Body Piercing and Sports: How to Care for Your Piercing During Physical Activity?

The decision to get a piercing, such as Ragnar's, often comes with questions about daily activities, including sports, which may be contraindicated. Can a fresh piercing interfere with exercise? How can you avoid irritation and infection during intense activity, so you don't fall asleep on your piercing?

Every piercing, including lobe or conch piercings, requires adequate healing time, and strenuous activity should be avoided during the entire healing period. Depending on the piercing location, the healing process can take anywhere from several weeks to several months, so it's best to avoid removing jewelry until it's fully healed.

For the first few weeks after the procedure, it's recommended to avoid vigorous exercise, which can cause excessive sweating or expose the navel piercing to mechanical damage. Sweat is an ideal environment for bacteria that can cause infection, so hygiene is crucial, especially for navel and septum piercings, and to prevent lymphatic drainage, appropriate measures such as puri nasin are also used.

How to protect a fresh piercing during sports?

If you do start physical activity with a recently pierced piercing, remember a few rules, including the need to thoroughly clean the pierced area 2-3 times a day to support the healing process.

1. Cover the piercing to protect it from contamination during the healing period, and clean the pierced area three times a day. Use protective pads, bandages, or plasters to protect the piercing from abrasion and contact with bacteria, especially the tragus and helix, and wash your hands with antibacterial soap before touching them.
   
   
2. Avoid tight clothing. Clothing that constricts the piercing area, such as a lobe, can cause irritation, so it's best to choose looser, snugger clothing to prevent blood clotting. Choose loose, breathable sportswear.
   
   
3. Disinfection after training is crucial to avoid infection, especially in the case of lobe or conch piercings, so it is worth using marimer or sterimar to cleanse the wounds.: After each exercise session, thoroughly clean the piercing site with saline or special products recommended by the piercer.
   
   
4. Avoid shared spaces: Gyms, pools, and saunas are places where bacteria can easily come into contact. Try to avoid them for the first few weeks after your procedure to ensure full healing.
   
   

Types of sports and piercing – what is worth knowing?

Some sports, such as those involving saltwater, can be more problematic than others, especially for rooks. Here's an overview of the risks associated with various activities, including sports, that can affect blood clotting.

• Contact sports (e.g., avoiding intense exercise in the first few days after piercing). Sunbathing. Football, basketball, MMA: There is a high risk of accidental piercing damage, especially in the case of a septum piercing. It is recommended to remove the piercing or cover it with a special protector to protect the piercing channel during physical activity. This is especially important for the helix piercing, so as not to damage the piercing.
  
  
• Yoga and Pilates. Less invasive for piercings, although in the case of the navel, positions that may put pressure on the area should be avoided to prevent lacerations.
  
  
• Water sports can be risky for a fresh piercing, so it's important to follow post-piercing instructions. Pools and oceans can harbor bacteria, which increases the risk of infection. Therefore, it's a good idea to use a cotton swab to clean pierced areas, especially after sunbathing, and to use a disinfectant solution. If you must swim, protect your piercing with a waterproof plaster.
  
  
• Running and fitness: Make sure your sportswear doesn't rub against your fresh piercing. In the case of an infection, for example, you may need to clean the piercing 2-3 times a day. For those with nipple piercings, choose a sports bra with soft padding to prevent irritation.
  
  

The importance of hygiene during physical activity

Piercings require special attention to hygiene, especially during physical activity, to ensure complete healing and avoid dirty conditions, which are important for blood clotting. Here are some additional tips:

• Always wash your hands before touching the piercing to avoid infection. During the healing period, the pierced area should be cleaned thoroughly 2-3 times a day.
  
  
• Carry antibacterial wipes, saline solution, and post-piercing spray with you to care for your piercing, using them 2-3 times a day.
  
  
• Avoid using cosmetics on the piercing area, which may contain irritating chemicals, to avoid irritating your belly button piercing.
  
  

When to stop exercising?

If you notice symptoms such as redness, swelling, pain, discharge, or other signs of infection, you should replace your piercing and consult your piercer or doctor immediately.