How to Heal a Nipple Piercing

Once restricted to the more exotic elements of society, nipple piercings have become increasingly popular in recent years. For some, they are simply ornamental. Others choose to have their nipples pierced in order to regain lost sensitivity, for example after breast feeding. Because nipple piercings pass quite deeply into the body's tissue, infection is a serious consideration, and aftercare is especially important. The two keys to healing a nipple piercing are to prevent infection and to avoid irritation (See Reference 1).

Things You'll Need

• Boiled water
• Antibacterial cleanser recommended by your piercer
• Mild salt solution or antiseptic recommended by your piercer
• Cotton swabs
• Sterile gauze pads
• Surgical tape

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Instructions

• 1

  Boil the water in a clean container. Place several cotton swabs into the container of boiling water and allow to cool to body temperature. Wash your hands very thoroughly using hot water and an antibacterial cleanser, taking care to wash all the way up to your elbows and to clean under your nails. Remove any existing dressing, and gently cleanse the piercing with the cotton swabs and cleanser. Take care to gently remove any scabs or matter around the piercing. Twist the piercing very gently to make sure it moves loosely and easily, without adhesions. Wipe the area with a cotton swab dipped in saline, or apply the antiseptic recommended by your piercer in accordance with his instructions (See Reference 2).

• 2

  Inspect the area around the piercing. Some redness and tenderness is normal, but if the skin nearby looks very red and inflamed, or is very tender, you may have an infection. If there are red streaks near the site of the piercing, you should immediately seek medical attention, as this could indicate the onset of blood poisoning (See Reference 3).

• 3

  Take a gauze pad and tape it carefully into place over the piercing. Make sure any clothes you put on over the piercing are clean—you should change your bra or undershirt at least once a day while your piercing is healing as dirty clothes can transfer infectious agents to the piercing. The greatest care should be taken to avoid contact between the piercing and other people's body fluids, as these can transmit severe diseases (See Reference 3).

• 4

  Support your overall physical health to speed the healing process. Exercise in moderation, but avoid vigorous activities, as these could cause your piercing to become irritated by sweat or friction. Avoid swimming, as water-borne infections could contaminate your piercing or common pool additives like chlorine could irritate your piercing. Get plenty of rest and eat a balanced diet. Drink plenty of water and other fluids. Avoid alcohol, tobacco and other toxins (See Reference 2).