08/06/2026
LET’S TALK.. 🖤 👀
Health Anxiety.. & Piercings 🫶🏻
This isn’t just the odd “oh i have to have things a certain way” or minor things you like to keep clean or even a small amount of anxiety about your health.
(We all know health is wealth.)
Health anxiety can cause internal/external panic attacks, overthinking causing MAJOR anxiety and making yourself nauseous, with the possibility you could be dying or have a serious life-threatening disease or illness.
(Again, I’m not a medic and GPs are there to consult.)
This isn’t a mocking status, nor is it highlighting that people SHOULDN’T feel like this, it happens and is very real. It’s a saddening experience and can cause great tension, is debilitating and cause stress on any individual who suffers with health anxiety.
This post is to let you know that FULL support is always here at Villain Era, if you have health anxiety and have chosen to get a piercing; but to also mention that a piercing journey isn’t linear and those of you who suffer with health anxiety, should consult a piercer, do extensive research and discuss the pros and cons of the anatomical choice of piercing.
You can encounter obstacles, will experience pain, soreness, sensitivity, have to be cautious of the area/s, ensure to adhere to aftercare and NOT over-clean, amongst downsizing when necessary and avoid submerging into baths or water at the beginning stages of healing.
During the procedure and beginning stages of healing; infection prevention is critical and can still happen due to bacteria getting into a fresh wound; like any other wound.
Keeping the area covered for an extensive amount of time under a band-aid can cause build-up of moisture and bacteria, over-cleaning can cause itchy skin, flaky areas and redness/soreness, as well as moisture bumps if not dried appropriately.
Covering with clothes or lying on the piercing can also be the issue to soreness, irritation and even migration.
There will be bodily fluids, lymph fluid, some blood, crusties and swelling.
The question is.. if you have health anxiety:
Can you handle the discomfort and journey that you’re about to entail?
Are you able to comfort yourself with the reassurance from your piercer and adhere to aftercare without over-cleaning and covering the area unnecessarily?
Will the piercing be allowed to heal without touch and movement, amongst sitting in your skin and you not wanting to remove it?
Are you able to adhere to a specific aftercare routine and downsize when appropriate?
Are you patient? As healing times are long and can be quite extensive.
As a piercer, it is within my duty to provide all my clients with the most appropriate and best care I can provide, as well as be there for continued aftercare support, to ensure you are aware you can contact me for any concerns or questions.
This isn’t to put off those with health anxiety, but to address that a piercing journey is sometimes like an obstacle course, rather than a walk in the park.
Some heal better than others and some struggle to heal entirely.
Some heal perfectly within the timeframe and may not encounter ANY issues.
Whilst another person may encounter issues MONTHS after the piercing.
Lifestyle factors, genetics, anatomy, sleeping and aftercare, as well as the piercing procedure itself.. can all contribute towards how a piercing heals.
It’s a decision for you to make as the consensual individual and it’s YOU who takes accountability for your aftercare and responsibility to ensure it’s adhered to. It’s also your job to downsize when your piercer told you to and contact the piercer of any questions, concerns or issues.
Confirmation of using sterile saline solution, as advised by the piercer and gently dab dry 2-3x a day is your guided approach to assisting healing a piercing.
It’s MY job to ensure the premises is clean, safe and all equipment is correctly sterile, using the best, ASTM titanium piercing jewellery from reputable suppliers, amongst being needle/blade only and using reputable aftercare products. It is my job to ensure you have the correct anatomy to be suitable for the desired piercing and give you the best start to healing.
So as much as this post is a significant read, it’s important and notable to take on board, if you, a family member or friend have minor to major health anxieties around the health and the “unknown” when it concerns healing a piercing.
Stay safe, do your research, it is OKAY to be nervous and also okay if you suffer with health anxiety.
A self-aware individual, is a strong individual and it’s beneficial to know how you’re going to handle healing a piercing.
All love & peace, as always 🫶🏻
Leoni
@ Villain Era 🖤✨ x
