I don't know if I would consider these errors, but I was taught some slightly different
methods.
In general,
body piercings -- but especially the more
sensitive areas of the body -- dry out and are
irritated by antibacterial soaps, or any cleansers, really. The best solution is to soak the piercings in hot water with
Iodine-free
sea salt dissolved in it. The solution should be about 1 teaspoon sea salt to 1 cup of water. The best way I found to soak
nipples is to use two
shot-glasses.
danlowlite is right in saying that you should never try to pick off
crusty stuff (yum) -- because it reacts like picking off a
scab -- it will
scar. Also along those lines, when you are soaking, you should not move the
jewelry through the piercing -- there is no need, and you will only cause scarring inside. If you soak frequently (two times a day for ten minutes each) in the first month or two, things should
heal nicely. Just because you are not turning the jewelry
inside the piercing
does not mean that it will stick to the
skin. The idea that we need to
spin our jewelry comes from the
piercing gun booth at the mall -- it's not needed, and will cause harm.
After you soak, run
warm water over the piercings. Pat the area dry with a clean
paper towel -- less chance of germs than from a cloth towel.
Do not allow anyone to put their
hands or
mouth on your piercings for a minimum of 4 weeks -- longer if the area is not already healing.
And last --
sleep with a
shirt on for the first couple of months.
Just trust me on this one.