Clean your septum piercing
It’s super exciting to have a new piercing, but you also need to take good care of to keep clean your septum piercing. If you’ve just gotten a new septum piercing, the most important thing is that you soak it in salt water three times a day. Also, keep it clean as much as possible by avoiding activities like swimming and only handling the piercing with clean hands. Even with optimal care, infections occasionally occur. If you notice one on you, see a doctor immediately.
Do regular salt baths
Keep the cleansing routine going for at least a month.
Septum piercings take about six to eight months to heal completely, but extremely meticulous cleaning is only necessary for the first month. During this time, you should soak the piercing in salt water three times a day.
- You should also touch the piercing as little as possible during the initial period and not use any creams or make-up near the piercing.
Mix up your saline solution.
Fill a glass with about 250ml of clean tap water and add ΒΌ teaspoon of sea salt. Be sure to use sea salt, not table salt. Stir the solution with a spoon until the salt is dissolved.
- Use warm water because it will dissolve the salt better. However, avoid hot water to avoid scalding yourself.
Bathe the piercing in the solution.
Bathing a septum piercing can be a little uncomfortable, but it’s an important part of the healing process. Soak the piercing in the solution for 5 to 10 minutes. If dipping the piercing directly into the salt water becomes too uncomfortable, you can also soak a cotton ball in the solution and hold it on the piercing for 10 minutes.
- Remove the crust with a cotton swab. After bathing your piercing, take a clean cotton swab and dip the end in the solution. Use this to gently rub off any crust that may have formed on your piercing.
Bathe the piercing three times a day.
To keep it clean, you should dip it in the saline solution morning, noon, and night. However, more than three baths a day could dry out the pierced area, increasing the risk of complications.
Keep your septum clean
Don’t touch the piercing.
You should only touch it with your fingers while cleaning. If you do touch the piercing, wash your hands thoroughly first. The less contact your hands have with the piercing, the lower the risk of infection.
Use extra gentle products on your face.
If you use a cleansing gel or moisturizer, it is best not to use it directly around your piercing. You should also use products that are gentler than normal and contain only natural ingredients. Don’t use anything with alcohol or peroxide. You should also keep your hands off perfumed products.
- Avoid such products for about six weeks, as that is how long the initial healing phase of the piercing takes.
Don’t go swimming until your piercing has healed.
Stay away from lakes and pools while your piercing is fresh even pools with chlorine are still full of bacteria that can get into your piercing and cause complications.
- You can go swimming again after four to six weeks, and then the worst should be over. By this point, no more crust should form and the piercing should no longer hurt.
Treat complications
Recognize an infection.
Most septum piercings will heal without major incidents if kept properly clean. Unfortunately, infections cannot be completely ruled out. Examples of signs of infection are:
- Yellow or green discharge.
- A lump next to the piercing.
- Severe pain, redness, or swelling.
Don’t take the jewelry out.
When infected, your first instinct may be to remove the plug as soon as possible. This could make the infection worse. If the hole grows, an abscess can form, which can lead to further complications.
Go to the doctor.
If you have an infected piercing, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Don’t treat an infection without medical help or you’ll just end up making things worse.
Take all medications your doctor prescribes.
Infected piercings are usually treated with antibiotic ointments or oral antibiotics. If your doctor gives you pills, use up the whole pack, even after the symptoms have subsided. With the right treatment, a septum-piercing infection is relatively easy to get under control.
