Many dancers today love body piercing, and I have to say I am one of them. My partner Jesse Randhawa and I were invited a few months ago to perform at the closing ceremony of the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland.

Our performance was watched and praised by the “who is who” of the business and political world. Excited by all the praise and cheers we got, I was elated and decided to treat myself with a piercing as a memory of Switzerland and the performance at the WEF. So, I decided to decorate my body with an eyebrow piercing. I must admit that I was lucky not to develop any infection or pain, because I knew many dancers who went through a lot because of body piercing and decoration.
Body piercing has come a long way from the traditional earlobes and nose piercing. Now a days many dancers have a piercing of the belly button, eyebrow, lips and even tongue and nipples. From personal experience I can say that any piercing needs special care in the initial days to avoid infections, which can lead to severe pain and other complications.
Many dancers impulsively opt for piercing without taking note of their skin type, proper sterilisation and information about post piercing care. Lack of hygiene and proper sterilisation of the skin, the piercing gun or the needle are the common reasons that cause infections in pierced areas. Also many have sensitive skin, so when they clean the pierced area with antiseptic, they get irritant eczema.
While piercing of earlobes and eyebrows result in common complications, nose and naval infections can be fatal. A nose infection could result in swelling and extreme pain for days at the piercing site. Also, studs and rings can get caught in daily clothes or during quick changes between dance performances, which can further aggravate the problem and also spoil the performance of the dancer. In worst cases it can lead to skin pulling, leaving one in extreme pain. This unexpected rubbing too can lead to further complications.
The best thing to do is to avoid going to random piercing shops and opt for experienced hands to avoid infection. I know of a young girl dancer who got her belly button pierced without informing her parents and opted for cheaper piercing boutique. This young dancer kept the piercing covered to hide it from her family members. She could not clean the spot as regularly as she should have. Ultimately when the area was infected the truth came out in the open and then she had to take antibiotics to control the inflammation. These infections often happen because cheaper shops are not usually hygienic. On the other hand a medical expert charges a steep price, but takes all the necessary precautions.
One should put an antibiotic ointment and gently wash the pierced area twice a day for at least 15-20 days, after the piercing is done, to prevent any kind of infection. In case of infection, it should immediately be treated with antibiotic tablets and ointments, where as allergies need to be treated with anti-allergic and steroid antibiotic ointments:
So, if you wish to decorate your body with a piercing, here are a few pointers that you must follow:
1) Choose the area that you want to decorate after proper thought
2) Make sure you have some free time at hand to take care of it
3) Choose the piercing centre carefully
4) Note all the instructions given by the medical practitioner and follow them for post piercing care
5) Religiously take care of the piercing area just the way you take care of your dance clothes and accessories. Once the piercing has healed, get ready to show the world.