It's stylish and totally on trend. And it's everywhere on the ear piercings. What to look out for and what not to do if you get one pierced.
The area around the ear is particularly popular, especially among young people. The needle can be inserted by hand into almost any spot through tissue and cartilage. This can sometimes lead to complications such as bleeding, wound infection or problems with healing, especially in the cartilage area:
What is important in a ear piercings studio
Safety comes first. It is therefore important to choose a reputable piercing studio. Piercing is not a profession that requires training. It is therefore also important how much experience a piercer has and whether they regularly attend further training courses. If you are unsure, read customer reviews on social media or ask around.
A good piercer will provide detailed advice beforehand, inform you about the legal requirements and explain health aspects. Cleanliness in the studio and hygienic, sterile work are also important criteria for a reputable piercing studio. Ideally, it should have a separate piercing room. Piercers should also wear face masks and medical gloves and use sterile equipment.
If a foreign body penetrates the skin, the first to react are phagocytes in the damaged tissue. Messenger substances ensure that the blood vessels expand and become more permeable.
Requirements for a ear Piercings
To protect themselves, every piercer will fill out a form with all the questions and have you sign it. Your age will also be asked here.
Piercing is not permitted if you are under the influence of drugs, such as alcohol. Potential risks, such as infection, are also too high for pregnant women. They should therefore refrain from getting a piercing. Anyone who has illnesses that affect the immune system should discuss their desire for a piercing with their doctor beforehand.
Age limits for ear piercings
Legally, there is no age limit for ear piercings. However, if there are problems, the piercer can be held responsible, as he is essentially committing bodily harm. He will therefore also adhere to certain age limits:
- Piercing is generally permitted from the age of 18.
- From the age of 16, the consent of a parent or guardian is sufficient.
- From the age of 14, the consent of a parent or guardian is required. This parent or guardian must also be present.
- Earlobes can be pierced from primary school age.
Scarring is not the only risk
Injury to tissue and cartilage always carries the risk of infection, inflammation and scarring. In addition, acupuncture points, especially on the ear, can be affected.
With the piercing, acupuncture can be triggered in a non-invasive way.
"And this can sometimes (...) cause paradoxical reactions, such as pain or the worsening of certain symptoms," explains the dermatologist.
In general, any signs of change such as redness, severe pain or the formation of keloids should be checked by the piercer. If the piercer cannot help or the wound has become infected, you should definitely see a general practitioner or dermatologist.
How game meat is produced
When a wound heals, a scar forms. But sometimes the scar begins to grow, which leads to what are known as keloids. Colloquially, they are also called wild flesh. They can be recognized by overgrown skin that forms directly on the piercing. They can form when bacteria get into the wound or when the usually straight initial stud is replaced with a ring too soon. Rings bend the piercing channel and offer more movement, so the piercing site cannot heal optimally.
What to do and what not to do after piercing
Once the piercing has been done, the risk of infection can be reduced by taking specific measures. The healing process varies from person to person. It is usually completed after three to six months.
What you should pay attention to:
- Clean the injection site twice a day, preferably with a disinfectant spray and a cotton swab.
- You should also disinfect the area after washing your hair if too much shampoo has run over the ear piercings.
In winter, protect the fresh ear piercings with a hat or headband. These should be light, not tight and lint-free so that no small particles contaminate the wound canal.
This should be avoided:
- Avoid sports for at least two weeks due to the risk of injury.
- Swimming, solarium and sauna are taboo as they are places for germs and bacteria.
- Do not twist or touch the piercing, as this may introduce bacteria from your hands into the wound.
Benefits of Piercings
Many children get their first ear piercings using an ear piercing gun. Piercing with a needle has several advantages:
- The gun can never be positioned perfectly. The holes are often not symmetrical, while the piercing is positioned precisely with the needle.
- Most people feel less pain when piercing with the needle.
- The needle leaves a small hole. This can close up again as long as it has not completely healed.
- Piercing is gentler on the tissue, so the healing process is usually easier than after a shot through the earlobe.
Special feature of first jewelry
An important criterion: the initial jewelry. Despite the designation medical earrings, only costume jewelry is used when piercing the ears. After insertion, the jewelry must be turned regularly in the first few weeks so that it does not grow into the wound. This is not necessary with piercings made of the light metal titanium, as they do not grow into the wound. This also reduces the risk of introducing germs into the wound.
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