Q: I’ve heard conflicting things about how often to clean my new piercing. Some people say every day, others say just a few times a week. What’s the best routine for healing without overdoing it? -Kiera

A: If your piercing is not an oral piercing (which would include things like philtrum or labret piercings where one end is still inside your mouth) you should be cleaning it with clean hands and sterile saline twice a day. Don’t twist the jewelry or mess with it, just spray it with the sterile saline wound wash and then rinse it with clean running water. Afterwards you should dry it using either a hair dryer on the “cool” setting or a clean paper towel. We actually have a blog piece on this (click here to read more) that goes further into depth on aftercare routines. Cleaning a healing piercing “a few times a week” is inviting a buildup of crustiness on the jewelry which will be difficult to remove and can even lead to infection because it is still an open wound. Twice a day, every day, and you should be okay. Best of luck!

Q: When you're getting your septum pierced what is it exactly? Is it more like skin like a lobe piercing or is it more like a cartilage piercing? -Gabrielle

A: The part of your septum that gets pierced is what’s called Alar Cartilage. It is cartilage like the cartilage in your ear, but unlike the cartilage in your ear it is soft and squidgy instead of firm and rigid. This is the spot the is referred to as “the sweet spot”. It’s also the reason why septum piercings are widely regarded as less painful than other piercings, especially cartilage piercings. It’s more resistant than an earlobe but still less resistant than, for example, a helix piercing. Happy piercing!

Disclaimer: Body Candy is only here to give you fun and helpful advice and information when it comes to getting pierced. Always consult a professional piercer to make sure a new piercing is right for you!