There are many different ways to express your personal style: through the clothes you wear, your hairstyle, your music, your hobbies, even the ringtone on your phone. Some teens choose to express themselves with body jewelry like rings, necklaces, earrings, belly rings, etc.
If you’re thinking about a body piercing, make sure to do your homework first. Here are a couple tips to get you started:
- Never pierce yourself or let a friend pierce you. There are serious risks associated with piercing your body with unclean needles such as infection, Hepatitis B or C, tetanus or HIV so make sure you go to a professional establishment with clean and sterilized tools and needles.
- Some metals in body jewelry can cause allergic reactions in some people. Choose non-toxic metal s that are less likely to cause allergic reaction such as implant-grade stainless steel.
- Follow your after-care instructions to prevent infection such as keeping your piercing clean with antibacterial soap and water and washing your hands before touching it. Antibacterial soap can be bought in any grocery store or drug store. The after-care instructions will be specific to the part of the body that is being pierced so speak with the professional who did the piercing to find out the best way to prevent infection. AND read the articles at the end of this tip!
- Get medical attention if you suspect infection (the area gets red, sore, swollen, warm to touch) or if you think your piercing isn’t healing properly.
If you’re still curious, read on! These articles are full of great information for teens who are thinking about getting a body piercing…