How to care for lip piercings?

I got my bottom lip pierced 5 days ago, it's still swelling and my piercer told me to rinse with Listerine or peroxide... but many other people have told me I'm not supposed to do that! what is the correct way to care for my piercing and is it natural for it to swell for this long? also how long do they usually take to heal?How to care for lip piercings?
I found this on aftercare:








HEALING


Lip %26amp; Labret piercing usually take between 6-8 weeks to fully heal, it is very rare to develop an infection because the mouth contains an enzyme ';Ptyalin'; which inhibits bacteria. You will experience swelling usually 2-3 days after the piercing, this swelling can last 7-10 days. A longer Labret stud must be worn till the initial swelling has gone down; it can then be replaced by a shorter one.


Lip %26amp; Labret piercings have a tendency to move position on the inside of the lip, this process is called nesting. Rings have a greater tendency to do this than labrets because they tend to move around more, which puts stress on the wound. When the lip is pierced the membrane of thin skin inside the mouth is cut, this skin can then move back over the labret stud. Eventually this skin will die off and a depression will form where the stud sits, this can take weeks though and in the meantime the back of the stud can become embedded in the wound. Don't be alarmed if this happens, this is quite common but in time the wound will settle down.








DO'S %26amp; DON'TS TO CARE FOR YOUR LIP/LABRET PIERCING


THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR INFECTION IS TOUCHING OR PLAYING WITH THE PIERCING, ONLY TOUCH THE PIERCING WHEN CLEANING!





DO rinse your mouth with a mouthwash such as Listerine or cepacol after meals or eating. For the first few weeks you should suck on antibacterial/antinflammatory throat lozenges (Difflam-C), these reduce the chance of infection and reduce swelling.


DO clean the front of the piercing by soaking a cotton wool ball in salt water or Saline and leaving it on the piercing for 2-3 minutes to dissolve the crusting in the morning. Salt water can be made by dissolving 1/2 teaspoon of Sea Salt or table salt in a 1/4 glass of warm water, or use Saline (from any Chemist).


DO use Lavender oil as it promotes healing and lubricates the wound reducing tenderness. Apply a small amount with a cotton-wool bud (to the front) after cleaning then move the jewellery so it gets into the wound. Remove any excess with a tissue as leaving it on can cause the skin to become irritated. It may be purchased at supermarkets (medicine section) or at chemists and must be marked (BP) or medicinal grade.


DO eat things such as frozen yoghurt, ice cream, cold foods, or suck on chipped or crushed ice, or very small ice blocks. Cold things help the healing, alleviate pain and reduce swelling.


DO remove the plaque and exudate which can form on the jewellery, do this very gently with a soft toothbrush during the healing period.


DO be careful when chewing that so you don't bite the labret stud/ring and shatter a tooth!


DO check once a month that the jewellery is screwed on tight , clean hands with a germicidal soap before touching the jewellery. The ball that screws off is on the front, and it must be turned clockwise to tighten it.


DO use B-vitamins with a zinc supplement as this promotes healing.


DON'T pick at the scab on the front of your lip, as this can cause infections, excessive scar tissue and can lead to lumps forming.


DON'T put anything dirty in your mouth such as fingernails, pens, etc. And you must refrain from oral sex for the first month, this includes kissing even if you are in a monogamous relationship.


DON'T play with the jewellery or chew on it during the healing period as this can lead to excess scar tissue formation. If you develop the habit of chewing on the jewellery you will eventually damage you teeth by wearing them down, this may result in a costly visit to the dentist.


DON'T remove or replace the jewellery during the healing period, as the hole closes up very quickly and it's painful to reinsert the jewellery once this happens. Even after the wound is healed, the hole will close up very quickly if you remove the jewellery. It can take up to 1-2 years before you will be able to remove the jewellery for anything more than a day.How to care for lip piercings?
yeah i would say listerine and peroxide are very bad choices.


go to a drug store and buy some Biotene, alcohol free mouthwash, and use that a few times a day.


also find some sea salt and mix it with water. soak your lip in that for a few mins every day as well.


i pour some in a shot glass and hold it over my lip, that seems to work for me.


otherwise, its going to be swollen for a while so i wouldnt worry about that.


good luck!
make sure you got the gold listerine. because the other ones hve sugar.. which is what my piercer told me would delay the healing time. but you have to dilute the listerine with water. cause its strong.