Summertime – perfect for sandals, picnics, and swimming! Of course, if you’ve recently gotten pierced, you may find that your summer plans have suddenly changed because one of the things your piercer should tell you is NO SWIMMING UNTIL IT’S HEALED. Ok, actually, that should be “no immersing your piercing in water until it’s healed” but this post is not about your bathtub. Therefore, we’re just going to focus on swimming. (But you shouldn’t be soaking it in a bathtub either. FYI.)
It’s hot and you got your piercing a few months ago (not enough for it to be fully healed but enough for it to look good) and you’re wondering why you can’t go swimming. The answer is one simple word: bacteria. Even a swimming pool, as chlorinated as it may be, can still harbor bacteria. (And, for the record, chlorine is not going to do your still-healing piercing any favors either. That stuff is irritating!!!) So, pools, lakes, the ocean, hot tubs, all of these are teeming with bacteria that are just dying to take up residence in your beloved new piercing.
Perhaps you’re thinking that there is some way around this restriction. Sadly, there is not. There is nothing you can cover your piercing with that is going to prevent it from getting soaked. Not a plastic bag, not a waterproof patch. And if you’re thinking to yourself that the water looks perfectly clean and it should be fine, you are highly encouraged to search social media for pictures of people who thought the same thing and took their fresh piercing in the water. Or maybe don’t, if you are a person of a sensitive nature or have a weak stomach. Yeesh.
Now then. If you have read this blog post a bit too late, and you’re lounging on your towel drying off, you’re probably kicking yourself and wondering how to fix this situation. (Hey, better late than never!) First of all, don’t go back in the water. You want to clean your piercing thoroughly, VERY THOROUGHLY, with sterile saline wound wash. Basically, you want to use your aftercare routine immediately. Also, you’ll want to hop in the shower as soon as you can to make sure there’s no residue lingering on your skin. Spray the piercing with the sterile saline wound wash spray and then rinse it well with clean, running water. Then pat lightly dry with a clean paper towel or use a hair dryer on the lowest setting to get it completely dry. Please use CLEAN hands to do this.
Having cleaned and dried your piercing, you’re going to want to keep an eye on it for the next week or two for signs of infection. Redness, warmth, swelling, and discharge that is opaque yellow or green – these are all things you don’t want to see. A fever is another thing you really don’t want to see. If these happen, you may have an infection. In that case, you can skip going to your piercer because you should seek out medical attention. If you think that you have an infection, please DO NOT remove the jewelry. Doing so can trap the infection inside and make the whole ordeal that much harder. Follow the doctor’s advice. Better that you have to remove the piercing after the infection is treated than to have the infection worsen. Your health matters!
Summer is always a great time to enjoy the outdoors and a nice cool swim is a great way to beat the heat. But if you have a fresh piercing that isn’t fully healed, make sure you give that swim a miss until your piercing is completely and fully healed. Summer safety is always important, both for you and for your piercing, so play safe. Happy piercing!
