Many men are inclined to decorate their tools in various ways, including genital piercing. To help avoid a sore penis as a result of the piercing, there are a number of penis care steps that a man can consider.

A personal choice

Genital piercing is rather controversial; the decision to pierce is a personal one, and a man should make sure he understands all that is involved before moving forward. That said, for those that make the decision to pierce, aftercare is very important. Pierced men should check with their piercing provider and/or doctor to determine if there are additions or alterations to these tips that they should consider.

- Clean regularly. Cleaning the pierced area twice a day is recommended. The length of time that this routine should be followed varies; some suggest a period of several weeks; others recommend a twice-daily routine on a permanent basis. A man should consult with the person who provides the piercing service or with a doctor to see what is best in his individual case.

- But don't go crazy with cleaning. If twice a day is recommended, a man should stick to that (unless he sees evidence that this should be altered). Over-cleaning can sometimes lead to the skin drying out.

- Use saltwater soaks - eventually. Saltwater soaks can be very beneficial for the healing process; however, it's best to not utilize these until after bleeding has stopped. In many cases, there may be occasional bleeding for a few days after piercing. Once this stops, soaking the pierced area in saltwater can help to heal and soothe. Be sure to wash off the saltwater after finishing the soak, and to clean the area with a good antibacterial soap.

- Don't clean with alcohol. Many cleaning products (such as antibacterial towelettes or hydrogen peroxide) may contact alcohol, which is too harsh to use on a pierced penis. This is almost guaranteed to produce a very unpleasant burning sensation that most men want to avoid.

- Don't towel off. Towels should be avoided at least for the first couple of weeks after a piercing, for two reasons: (1) towels, unless freshly cleaned, can carry lingering dirt and bacteria from previous uses, which can cause problems with a newly-pierce penis, and (2) towels can catch on the jewelry that is adorning the pierced genitals. A better alternative is to use cotton balls or paper towels in the pierce area. (Feel free to use a bath towel on the rest of the body, but be careful to keep it away from the penis.)

- Keep things clean. Underwear, trousers, bed sheets, blankets, etc. - anything that the pierced penis is likely to rub against and which could contain dirt or bacteria needs to be avoided until the area is totally healed.

Some soreness is to be expected, no matter what steps a man may take; the healing process can also take a considerable time. Depending on what specific area of the genitals is pierced and what kind of piercing is involved, it can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 4 months for healing to complete.

After a genital piercing, a sore penis can also be soothed through the proper use of a superior penis health cream (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil). While the cream should not be used directly on the pierced region, it can be rubbed in around the area, providing blessed relief while also supplying essential vitamins and nutrients to keep the penis healthy. The right cream should definitely include a "duo" combination of moisturizers, such as shea butter and vitamin E. It's also a better bet if the cream contains vitamin D, which is often known as a "miracle" vitamin because it is so good at fighting diseases and enabling cell functionality.