As I have already shared my views on Piercings. I really love piercings. But sometimes it seems a bit expensive for some people. Today I will give you a piece of complete information about Piercing Needles and also talk about Cannula. What are the differences and similarities in the cannula and traditional needle piercings?
Hollow, Cannula, and curved needles are widely used for piercing. Needles of different gauge sizes are used for different body piercings. Today I am sharing important information about piercing needles.
How to choose the right piercing needles and which one is legal/illegal? Not only this we will discuss how to pierce and how to close piercings? I will answer all of the questions that you are searching for.
Above all, you must have knowledge of the right needles and piercings before you are going to pierce your body on your own.
Check out my favorite products-
Ear piercing instrument with marking pen
Needles of the different sizes used for piercing with gauge Chart.
| Needles | Standard Size | Piercing | ||
| 18G and 20G | Ears and Nose | |||
| 14G | 3/8” and 7/16” | Belly/Navel ring | ||
| 14G | 3/8” and 1/2” | Nipple | ||
| 14G | 5/8” | Tongue | ||
| 14G | 3/8”, 7/16”,1/2” and 5/8” | Septum | ||
| 16G, 18G | 1/4”, 5/16” and 3/8” | Tragus, Helix, Rook, and conch | ||
| 16G | 1/4”, 5/16” and 3/8” | Monroe | ||
| 14G or 16 | 1/4”, 5/16” and 3/8” | Labret and Eyebrow | ||
Types Of Piercing Needles
Mostly three different types of needles are used for piercing worldwide by experienced piercing or tattoo artists. These are Hollow needle, Cannula needle, and Curve Needle.
Apart from these three, piercers use a dermal punch for some piercings. It is not any specific needle or tool rather it is a piercing style.
Hollow Needles
These are the most common type of piercing needle which all Pro piercers have being sins a long time. It looks like a syringe needle. This is safe for use and its hollow structure makes it perfect for piercing. It is a hollow needle featuring a triangular, sharp tip. These needles are laser cut to ensure sharpness.
It comes in different gauges- like as small as 20 G and as big as 2G. But the main this is to know what Gauges hollow needle is suitable for which piercing. The size of the needle really matters as it may result – an awkward piercing look. Which no one likes to have. Wearing the same size of jewelry as the needle size is preferable.
Piercing with a large gauge needle or jewelry is not recommended. It may cause unnecessary bleeding, scars, and pain.
We mostly prefer and use – 14G, 16G, 18G, and 20G. let`s talk in detail about this.
- 20 Gauge- 20 G is about 0.8mm. This is the smallest type of hollow needle. It is used in Ear and Nose piercing. Some people prefer to be pierced with 20 G needle. It is because they thought ears may stretch. And get bigger over time if done with a bigger gauge needle.
- 18 Gauge- It measures 0.1mm and is also used by piercers to pierce Nose and ears as well.
- 16 Gauge- It is a 1.3mm hollow needle. This is an ideal piercing size and is used in a number of piercings. It is used in piercings Like- Cartilage, Eyebrow, Monroe, Tragus, Helix, Conch, and Rook piercing as well.
- 14 Gauge- 14G is a 1.6 mm needle, this is what we use in Navel piercing/ Belly button Piercing. Piercers also use this for a Tongue piercing, Labret, Eyebrow, Industrial, Septum, and Nipple piercings.
- wanna try Hollow piercing needles, check the best recommendation of our readers.
Cannula
The cannula also called a catheter is nothing new for us. This works the same as a Doctor Insert catheter into the patient`s body and then remove when not needed.
In this, the needle is encased into a removable plastic. The plastic is in the shape of a tube.
In this, piercing is done in the same manner as a hollow needle. But after piercing the needle, plastic tube that encased needle remains in the cut. The needle is pulled out of the cut and the plastic inserted is used to wear a piece of jewelry.
Then piercer uses to cut the hub section of the tubing using sterile scissors. Finally, insert the jewelry through the plastic tubing and pulled out through it. Now the demand for Cannula piercing is increasing because It makes the process of inserting a jewel much easier. check the recommended cannula needle on Amazon.
Curve Needles
These needles are rarely used for piercing. I never got pierced with this as I thought it is a most painful needle. The reason behind my weird though is the shape of this needle. Curve shape makes it look more terrifying. In contrast, those who have tried this accepted that it is really not that much pain.
It is used in Tragus piercing and other ear piercing. The curved shape makes it safer to pierce ears as it does not get accidentally pierced into another side of the ear. check the most recommended curve needle for piercing.
Dermal punch
The name Dermal punch isn’t sounded more like any medical term to your ears? Yes! A dermal punch is used by educated piercers or doctors. It is a medical device that dermatologists use while doing skin biopsies.
Then the question comes-“why only doctors and well trained professional piercer can use this”. The reason for this is very simple. A dermal punch is only used to do 2gauge, 4 gauge or 0 gauge piercings.
These piercings can be done by doing a big cut of about 5, 6 or 8mm. which is much bigger than other piercings and heavy bleedings normally occurs.
This takes special attention and knowledge of piercer. As piercer needs to be aware of blood vessel placements.
Today piercing is a fashion trend for both men and women. And they are started using so many different methods of piercing – “Piercing Gun” is one of them.
How to sterilize Piercing Needles/sewing needles?
Sterilizing Needles before the piercing is absolutely important. Hence, this is the step that should not be avoided. Ask piercer whether he/she has sterilized the needle before piercing or not. If not then don`t let her/him do the piercing.
Sterilizing needles at home is nothing bad but I will recommend you no to do piercing by yourself if you are not trained. Never ever try to go beyond earlobe piercing.
Piercings like labret piercing, Navel piercing, and Tragus piercing are some of the complicated piercings. As these should be done by professionals only. It may lead to serious complicacy.
I have 2 different methods of Sterilizing needles at home. You can sterilize any needle by using these methods
1st Method
Take any antiseptic lotion. Clean the needle and put it in the boiling water. Place only the metal portion on the needle in the boiling water and let it stand for 6-12 mins. Use sterile latex gloves to remove the needle tips from the water. Rub it with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide solution. Your piercing needle is ready to pierce your Earlobe.
2nd Method
This method is super easy to do at home. But it doesn`t give complete assurance of sterilization but safe to some extent. Light up a candle or take any heating source. Project the tip of the needle or the whole part of the needle in the flame. Let it became red hot. Take a cotton ball, dip it in rubbing alcohol. Rub the metal part of the needle but don`t forget to wear your sterile latex glove before touching the needle.
3rd Professional`s method of sterilizing Piercing Needles.
Professionals in commercial parlors use Autoclave to sterilize piercing needles. An autoclave is a sterilizing device, in which needle a packed in special sterilization pouch before placing it into the autoclave.
The color of the indicator strip changes when sterilization is completed. You just have to put the metal needles into it after packing in the pouch. Then set the time and pressure. Wear sterile latex gloves before touching the needles.
The autoclave can be used to sterilize only metal needles. This is the safest and easiest method of sterilizing needles. Must ensure that the piercer sterilizes the needles before doing further processes. If not then it is better to skip that salon.
How to use Piercing Needles?
Mark on the skin, hold it tight, and push in the needle to pierce it.
Always consult an expert for piercing. If you are doing it on your own make sure you are not going beyond earlobe piercing. It may be risky to do other piercings at home without the help of any experts.
Before piercing, apply an analgesic cream or any numbing agent. This will reduce the pain while piercing.
Use only sterilized needle. You can sterilize it by your own by doing any one of the above methods. Never ever reuse unsterilized and already used a needle.
You should not do piercing directly without properly holding your skin. Use dermal anchor forceps. Mini slotted Pennington forceps with a lock. First of all, make sure all the tools of piercings are sterilized. Above all, read complete information about different forceps types before using
. Then use the right forceps for your piercings.
NOTE*- Using ice cubes for numbing skin instead of numbing agents is not recommended. As it will make the skin Coarse and thereby leads to heavy bleeding and more pain.
My recommendation
At the time we pierce our body we feel intense pain. But on the nose, it is unbearable and we are unable to think or see anything for a few seconds. This may be dangerous if we lost vision and the piercing goes wrong.
It is better to get a piercing or tattoo by a well-trained expert. Always use sterilized needles. Never, ever use ordinary wires/sewing needle or rusted needle/wire. Always use a sterilized needle and an unused one.
Getting piercing is not the only task after that taking care of the wounded area is most important. Cleaning, washing, and taking proper care is also important. You should take suggestions from experts. Also, ask what to add and what to avoid in your diet.
Never ever try to make tattoos or pierce others without complete information and experience. As it is not legal and if anything happens by mistake, you are going to be in trouble.
After all this information and warning let`s come directly on the types of needles.
Never use piercing Guns
Piercing guns are tough to sterilize and can cause infections. I always recommend using needles instead. Needles are less painful and easy to use too. For more detail check outPiercing Gun Vs Needles: Pros – Cons and Pain comparison
In the United States, They legally allow Hollow, Curve, and Cannula needles only. Only experienced piercers can use needles to pierce.
How to close Piercings?
To close your piercing you should take out your jewelry and keep cleaning it. For more details check out my latest post about How to close nose piercing? FAQs.
Piercing different parts are now becoming a fashion trend. But after that when it seems too ordinary, people wondered for the different methods to change their piercings or to close one.
As the piercing is a permanent body modification. It is tough to change or close. It takes time! maybe some years. Although, you can’t expect complete healing.
If you are searching for a natural method to close your piercing completely then you must know some points. Tiny gauge holes are easy to close and heal completely. Although, Large holes gauges cannot be closed completely. For that, we need Expensive professional assistance
Never try to check your closed piercing by inserting pins or jewels. As a result, it may be reopened.
Steps for closing piercing holes
- First of all, take out the jewelry from the piercing.
- Never put any pin or jewelry again into it
- Clean the hole every day.
- Use a saline solution to clean the piercing hole twice a day.
- You can use mild antibacterial soap but be careful with it. It should not get into the piercing hole.
- After cleaning make sure to squeeze gently around the piercing. Make sure no more water left inside there.
- Use cotton clothes or cotton to wipe it completely.
- Liquid discharge from the hole is normal.
- Observe daily and within 3-4 weeks, the process of healing may starts.
- if the liquid discharge not there anymore, hence means it is healing.
- After the healing process starts, you can see the visible layer of skin in the piercing hole.
- Now it`s time to fight to scar.
- You can use your own anti-scars cream. Or ask your dermatologist to suggest for the best anti- scars gel or cream.
- Apply as prescribed.
NOTE* these steps are sufficient to close 18G, 20G, and even 16 G but larger gauge than these are hard to heal completely without professional assistance. Sometimes large gauge piercings need to go through minor surgery.
How you sterilized your needle? what you pierced on your own? And How your piercing hole closed. Let me know everything about your experiences, suggestion, or if any query related to this post. Share your views and ideas by writing to me on my mailing address. You can also follow me on Tweeter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Pinterest.
If you found this a useful post then share it with your friends and family. Visite site for more informative articles. Stay tuned for more useful posts and till then Take Care and Stay healthy: “Because You are Beautiful”.
Related
FAQs
What is the best way to sterilize piercing equipment? ›
Soak your instruments in a neutral pH(7) disinfectant/cleaner for 10 minutes. Wavicide works well. Use an ultrasonic cleaner to clean your instruments for 10 minutes. Make sure you leave your instruments in the open position when you place them in the ultrasonic cleaner.
How are piercing needles sterilized? ›Use a pot that has been meticulously cleaned with disinfectant soap and hot water. Put the needle into the pot and bring the water to a rolling boil of at least 200°F (93.3°C). Boil the needle for at least 30 minutes prior to use.
What needle is best for piercing? ›Hollow needles have been the tool of choice for inserting piercings of any size, primarily because of the laser-cut precision of the tubing and the variety of gauges available. After the initial injection is made, jewelry of the corresponding size is inserted into the hole for insertion.
What size needle is used for most piercings? ›When performing a professional body piercing, most piercers will use a hollow needle between 14 and 18 gauge in size. The larger gauge number indicates a smaller diameter needle (i.e. 14g needle is thicker than 18 gauge).
Can you sterilize a piercing with hydrogen peroxide? ›Do not use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. (Both slow the healing of pierced area by drying and killing new healthy cells.)
Can you sterilize piercing needles with hydrogen peroxide? ›You can soak a needle in medical ethanol, bleach, 70% isopropyl alcohol, or 6% hydrogen peroxide. Make sure they stay submerged for at least 20 minutes before taking them out.
What can I use to lubricate a piercing needle? ›Sterile Lubricating Jelly is similar to surgilube and is traditionally used for tattoo stencil transfer as well as a lubricant for piercing needles. The jelly is packaged in individual packets and each one is sterilized to prevent contamination.
Can you sterilize a needle with rubbing alcohol? ›Can you sterilize a needle with rubbing alcohol? Rubbing alcohol is effective in sterilizing a needle to remove foreign objects from the skin, but it is not recommended for needles used in injections. In addition, boiling water and steam is an effective way to sterilize a needle.
Do piercers use the same needle? ›The Pros of Needle Piercing
Professional piercers only use one needle for every client, so it's impossible to get contaminated from someone else's body fluids. Piercing instruments are also properly sterilized and autoclaved, so they're safe to use.
Most earlobe piercings are made with a 20G needle, as are some nose piercings. Shop our 20g flat back earrings (aka Nap Earrings). An 18G needle can be used for earlobe piercings, nose piercings, as well as some cartilage piercings (e.g. forward helix). 18G earrings are great for many healed cartilage piercings.
What gauge should a piercing needle be? ›
"For piercings in general, 18 g through 16 g is the most common. For nipple or navel piercings, 14 g through 12 g is most common. For larger gauges—like stretched ear lobes—the smallest gauge usually starts at size 8 and goes up from there."
Is a piercing gun or needle better? ›Needles result in less tissue trauma, shorter healing time, and an overall more hygienic piercing procedure than piercing with a piercing gun. Needles also allow for your piercers to get a more precise piercing angle for the perfect piercing.
Which needle is bigger 14g or 16G? ›...
Inches & Millimeters Gauge Conversion Chart:
| Gauge | Inches | Millimeters |
|---|---|---|
| 18G | .040" | 1.0mm |
| 16G | .050" | 1.2mm |
| 14G | .064" | 1.6mm |
| 12G | .082" | 2.0mm |
These are regular-walled medical point needles. They are for intramuscular, subcutaneous, and other injections and are available in a wide range of gauges and lengths. They have an oversized chrome plated luer lock hub.
What are 14g piercing needles for? ›Tongue: 14g tends to be the most common starting size for tongue piercings, but 12g is also a popular size for starter body jewelry in a tongue ring.
Is bactine good for piercings? ›The outer opening of the piercing is best treated using liquid antibacterial soap or Bactine. If the liquid soap is too harsh it may be diluted 50/50 with water (avoid perfumed products). Apply liberally with a cotton swab or Q-tip.
Should you clean dried blood off piercing? ›Make sure the skin around it looks normal, and clean off any dried crust/blood with a cotton swab. If any problems occur, don't hesitate to contact your piercer!
Should I soak my piercing jewelry in peroxide? ›Absolutely! Fill a small bowl with hydrogen peroxide—just enough to fully cover the piece you wish to clean. The solution will kill all the bacteria that may be on the surface. Leave the jewelry in the peroxide for about 15–20 minutes.
Can hand sanitizer sterilize a needle? ›Can you clean a piercing needle with hand sanitizer? I would't recommend it. Hand sanitiser has isopropyl alcohol in it, which you should avoid putting on new piercings. Use a saline solution instead, as this is recommended by piercers.
Can you reuse the same needle on yourself? ›Sterility and your safety. Pen and insulin syringe needles are designed for single use, and should only be used once—they are no longer sterile after use.
How do you sterilize surgical instruments at home? ›
Boiling: Placing medical instruments in boiling water for around 30 minutes will kill some unwanted bacteria and other microorganisms.
Why do piercers put Vaseline on the needle? ›Why do piercers put Vaseline on the needle? Tattoo artists use Vaseline when tattooing because the needle and ink are creating a wound. The wound needs something to help heal, and Vaseline can act as a protector for your skin. While it may not prevent scarring and other changes, it can help keep your skin healthy.
Can you use Vaseline as piercing lube? ›Use Plenty of Lubrication
Stay away from petroleum products like Vaseline, A&D ointment, and Neosporin—or other antibiotic ointments—as they may leave behind an oily film which keeps oxygen and cleaning solutions out.
First of all, get a good lubricant: Vitamin E oil (jar or pill form), jojoba oil, olive oil, or emu oil are commonly used. This assures a smooth painless insertion of jewelry. Do not, under ANY circumstances, use Vaseline.
Does nail polish remover sterilize needles? ›"The main ingredients in nail polish removers are acetone and ethyl acetate, both of which are disinfectants," said Grigoriy Mashkevich, MD, facial plastic surgeon at Specialty Aesthetic Surgery. "These compounds have been shown to be effective against viruses and bacteria."
Can isopropyl alcohol sterilize skin? ›Rubbing alcohol is a type of disinfectant that people sometimes use to treat minor skin wounds. In theory, rubbing alcohol may help to kill acne-causing bacteria.
How do you sterilize a pin to pop a pimple? ›Sterilize a straight pin with a match or lighter. Let the pin cool, then wipe it down with rubbing alcohol. Swab the zit with alcohol and pour some on your fingers, too.
How many times can you reuse a piercing needle? ›Needles are never used more than once. Any implements that are not disposable, such as forceps or receiving tubes, are cleaned, disinfected and autoclave sterilized prior to use on anyone. All jewelry is ultrasonically cleaned, individually packaged and autoclave sterilized before insertion into any new piercing.
What is a double needle piercing? ›A double operator piercing is when your Ear Lobes are pierced at the exact same time. This is done with two qualified piercers (one piercing each lobe).
Is it OK to pierce the same spot? ›As a result, getting re-pierced in the same location can be a good location for a piercing to be re-established. This is because the dense tissue will support the piercing and be less prone to infection. It does depend on the way your piercing has healed, and the type of scar tissue.
What is the riskiest piercing? ›
“The most dangerous piercings are the ones that involve cartilage, like higher ear piercings,” says Tracy Burton, a pediatric nurse practitioner in Ontario. “These piercings are associated with poor healing because of the limited blood supply to the area.
What is the least common piercing? ›A few more uncommon piercings are eyeball piercings, dermal piercings (pictured to the left), corset piercings, some genital piercings, uvula piercings, bridge piercings, and anti-eyebrow piercings (the latter two are pictured above).
How do I know my piercing size? ›As long as you are wearing the correct gauge of jewelry in your piercing, just use a caliper to measure how thick (big around) your jewelry is. You cannot measure gauge accurately with a ruler. If you do not have a caliper ask your piercer for help.
What is a 16g needle for? ›16 Gauge: This size is mostly used in the ICU or surgery areas. This large size enables many different procedures to be performed, such as blood administration, rapid fluid administration, and so forth.
What are 20 gauge piercing needles used for? ›What Types of Piercings Use 20g Needles? 20g needles are typically used for ear and nose piercings. Along with 18g, 20g is one of the most common piercing sizes for ear lobe and nose piercings.
Is a 27 or 30 gauge needle bigger? ›The higher the number, the finer or thinner the needle. For example, a 30-gauge needle is smaller than a 27-gauge needle. Length: How long the needle is. This is measured in inches.
What are the cons of piercing guns? ›While piercing guns may seem to be a quick, easy and convenient way of creating holes, they have major drawbacks in terms of sterility, tissue damage and inappropriate jewelry design.
Does Claire's use a piercing gun or needle? ›What is the Ear Piercing process? Getting your ears pierced at Claire's is safe, sterile and easy. Our highly trained specialists provide a touch-free piercing experience that uses single-use sterile cartridges and requires no needles.
Is it better to get your cartilage pierced with a gun or needle? ›'Cartilage should always be pierced with a needle. A piercing gun isn't designed for cartilage, only soft tissue and even then I wouldn't recommend it. Piercing cartilage with a gun can create hardcore hypertrophic scarring and even blow it up.
What is a 25G needle used for? ›For example, 25G ½ refers to a 25 gauge, ½ inch-long needle. Longer needles (½ inch or longer) are commonly used for intramuscular injections, while shorter (shorter than ½ inch) needles are more often used for intravenous injections.
What is 23G needle used for? ›
Normal medical use: The normal medical use for the 23G 25mm (1inch) needle is for Intramuscular, intravenous, and subcutaneous injections.
What is a 30g needle used for? ›Subcutaneous injection are well known for a the injection of insulin for people suffering with diabetes, again the chosen needle gauge ranges from 25g to 30g as they are the most efficient in delivering the liquid in between the skin and muscles.
What do you use a 10g needle for? ›These are regular-walled medical point needles. They are for intramuscular, subcutaneous, and other injections and are available in a wide range of gauges and lengths. They have an oversized chrome plated luer lock hub.
Do higher gauge needles hurt less? ›The needle's width, known technically as the gauge, has a lot do with how uncomfortable it feels when it pierces your skin. Not surprisingly, the narrower the needle (which, ironically, means it has a larger gauge number), the less it hurts.
When did doctors stop reusing needles? ›The basic design has remained unchanged though interchangeable parts and the use of plastic resulted in the almost universal use of disposable syringes and needles since the mid-1950s.
What are 18G piercing needles used for? ›Use it for nose piercing, ear piercing, or any other body area.
What is 10g piercing? ›...
| gauge | inches decimal | millimeters |
|---|---|---|
| 10g | 0.102" | 2.588 mm |
| 0.125" | 3.175 mm | |
| 8g | 0.129" | 3.264 mm |
| 6g | 0.162" | 4.115 mm |
The higher gauge number indicates the smaller hole inside a needle and when the gauge number is lower, the hole is larger.
How do you sterilize a piercing gun? ›The gun is made either of plastic or metal-encased plastic and so cannot be sterilised. Some professional piercers run these devices through their autoclave, where they melt and then hang them on the wall of their shop as a warning. That's the only way in which an ear piercing gun would be used in an APP shop.
How do you disinfect a piercing gun? ›Cleaning and disinfecting piercing guns
After performing the piercing procedure the piercing gun should be thoroughly washed in warm water and detergent, and then disinfected before use on another client.
Can piercing guns be properly sterilized? ›
"Piercing guns can not be sterilized because they are made of plastic.
How do piercers sterilize jewelry? ›When it comes to body piercing though, an autoclave is also used to sterilize all the pretty jewelry prior to piercing! To sterilize things, an autoclave uses high pressures and high temperatures (which create steam) to kill all bacteria and microorganisms.
Will rubbing alcohol sterilize a needle? ›Rubbing alcohol is effective in sterilizing a needle to remove foreign objects from the skin, but it is not recommended for needles used in injections. In addition, boiling water and steam is an effective way to sterilize a needle.
Should I get a piercing gun or needle? ›Needles result in less tissue trauma, shorter healing time, and an overall more hygienic piercing procedure than piercing with a piercing gun. Needles also allow for your piercers to get a more precise piercing angle for the perfect piercing.
Why not to use piercing guns? ›Piercing guns can cause significant tissue damage.
Medically, this is referred to as “blunt force trauma.” At the least, it can result in significant pain and swelling for the client, at the most in scarring and potentially increased incidence of auricular chondritis, a severe tissue disfigurement.
Spray your piercings entrance and exit holes with sterile saline spray 2 to 3 times a day. You can wipe away any crusty discharge from the jewelry with sterile non-woven gauze soaked in saline but do not pick at it.
What spray do you use to clean piercings? ›Use Sterile Saline Spray such as NeilMed Wound Wash or Arm & Hammer Nasal Spray to clean and irrigate your piercing. Spray 1-2 times a day directly on your piercing. (If the spray is not strong enough to get off crusties, gently clean off them with non-woven gauze or clean paper towel.)
Can you use rubbing alcohol to sterilize piercing jewelry? ›It's best to avoid the use of rubbing alcohol when cleaning jewelry or piercings because it can cause damage to the jewelry. Allow the piercing to dry before replacing the jewelry.
Can you reuse piercing needles if sterilized? ›Needles are never used more than once. Any implements that are not disposable, such as forceps or receiving tubes, are cleaned, disinfected and autoclave sterilized prior to use on anyone. All jewelry is ultrasonically cleaned, individually packaged and autoclave sterilized before insertion into any new piercing.
Can I sterilize my piercing needle then use it again? ›Use During Skin Piercing Procedures for Infection Prevention
One new, sterilized piercing needle should be used for each client and each procedure. The needle/s must be discarded into the sharps container after use. Because the needle is hollow it cannot be properly cleaned or sterilized, therefore must be discarded.
Can you sterilize jewelry at home? ›
Start by filling a bowl with warm water and a mild dish soap, then leave your jewelry submerged for up to 20 minutes. At this point, take a toothbrush or similarly small brush and go over the surface, including behind stones and all places where dirt, grease and grime could be embedded.
Should you use antibacterial soap on piercings? ›The outer opening of the piercing is best treated using liquid antibacterial soap or Bactine. If the liquid soap is too harsh it may be diluted 50/50 with water (avoid perfumed products). Apply liberally with a cotton swab or Q-tip.