wearing a sweat-wicking fabric can help absorb the sweat before it gets into your piercing.
While sweat is natural and generally isn’t harmful, its salt content can irritate your piercing and prolong the healing process.
Sunscreen
A summertime staple, sunscreen is vital for keeping your skin protected while catching rays. However, it can be irritating to a fresh piercing. For that reason, avoid putting sunscreen directly on or near your piercing. The chemicals in sunscreen can cause a stinging sensation in a new piercing, so take extra precaution when applying it.
Soap
In the summer, we might find ourselves showering more often due to hotter days and outdoor activities. Be extra careful when washing around your piercing so as to not get any harsh soaps in the piercing location. Fragrances and other soap additives can be extremely irritating to your piercing.
Before exiting the shower, flush out the piercing with running water. Be sure to clean your piercing immediately afterward (see the next section for specific aftercare details).
Scratching
Getting more sun and being outside longer have their benefits, but they can lead to more physical contact with your piercing. Touching, scratching, and twisting your fresh piercing should be avoided at all costs! This is because your fingers can transfer germs and other irritants into your piercing wound, which could cause an infection.
Your Summertime Aftercare Routine
Fortunately, piercing aftercare looks generally the same year-round. But there are some extra steps you can take in the summer to make sure your new piercing is here to stay.
In the summer, your aftercare routine should take the day’s activities into consideration. If you’re going for a run outside in warm weather, you’ll be sweating no matter what. That means you might want clean your piercing as soon as you’re finished to avoid unnecessary irritation.
When cleaning your piercing, we recommend using a sterile saline wound wash. Many brands, like NeilMed, offer the solution in a spray bottle to easily clean small areas like piercings. Just thoroughly spray the piercing and use a clean paper towel to blot away any excess liquid. Be sure to avoid any harsh chemicals or ointments—like hydrogen peroxide, isopropyl alcohol, or antibiotic ointments—as they can dry out your piercing and/or trap germs in the area.
Let Your New Piercing Shine On
When it comes to a brand-new piercing, summer weather and activities can make the healing process a bit more complex. But don’t let that stop you! It’s all about being mindful of your day-to-day activities.
If you’re looking for high-quality, fun body jewelry that will fit your summer vibe, look no further than Urban Body Jewelry. From ear piercings to navel piercings, our portfolio has you covered all year long.