If you’ve ever had a piercing, you already know that saline solution helps the piercing heal. (If you haven’t had a piercing before, now you know).
But you might be curious about how piercing saline solution works and why piercers recommend specific piercing products over other options.
We care about your health as much as you do, and we want you to feel confident about the products you use on your piercing. That’s why we’ve created this quick guide on piercing saline solutions and how they work.
How Does Saline Solution Work on Piercings?
Saline solution is a mixture of purified water and sodium chloride.
Saline solution is used in many ways, from cleaning wounds (like your piercing), treating dehydration, or clearing nasal passages.
MASSAI TIPS, please note that while saline solution has many uses, saline products vary, so if you have a saline product for a specific issue, consult a medical professional before using it for something else. We'll discuss this further later.
Saline Solution for Piercing Healing
In simple terms, the salt in the saline solution dehydrates bacteria and kills it.
We use saline solution for piercing aftercare for several reasons.
Its two ingredients, salt and water, do not irritate the skin like other chemicals. It is also an effective disinfectant. Without going too deep into the science, salt essentially absorbs water from bacteria, eliminating them. The solution also helps remove debris from the piercing.
The most common suggestion from piercing professionals is to use the piercing aftercare solution 2 to 3 times a day.
Regular cleaning will help you maintain the hygiene of your piercing and prevent skin irritations.
Can I use contact lens solution on my piercings?
The short answer is easy: no, you cannot.
As mentioned above, not all saline solutions are the same. Depending on their use, they may have additives that could irritate your skin.
Contact solution is one of them. It includes ingredients that clean oil and other debris from contact lenses.
While these are fine for your eyes, they are not so good for your piercing during its healing process.
MASSAI TIPS: Contact lens saline solution contains additives that are not safe for piercing healing.
If you have an additive-free saline solution (in other words, it only contains pharmaceutical-grade water and sodium chloride), then it is likely safe to use on your piercing. However, it’s best to be safe and consult with a piercer.
Why should I use saline solution to keep my piercing clean?
New piercings are delicate, and keeping a piercing clean and hydrated will help keep your skin healthy.
As a body jewelry company, we firmly believe that you should not only use saline solution during the piercing healing time; keeping your piercings cared for afterward will help you avoid many problems in the future.
Conclusions
Now that you know a little more about how saline solution works, I hope you better understand why it's so important to keep your piercing clean.
A quick spray 2–3 times a day does wonders for the health of your piercing and ensures you can enjoy your body jewelry for years to come.