Piercings
By Emily, age 20, Newfoundland
Sweet Designs Featured Writer
In this day and age, teenagers around the world are getting piercings in places I never saw being pierced. I myself currently have 9 piercings and I have had 13 piercings. After a while, they're not as scary, but the anticipation of getting them is the worst part.
Who would have thought that something that causes so much pain would become so popular? It blows my mind when people have surface piercings (I'll get to the differences in a second) in places like their hips or the back of their necks.
There are two kinds of piercings. There are normal body piercings, such as belly button rings, nose rings, etc. Then there are surface piercings, which simply pierce below the surface of the skin, such as the hips, nape of the neck, etc. Different types of jewelry are used for each, but surface piercings usually take barbells (the name used for the type of jewelry) and look kind of like staples. While all piercings are capable of rejecting, surface piercings are more likely to reject because of their nature.
Currently the most common piercings for females are the Monroe piercing, the nose piercing, and the belly button, but according to one source, the Monroe is the new belly button.
Taking care of piercings is extremely important. The most common cleaning method for piercings is using clear anti-bacterial soap and Epsom salts. Some people say that Polysporon or Neosporon is good to use and reduces the risk of scarring. If you choose to use Epsom salt, put about a teaspoon in a small cup of warm water and soak your piercing for 10-15 minutes. The time is important because if you don't soak it for at least 10 minutes, it's like you didn't even clean it.
It's also important not to overclean it. If you overclean the piercing it will dry out and become irritated and will not heal. The best thing to do is to listen to your piercer, because they should know best.
