Q: Is it safe to get a nose or oral piercing during the pandemic?
A: If you are in an area that is experiencing uncontrolled spread, or where mask-wearing is still the norm, it is best to avoid getting any piercing under the mask. Not only does removing your mask for the procedure put you and your piercer at an increased risk of transmitting COVID, but wearing a mask regularly can be irritating to even healed piercings. Additionally, if your area shuts down due to transmission rates and you need assistance, you may not be able to get the assistance you need. Finally, many reputable piercers are still not offering under-mask services, so the likelihood of getting a poorly done piercing is much higher.

 

Q: I have to wear a mask for work. Will this interfere with a healing piercing?
A: It is best to avoid getting a piercing in an area that is under a mask if you have to wear a mask regularly. The moist environment along with the potential contact of the mask on your jewelry can cause a host of issues. It is even possible for well healed piercings to act up to the point of needing to be retired due to irritation from mask wear. If you are wearing a mask regularly, it is best to not get pierced in any area under the mask.

 

You will also need to take care of straps and loops on face masks with new ear piercings. It can be easy to snag a new piercing when putting on a mask or removing it. That kind of trauma can be very irritating to a new piercing. You should also discuss your mask-wearing habits with your piercer to determine the best placement for piercings that might be affected by a mask. It’s still very possible to get and heal ear piercings when wearing a mask regularly, but you will need to take some extra precautions to help your piercing heal well.