Feel free to schedule a PIERCING CHECK UP to have your piercing looked at in person and we can discuss the best care.
Is my piercing infected?
At any time you think your piercing is infected, I have to suggest seeing a physician. As a piercer I can not diagnose an infection. However, sometimes piercings can be irritated. The following is suggested care for irritated piercings based on experience from past clients.
Keep in mind all piercings can experience swelling, pinkness, tenderness, slight discharge which dries into crust build up and bleeding/bruising during the healing process. These are normal symptoms and can last as little as a week to even a few months. as long as they stay mild all is well.
When your piercing has excessive swelling, puss, extreme pain, hot to the touch, redness, sudden feeling of being sick and fever are signs of infection and it is advised to see a doctor.
It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle during healing. A healthy person means fast healing. Eating healthy, drinking water, exercise and proper sleep will aide in the healing of your piercing.
The Dreaded Piercing Bump
While this isn’t normal, it is a common problem with piercings. These usually appear 4-8 weeks after getting a piercing and can be more common in nostrils and cartilage piercings. Irritation Bumps (hyper granulated scar tissue) forms when too much trauma occurs to the piercings. This can be one single thing to a combination of several things. We have to figure out what is causing the bump and eliminate it or the bump won’t go away.
-Jewelry material or size or style: hoops are more common for bumps over studs and swelling too much can create bumps. Most of the time I will ask what jewelry you have in and may suggest a change out to something different. If you post is too short – digging in your skin – you need a longer post. if you jewelry top is too elaborate, hard to clean under, or continues to get snagged – a basic top may be needed.
-Trauma: This can range from sleeping on it, having kids hit it, dog pulling on it, constantly playing or moving your jewelry around, etc. Avoid all trauma.
-Lack of cleaning or Incorrect cleaning.
So, How do I fix it?
The first thing to do is learn what is causing it and then stop/change it. The following are home remedies clients have had success with in the past:
-Possible jewelry change. Depending on the piercing, metal type, and jewelry size and style, I may suggest switching to a different piece of jewelry.
-Continue to clean piercing with Saline Wound Wash Spray 2-3 times daily. Soak up any excess solution. Use a cotton swab to dry ears and remove crust build up on ears and jewelry.
-Warm Compress – soak a clean wash cloth, paper towel, gauze with warm but not hot water. Apply 15-20 minutes 3 times a day. You can also use Hot/Cold Gel Packs from Amazon or the pharmacy. Be sure yo use a plastic barrier like a sandwich bag to keep clean.
-Emu Oil – We sell Emu Oil, however Emu Oil is not vegan friendly. Always test products on the wrist before using on a piercing. Emu Oil is great for irritated piercings. It is a natural anti bacterial, anti inflammatory, skin moisturizer, helps increase the number of healthy skin cells, and has antioxidants to help protect the skin from damage. Clean piercing with Saline Wound Wash and once dry apply a small drop on and around piercing twice daily. Applying to hoops and posts can help remove crust build up and lubricate the jewelry.
-No Pull Discs – I am also a fan of No Pull Discs which act as a barrier in between your skin and the jewelry to help flatten the bump. Think of the shoe inserts we use when our shoes rub on our feet creating a sore. These are available at the tattoo shop $5 for a pair. You may also have to purchase additional jewelry to accommodate the discs. Also, as the the bump goes down you may need to come in for more frequent downsized. The disc needs to have light pressure in the bump to work.
If your Home Treatment worsens or doesn’t improve after a few days please book an appointment for a piercing check up. Waiting too long and allowing the bump to get larger, will result in longer heal times, scarring possibilities, or possible forfeit of jewelry.
-Dermatologist – If you have tried the above with no luck then it’s time to see a doctor.
How long will it take to go away?
You will not see instant results but it may begin to feel better. It will usually take a couple days to start seeing results and one to several weeks for complete removal. Continue to do your treatments until 2 weeks AFTER the bump goes away.
Other Piercing Problems
OVER SWELLING
Sometimes our piercings will swell more than we want. This usually happens the first week or two of healing. However it can happen anytime. If you start to experience swelling take an anti inflammatory, use ice packs – 10 mins off 45 mins off for 48 hours, and elevate your piercing when laying down. If the piercing starts to feel too tight and the beads look like they are sinking into your skin, then it is time for a longer bar. It is important to change your piercing to something longer ASAP so the jewelry does not become embedded.
ABSCESS
An abscess is a small pocket of infection trapped under the skin. Warm compresses will help drain the piercing but it is important to see a doctor if you ever get to this rare problem in piercings.
REJECTION/MIGRATION
Rejection is when your body no long wants the piercing in your skin and will physically push it out. This can take several days to several months. If you fear your piercing is rejecting, please come it for us to see it so we can remove the piercing before more scarring takes place. Migration is when the body has accepted the piercing but it has moved from its original location. This happens by either sleeping on the piercing causing it to shift, wearing incorrect/too heavy of jewelry or swelling too much and not replacing with longer jewelry. The only way to fix this is to repierce it.
Kali Harris Beauty 