How to Care for a Labret Piercing
A labret piercing is a piercing between the lower lip and chin. While they are most often seen directly below the center of the lip, they can also be off to the side. Like any other piercing, they are prone to infection and irritation if they are not properly cared for. In order to expedite the healing process, properly clean your piercing. Once the piercing heals, it is important to keep up with regular cleanings to prevent infections. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Hand soap
- Water
- Preservative-free saline solution
- Small paper cup
- Cotton ball
- Cotton swab
- Paper towel
Instructions
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1
Wash your hands with hand soap and warm water. Your hands should always be clean when you touch an unhealed piercing.
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2
Pour preservative-free saline solution into a paper cup. A tablespoon of the solution is more than enough.
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3
Put the cup in the microwave and warm it on high heat for 10 seconds or until the saline solution is warm to the touch.
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4
Soak a cotton ball in the saline solution and hold it against the labret piercing for five to 10 minutes.
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5
Dip the end of a cotton swab in the saline solution and gently scrub away any hardened bodily fluids from the piercing or jewelry. Do not twist or rotate the jewelry while doing this.
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6
Rinse the piercing with saline solution to wash away any leftover residue. Rinse both the inside and the outside of the lip.
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Pat the piercing dry with a paper towel. Do not use a cloth towel as they are more likely to harbor harmful bacteria.
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Repeat the process twice per day during the four-week healing process. The piercing only needs to be washed every two or three days after it heals.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not use saline solution from a plastic bottle as they become contaminated upon opening.
Do not use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on a piercing. Both of these products strip the skin of natural oils, thus drying it out and putting it at risk for irritation or infection.
