Piercing Problems

So you got your lovely new piercing and took away your aftercare advice sheet. What now?Aftercare is really important to give you a healthy healed piercing!

We are regularly contacted with various piercing problems- the majority of which have been done at other piercing establishments but there is no one available to talk to. If you’ve any concerns, here are some identifiers and solutions which may help.

Piercings take time to heal. In any cartilage piercing, you can expect it to be a good 12 months or more before it fully heals and you are able to fiddle with it without any soreness. Any knocks / bumps can set you back for months, for example lying on it in bed. It doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with your piercing.

For cleaning, we only recommend a very mild antiseptic spray eg. Savlon Wound Wash, or a Sea Salt solution (not table salt). Products like Tea Tree Oil, TCP, Surgical Spirit are too harsh and will dry out your piercing too quickly; and may irritate or burn your skin.

In addition, to help calm any piercing problems you can boil a chamomile teabag, let it cool slightly and then hold it to your ear for around 10 minutes- do this twice per day (dry your piercing afterwards). This will help to calm and settle your skin so it will return to normal as soon as possible.

Some irritation bumps can last for months, don't worry this is normal it just means that your skin has not settled- piercings take time to heal!

What's your problem?

Issue / Appearance Soreness

What is it? General healing side effect

Causes Catching/bumping your piercing

Solution Take care getting dressed/sleeping and clean twice a day for 2 weeks

Issue / Appearance Lump which looks like a spot

What is it? Piercing Pimple

Causes Poor Hygiene, touching

Solution Clean twice a day for 2 weeks with a sea salt solution or mild antiseptic spray eg Savlon Woundwash. Just clean it and leave it alone, do not pop it.

Issue / Appearance Skin is growing outwards, with the shape of the jewellery.

What is it?Hyper granulation. Your skin is confused where to grow. These can appear several months after piercing

Causes Irritating your piercing eg knocking it.

Solution Clean twice a day with a sea salt solution or mild antiseptic spray eg Savlon Woundwash. A Chamomile teabag can be boiled and then held wet as a compress for 10 mins 2x per day. The skin will go back to normal after a few of months, once it’s happy and knows where to regenerate.

Issue / Appearance Jewellery is coming towards the edge of my ear / up through the skin

What is it? Rejection

Causes If the body does not like your piercing, it will try to swallow it or push it out.

Solution Remove the piercing and let it heal. It can be re pierced at a slightly different angle/position

Issue / Appearance Swelling

What is it? General healing side effect

Causes This is the body’s natural response to trauma

Solution Keep it clean and be careful not to touch/bump it. If Jewellery becomes too tight, see your piercer to change it for an alternative piece, or remove it. If you have symptoms of infection (below), seek medical advice

Issue / Appearance Hot, red, shiny and tight skin around piercing site, smell coming from piercing, painful to touch the whole ear, greeny yellow discharge, swollen

What is it? Likely Infection

Causes Poor Hygiene

Solution Consult your GP- antibiotics will be required. Leave the piercing in to drain away any infection. Clean twice a day with salt solution/antiseptic spray.

Issue / Appearance

I’ve lost the ball off my earring

What is it? Client aftercare

Causes Un tightening / fiddling in general / during cleaning

Solution Check periodically that it is nice and tight on the thread by holding the back pate between your fingers and checking there is no movement in the ball. Remember Leftie Loosie, Righty Tighty! Contact your piercer to purchase a replacement ball. We recommend buying a few spares!

Issue / Appearance

The earring front / back is inside of my ear

What is it? Earring has been swallowed by the piercing. The body will try to pull it all the way through to reject it.

Causes Jewellery is too tight

Solution Go back to the piercer who did your piercing or go to A&E. Will most likely require surgical intervention. Please do not come to us for surgical removal if we did not do your piercing!

I hope that you find this useful

Helen x

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We have a beautiful retail range of high quality piercing and lobe jewellery to purchase in clinic or by post. For treatment prices, visit our website www.esteticapermanentcosmetics.co.uk 

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