Saline solution for piercings

Body piercing is very popular today. People who have a piercing or two know that it is very important to keep it clean so it does not get infected, red, swollen, or painful. Having a piercing may be painful, but the complications that arise from improper aftercare are much more painful.

Piercing professionals always advise their clients how to keep the piercing and the jewelry clean and saline solution is one of the best ways to do it. Many piercing salons sell saline solutions, usually in form of a spray, but one can save money by making saline solutions at home, easily and quickly.

How to Make Saline Solution

Saline solution is nothing but salt water. People who spend a lot of time at the beach have probably noticed the good the sea water does for their various issues, from cuts and scrapes to nasal congestion and sore throat. It is because salt, diluted in water, has a sanitizing effect and it cleans and disinfects the skin. Of course, seawater is not clean enough to be used on piercings, which is why it is recommended to use sea salt solutions or saline solutions.

The water used to male saline solutions should be packaged, filtered, and preferably distilled. The salt should not be iodized, otherwise, it will irritate the skin. It should also be sea salt, not plain table salt because it works better and contains more beneficial minerals.

The solution is prepared by mixing one-third of a teaspoon of sea salt with eight ounces of water. The solution should be thoroughly mixed so all the salt dilutes. The solution is then poured into a sterilized spray bottle or a similar container, and it is ready for use.

How to Use Saline Solution for Piercings

Before using the solution, it is very important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm running water. The solution should then be poured slowly onto the jewelry to clean it. It is best to do it with a syringe. The area around the piercing is then soaked or sprayed with saline solution and the jewelry is gently moved so the solution can come inside the hole. Saline solution is also effective for cleaning the crust or scab that sometimes forms around the piercing.

After applying the saline solution, it should be left to dry on its own.

This is to be repeated several times a day, especially before bedtime. Saline solution is very useful whenever the piercing starts hurting, itching, or turning red and swollen, in order to stop the inflammatory process.