Piercing and diet: What you need to know for perfect healing!

Why Does Diet Impact Your Piercing?

Your body is an incredible machine: it repairs itself. But to do so, it needs energy and good nutrients. When you get pierced, your skin creates a "wound" that needs to be healed. A proper diet can speed up healing and reduce the risk of infection or irritation . Conversely, certain foods can make things worse. Spoiler: this is not the time to indulge in chips or sugary cocktails.

Piercings most affected by food

Not all piercings are created equal. From helix piercings to smiley faces, here are the ones where diet plays a particularly important role:

• Oral piercings : tongue, labret , smiley… If your piercing is in direct contact with your meals, a few precautions are necessary.
• Piercings close to the face : nostril or septum. Here, it is mainly splashes of sauce or drinks that can cause problems.
• Recent piercings : regardless of their location, a good diet is always beneficial to promote rapid and clean healing.

Foods to Avoid After a Piercing

You don't need to completely overhaul your diet, but here are some foods that are best left out temporarily:

• Spicy foods : These can irritate an oral piercing or cause a burning sensation around the pierced area. Yes, even your favorite Sriracha.
• Crunchy or hard foods : Chips, nuts, or a crusty baguette can hurt a piercing in the mouth or catch jewelry.
• Dairy products : In the case of oral piercing, dairy products (milk, cheese) can promote the proliferation of bacteria.
• Acidic foods : Lemon juice, salad dressings or acidic fruits can sting and delay healing.
• Alcohol : Sorry, but cocktails or beer are not your friends! Alcohol dehydrates and can increase the risk of irritation and the same goes for drugs…
• Tobacco and chewing products : Okay, it's not a food, but it should be banned. These products slow down healing and increase the risk of infection.

What You Can (and Should) Eat

Luckily, there are plenty of great foods to enjoy while helping your piercing heal:

• Foods rich in vitamin C and zinc : Opt for strawberries, mangoes, melons or blueberries. These fruits are less acidic and provide a supply of antioxidants and vitamin C to strengthen natural defenses.
• Soft foods : Purees, soups, yogurts (if it is not a mouth piercing), compotes… These textures avoid over-stressing or irritating the pierced area.
• Lean proteins : Chicken, fish or tofu are great for providing your body with the building blocks it needs to regenerate tissues.
• Water : Yes, hydration is essential to promote healthy skin and rapid healing.
• Anti-inflammatory foods : Turmeric, chamomile, honey or even green tea can help reduce swelling.