As the cold weather settles upon us, you might be wondering if its a good time to get a new piercing - lets talk about what you should consider beforehand.
Dry and Cold Air
The ice cold air outside in contrast to our heated homes is the perfect recipe for dry skin and skin irritation. Our skin is our largest and most exposed organ and during the colder season its right in the forefront. It's important to stay hydrated and moisturized, not only for our skin but to promote healthy healing piercings.
Fully healed piercings need care in the winter too! Direct exposure to the cold air can make your piercings feel cold and uncomfortable. Especially large gauge piercings and stretched ears that are more susceptible to issues such as frost bite and irritation. Consider keeping your piercings protected by hoods, toques and scarves made from fabrics that are breathable and don't trap piercings in moisture.
For stretched ears - changing your metal tunnels and plugs for wood is a more comfortable alternative during the winter. Moisturizing your stretched ears should also be part of your daily skin care routine.
If your skin is more prone to irritation in the winter, healing a piercing may take longer. Letting your piercer know this before hand will help them curate your aftercare routine and recommended check-ups.
The Sniffles
If you're like me, you have pocket tissue in every workspace, jacket, sweater and purse that you own. Using facial tissue multiple times a day until the skin around your nose is red and tender. Having a relentless runny nose throughout the winter can certainly prolong the healing of a new nostril or septum piercing. Even healed piercings can be affected by the sniffles. Damaged skin and frequent touching can cause fully healed piercings to flare up and get angry - redness, irritation bumps, dry skin, etc.
As a self proclaimed snot queen and owner of two nostril piercings and a stretched septum; I have boogers all - the - time. Having a designated soft bristle toothbrush for cleaning my septum rings throughout the winter is an absolute must.
Winter Apparel
The season of layered clothing and layered lasagna. Although we want to keep our piercings protected in the winter, certain apparel can complicate the healing of fresh piercings. If you spend a lot of time outside and need to bundle up tightly, this may not be the ideal season for you. Loosely knit materials are more likely to snag on fresh and healed piercings. On the other hand, tightly fitted toques and earmuffs can apply pressure on a fresh piercing making it feel tender and swollen. Having appropriately fitted jewellery in healed piercings and downsizing new piercings is really important in reducing snagging.
Certain styles of jewellery are also more prone to snagging on fabrics. Prong set gems, fluffy loose-knit toques and scarves are not a great pair for this reason. I personally wear simple rings, high polish beads and bezel set cabochon stones to reduce my risk of catching anything on my clothing. These styles of jewellery would be a great option for healing in the winter and for anyone who wants low maintenance jewellery long term.
Sports and Recreation
Winter sports such as snowboarding, skiing, hockey and more often require protective headgear. As mentioned above, tightly fitted attire (helmets and goggles in this case) can apply pressure on a piercing and cause discomfort or irritation. If a client lets me know they wear headgear all season or partake in a sport that might injure a new piercing, I recommend they consider postponing until the end of the season.
Seasonal Depression
I would be lying if I said I haven't been tempted to get a spontaneous piercing for a little pick me up. As enticing as this is, its important to not taking piercing aftercare lightly. Most piercings can take 6-9 months (or longer) to fully heal and the first few months you need to be diligent. Good hygiene and a regular aftercare routine is a crucial to healing a new piercing. If you are more prone to seasonal depression and have difficulties keeping up with hygiene routines, your piercing may have complications healing. A piercing that is unclean and has debris built up is at higher risk of growing bacteria and in worse case, could lead to an infection.
Each major season has its own pros and cons, and every person will feel differently about which one suits their needs when healing a new piercing. For me, winter is a great time to heal new piercings (and tattoos). I hibernate, eat a lot, shower a bit to frequently to keep warm and do crafts indoors. I always keep in mind that there is going to be a challenges with each season, it doesn't matter what time of year. If you have questions or concerns that weren't addressed in this blog post, I welcome you to book a free 30 minute consultation to chat more in person!
Sources Photos: Wix gallery
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