Acne and Piercings

We’ve all woken up in the morning to find a disappointing pimple somewhere on our face. A little whitehead in the corner of our nose, or the start of a bigger pimple somewhere on our chin. Acne, a common skin condition caused when hair follicles under the skin become clogged with sebum and dead skin cells, leading to these outbreaks. Acne is something virtually everyone will experience at some point in their life, and it's totally normal! That said, acne can have an effect on our piercings. So let's take a closer look at some considerations when it comes to being pierced.

New Piercings and Acne

When it comes to getting a new piercing, it's very important that the area being pierced is acne-free. If there is any active acne in the area to be pierced, we will need to wait for it to heal. I know this can sometimes be disappointing because what if you wake up the day of your appointment with an unfortunately located pimple! But if that is the case, we need to wait. If you are planning to be pierced in an area where you know you are often acne-prone, it may be worth it to investigate some different products such as acne face wash or topical treatments you can use in the weeks and months before your appointment to get the area clear. It’s uncommon that I have to turn folks away for acne, but it does happen a few times a year, so it is worth considering while you are planning to be pierced.

With healing piercings, one thing to be mindful of is that the same products you might use to help keep your acne under control are also far too harsh to be used near fresh or healing piercings. The same chemicals that are good at keeping acne at bay are also damaging to the piercing. So if you are being pierced in an area where you are acne-prone, please know that the usual products you might use to manage your acne you’ll need to keep off the area for the full duration of healing, which can be as long as a year. Another element of that is those healing piercings will produce natural secretions and ‘crusties’, which most of us are familiar with cleaning away. But this natural crust or secretion can actually trigger acne breakouts around piercings on some folks, especially those with sensitive skin. If you have been struggling with breakouts in a specific location, and are planning to be pierced there, consider the risk of piercing increasing breakouts and being unable to use your normal topicals in the area. I always suggest folks feel like they have acne very well managed in a location before piercing it.

Some acne treatments are oral, not topical. Foremost among them is accutane, a common medication used to treat severe acne. This medication can be a miracle for those who need it, but it is also extremely unsafe with piercings. In fact, I have an entire blog post dedicated to just accutane. In short- you can not be pierced while taking it. There are simply too many risks when it comes to how your body heals and how this medication affects your skin.

Healed Piercings and Acne

Once piercings are healed, it can be a bit easier to manage things with acne. If everything is fully healed, you can gently do some patch tests near the piercing with any topical products, and as long as it responds well, you are fine to use topicals on and around your piercings. It’s worth noting that it may take some time past the initial healing for your piercing to be ok if you are using stronger products around it, and some piercings may never fully adjust to this. For example, I can use any product around my nostril piercings, but my cheeks will sometimes flare up when using certain acne treatments.

Healed piercings sometimes still deal with a little natural buildup and secretion. Beyond that, well-fitted jewelry can sometimes trap sweat and debris against the skin, and this can lead to occasional acne flareups very close to a piercing. While this is fairly uncomfortable (as anyone who has experienced a pimple next to their philtrum can attest) it’s not usually harmful to the piercing at all, and with regular acne care, it will generally clear up with time. You might also experiment with styles of jewelry to see what is most comfortable for you. Someone struggling with more severe acne may find smaller, simpler ends easier to manage.

Acne is an unpleasant, but normal part of life. Most of us will experience it at some point, and some of us may deal with it chronically. Acne however does not need to be a reason that you can’t be pierced, it’s just a reason to be a little more careful and intentional when you are!

Happy healing <3