Should you use alcohol to clean a piercing?

Answer 1

I have my nose and ears pierced and this week i am going for my tongue and I personally have used rubbing alcohol and peroxide in the past and it has worked fine for me however following you're piercers instructions is always the better choice

There are real reasons why we tell clients not to use Alcohol or Hydrogen Peroxide on there piercings. Both of these products are very hard on the tissue that your body is trying to form. Alcohol tends to over dry the tissue and Hydrogen Peroxide over oxygenates the tissue making it very fragile.

You don't need either of these products to clean your piercings. Simple washing the piercing daily and rotating or shuffling the jewellery under warm running water will do wonders for the health of the piercing and will allow the tissue to heal without damaging it.

You can on occasion use a unscented liquid antibacterial soap diluted and lathered up to deep clean the piercing while moving the jewellery, but this must be followed by a good warm water rinse while moving the jewellery again to completely rinse the piercing out.

But do not use Alcohol or Hydrogen Peroxide, Polysporin, Neosporin, Tea tree oil, Bactine, Worm root, Sea Salt, Table Salt, Epsom Salts or any other chemical or ointment on your piercing unless you are under the direct instruction of your Doctor.Unless you know exactly how to use these products correctly you stand a much better chance of screwing up your piercing.