Aftercare

After you get a tattoo or piercing the most important thing to do is to follow the aftercare instructions you were given. If you went to a reputable studio, you should have been given advice on whether to cover it, how to clean it, if there’s anything you should apply to it and if there’s anything you should avoid until it has healed. 

If there’s swelling around the site of a piercing, you may find that the jewellery you’re using becomes too tight. If this happens, you shouldn’t remove the piercing yourself, as this will let more bacteria into the hole and risk it closing with bacteria trapped inside. Your piercer should be able to replace the piercing with a longer bar under the same sterile conditions as your original piercing. 

You’ll probably be told how long it should take for your tattoo or piercing to heal, but be aware that diabetes can lengthen the healing time. Make sure you test your blood glucose regularly (around four times a day), take your insulin at your usual times and keep an eye on how you’re feeling in case your blood glucose starts to run high. 

If your blood glucose levels become high for no apparent reason, your piercing or tattoo might have become infected. Check to see if you have any of the following signs: 

• Swelling or redness – though this could be normal when it’s fresh 
• A feeling of heat at the site of the piercing/tattoo 
• Pain – usually throbbing or spreading from the site 
• Unusual yellow or green discharge from the site 

If this happens, you should seek medical care as you will probably need antibiotics. 

If you are unsure about your  insulin doses, blood glucose levels, or if your  tattoo/piercing becomes infected, you should contact your diabetes care team or GP immediately.