How to do Sea Salt Soaks

Basic Recipe: 1/4 teaspoon to 1 cup (8 oz) water. The correct proportions are very important for the process to work. If the solution is too weak, it will be ineffective; if too strong, it may cause the cells to swell and burst, irritating your piercing and the skin around it.

The Salt: Use sea salt, not regular table salt (which has ingredients added to prevent it from clumping; it may also have iodine or other undesirable ingredients). Look for salt labeled, “non-iodized sea salt” in grocery or health food stores. Sea salt is not kosher salt, rock salt, or Epsom salts. Kosher salt can also be used, but coarse granules take longer to dissolve.

Mix it: Mix the measured amount of salt in a clean container with very warm, not hot, water, or pop it in the microwave for thirty seconds or so (don't burn yourself). Bottled or distilled water are optimal but not required.

Soak: Once or twice a day for 5-10 minutes. Soak before showering, or rinse afterwards with clear water. Use a cup or bowl. You may have to lie on the floor, or lean over a table; for navel piercings lean over and seal the cup onto the area to create a vacuum. You can saturate a sterile gauze pad or a strong paper towel and apply it (but it probably won't be as effective). Cotton balls or buds may leave fibers in the piercing—a bad idea. Don't forget to rinse with clear water to remove any salt residue.

The whys and wherefores: Remember that piercings heal from the outside in, and soaking helps irrigate and drain the wound. A warm, mild salt water solution soothes and helps to clean crusties off. The difference in alkalinity between the saltwater and the surface of your skin draws out the fluid and other matter that accumulates in the wound. Hot water also opens the capillaries, bringing blood flow and therefore oxygen to the piercing site, encouraging healing.

Note: Soaking is not cleaning! Be clear on the difference between soaking and cleaning. Cleaning with mild soap (also recommended for proper piercing care) is meant to reduce surface dirt and microorganisms on the skin which can cause infection.