Piercings on the Playa?

[Gemineye]

So I've searched ePlaya and have not found the kind of information about piercings on the playa that I desire.

I realize that to get fresh piercings before BM would more than likely be silly. It's just like an open wound. But, what about an already healed piercing? Has anyone ever had problems with playa dust disturbing theirs? (Like it getting into where the jewelry is coming through..)

[misfit]

keep it clean, and you'll be fine....

[Gemineye]

Sorry, I also meant to ask:

Water? Soap and water? Or am I going to have to dunk my vertical labret in some vinegar? ;P

[avalon25]

If your piercing is already healed, no problem... Last year i wanted to have my neck pierced in SF and i was told it would be better to do it AFTER BM

[tattoogoddess]

While i have never been to the playa. I would say do not get one 8 weeks before hitting the playa. Your's will still be healing. If you have it now. Just keep it clean! I have heard wounds on the playa are not fun to heel.

[Token]

The moment you stick your calf into a foot long piece of rusted rebar out there on the playa, last thing you will think about is your face.

Just run some cheap vodka through it every few days and your fine.

Can you blow bubbles through it?

[vaktel]

last year i had a nose piercing that was almost healed, until i switched from a stud to a ring (so i could chain my nose to my ear...). the switching process went much worse than i expected and the wound ended up being open again, one week before departure. i had the same fear, and brought the standard stuff to clean it with. but as you might expect, i was pretty distracted, busy, dusty, and subsequently exhausted for the whole week and i definitely slacked off on the cleaning.

surprisingly, my nose was okay, although sore. maybe it has something to do with the dryness or the heat? since it's only a week of your life, you can always get back on the healing wagon at home. but if you do end up with a fresh piercing, clean it when you remember to, have some good tea tree oil handy so you can dab some on. and hope for the best!

oh yeah, and addressing already healed piercings: i have ten others, and have never had an issue with them whatsoever. if they're healed, they're healed. noooo problemo.

[tattoogoddess]

What did you use to clean it?
Sea Salt and water is the best way to go by far. If you get some healing issues you can also make a paste from it and sleep with it on. This is also good for the common keloids you get from noses. I have that issues right now

[vaktel]

yeah sea salt and water is the best. for the playa i brought a bottle of saline solution instead of mixing my own, and lots of cotton balls and q-tips (and the associated trash bag, it's an easy form of moop!).

[C187]

Standard cleaning methods, and you'll be fine.
The only time piercings and the playa become iffy is if you rip one with a chunk of skin, do suspension on the playa, or have an insane amount of play piercing in. Even then proper attention and care will remove most of the risk. However if you were to get a piercing a day or two before coming to the playa, I would suggest that you avoid genital, inner-oral, thin surface (ex. vertical bridge) and hard to reach areas (neck). To reduce the risk of rejection.

[kubikub]

I have a septum, stretched lobes, and one of my nips pierced. Septum was fine, it's probably the hardiest piercing I have. However, both my lobes and my nipple tend to get angry with weather or temperature shifts back home, and get itchy in dry environments if I don't take care of them. So, expecting all of the above on-playa, I made sure to wash them everyday, but I think what saved them the most was emu oil. Worked wonders. Kept em moisturized and happy. They flared up a little bit but were back to normal a day or two after returning home.

[emmawonder]

I have camped in several playa-like places before with work and gotten really dusty dirty, I also have my stomach, nips, dermals... the whole nine yards. What has always worked great for me at home or in the dust (by the recommendation of many, many great piercers) are these simple spray cans of water you buy at any drug store in the first aid section. They look like an aerosol can of purified water marketed for wound cleaning. It dispenses a light stream of water with enough strength to clean off dust but not enough to irritate the piercing. It is sterile and better than mixed solutions or any soaps because it doesn't dry out the piercing area. Simple and it has kept me from getting infections even on the grimiest of trips. I would also suggest going to the very best piercing place in your area (the one you can never afford haha) and just ask them what they recommend, they will ususally give you some good tips even if you weren't pierced there.

[solemnraven]

yeah sea salt and water is the best. for the playa i brought a bottle of saline solution instead of mixing my own, and lots of cotton balls and q-tips (and the associated trash bag, it's an easy form of moop!).

I was just going to suggest this. Or a small spray bottle with premixed sea salt water. Don't forget chap stick.
I have a vertical labret too so thanks for bringing this up because I would have likely not thought about it otherwise.

[Tiahaar]

I use this stuff and like it