If you suspect you have a piercing infection, you should take action immediately. While the first stages of a piercing infection are not usually severe, if you leave the problem to fester, you will be dealing with a larger issue later down the line. The best way to protect the health of your piercing and your overall health is to pay close attention during the healing process and beyond. This will ensure that you don’t miss anything along the way.
In this article, we will begin with providing you general information about piercing infections, including signs and symptoms to look out for. Next, we will suggest some options you have to treat your piercing infections. We will also include some highly recommended products that you can use to aid you along the way. Finally, we will wrap up with some of our readers’ most frequently asked piercing infection questions.
Piercing Infection Signs and Symptoms
The best way you can prepare for piercing infections is to educate yourself. Here are some common signs and symptoms to look out for:
- Redness, soreness or swelling at the piercing site that persists longer than a few days is one of the most common signs of infection. It is normal for these issues to manifest themselves only in the first few days.
- The presence of green, yellow, or white discharge is a sure sign of infection. In some cases, it might even have a bad smell, or you might notice blood or pus. Clear discharge is normally nothing to worry about.
- An increased sensation surrounding the piercing area indicates piercing infections. This can result from using low-quality jewelry.
- If you see a bump at the piercing site, this is indicative of piercing infections. The bump could be pus-filled or sensitive to the touch, as well.
- Increased pain in the area could point to some piercing infections. If the discomfort you are feeling persists more than a week after getting a new piercing, it is likely something else is at play here.
- Fever and nausea might be present in the case of more serious piercing infections. This is the most serious type, as it may point to a blood infection.
- The area surrounding an infected piercing may feel warm to the touch. This can occur with or without a fever. This is your body’s mechanism meant to help heal the problem without intervention.
- A burning or itching sensation surrounding the piercing is a sign of infection. A properly healed piercing should not manifest any uncomfortable symptoms such as these.
Ear Piercing Infection Symptoms
Ear piercings are in one of two places: cartilage or lobe. When you have piercing infections in one of these areas, might notice that the area is tender and warm to the touch. This is caused by poor aftercare or low-quality jewelry being used.
Additionally, try to avoid sleeping with your new piercing touching your pillows or bed linens. The bacteria in your bed could irritate the piercing or the linens could snag your jewelry and cause more problems.
Normally, any new piercing is going to have a fair amount of swelling as the area heals. It is important to be sure that you are using high-quality metals and that you pay close attention to the state of your piercing. Early detection is key so that you can depend on a healthy and long-lasting body modification.
Nose Piercing Infections Signs
Nose piercing infections are generally easy to spot and if handled with care, can be treated effectively. The telltale signs of this type of infection are discharge from the area, redness, and pain.
You might also notice red streaks coming from the site of your piercing. The area might be warm to the touch, as well. This is a sign that your body is trying to fight off the infection. You will need to take special care to aid that process and to help speed it up.
Piercing Infection Bump
Sometimes a bump will appear next to the piercing. The bump is another sign of piercing infection. This bump might be filled with pus or it could have discharge coming from it. Alternatively, the bump is actually a keloid, which is just a mass of scar tissue that has built up.
A piercing infection bump can appear on any kind of piercing. the good news is, the bump can be treated and will go away with the proper care. It is important to take this issue seriously and implement the proper steps to treat it.
Piercing Infection Treatments
When you have determined that you have a piercing infection, it is now the time to treat it. Luckily, there are many options available to you that don’t warrant a trip to the doctor’s office.
When you have determined that you have a piercing infection, it is now the time to treat it. Luckily, there are many options available to you that don’t warrant a trip to the doctor’s office.
Piercing Infection Treatment Options
- Sea salt soaks are a great way to clean the surface of your piercing. You can make your own solution, or there are a number of options that can be store-bought as well. There are even sprays that you can buy to simplify the process even more!
- Antibacterial and antimicrobial creams and solutions are a great way to get rid of the source of the infection. These products work to eliminate bacteria and microbes to allow your body to fight off the infection quicker and easier.
When to See a Doctor for Piercing Infections
In some cases, antibiotics or other medical intervention may be necessary to take care of your piercing infection. Only a licensed medical practitioner can help you with this. If you wish to see a doctor, you can go to any emergency room or urgent care for help.
Remember: you should only try to handle these issues at home if you catch it early and you have no signs of fever or nausea. If you do have other manifestations of the piercing infection, you should seek medical attention. A simple infection could lead to sepsis, which can become life-threatening when not attended to.
Ear Piercing Infection Treatments and Healing
Depending on the location of your ear piercing, it may be hard to reach. The best treatment option for hard to reach places is a sea salt spray. This will work to disinfect and hydrate the area without irritating it further as a result of applying pressure.
Making sure that you have a strict personal hygiene routine will help to speed your healing process up. This ensures that you are not introducing new bacteria to the area while you are treating it. Keep your hair pulled back and be careful not to get any product on your piercing if you want to avoid further irritation.
Nose Piercing Infections Treatment and Aftercare
The best way to protect yourself from nose piercing infections is with proper aftercare. Make sure that you are cleaning the area at least twice a day and that you are using the products that your piercer recommends to do so. Another important part of caring for a nose piercing is choosing the proper jewelry. Opt to use a bar rather than a ring or hoop for the best results.
If you notice a bump or other sign of infection in the area, take action immediately. You can soak a cotton ball in a cleaning solution and apply that to the area for ten to fifteen minutes. Just be sure that you wash the area thoroughly with water to get rid of any chemicals that might be left behind, as these can irritate the piercing while it is healing.
Best Piercing Infection Treatment Products Reviewed
Antimicrobial Piercing Infection Cleanser
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This infection cleanser is a great tool to have when healing a piercing infection. It is specially formulated to rid the area of all bacteria or microbes that are causing the infection in the first place. We were thrilled with how quickly we saw improvement in our piercings when we tested this product.
Piercing Infection Relief Solution
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Our only regret is not finding this item sooner! The irritation, pain, and soreness that comes with piercing infection improved greatly when using this product. It is a must-have for anyone looking to get some relief from the symptoms of piercing infections.
Healing Sea Salts & Botanical Soak
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Not only is this product great for aftercare, but it also heals piercing infection quickly and efficiently. We love it because the large bag accommodates several uses, so your money stretches a long way with this! The mixture has several uses other than infection treatment, so even once you heal your piercing, you won’t need to throw it away.
Piercing Infection FAQ
Here are some of our readers’ most frequently asked questions about piercing infections.
My piercing is infected. Should I take my jewelry out?
You should only remove your jewelry if you are doing so to replace it with higher quality metal. Other than this, you won’t need to remove it at all. If you do, you run the risk of having the hole close up and losing your piercing as a result. The piercing hole also allows for ample drainage of any discharge that may be present.
How long will it take for my piercing infection to heal?
Most properly cared for piercing infections heal completely within one to two weeks. If your infection is persisting longer than this or doesn’t seem to be improving, it may be a good time to consult a professional for advice.
If pus is coming from my piercing, does that mean its infected?
Pus is the body’s natural way of fighting infection. It consists of a buildup of white blood cells which are rushed to the area when a problem. For this reason, pus is usually a good indicator that you do have an infection.
Should I squeeze out the pus surrounding my piercing?
If you see a small pus pocket near your piercing, a warm compress can be used to help draw the pus out. If you arent successful using this method, a trained professional should be consulted to help you. He or she can help you remove the drainage without causing further damage.
Piercing Infections: Treat it Right
Piercing infections are common and easy to treat most of the time. Usually, as long as you educate yourself and follow the steps as we have suggested here, you should be back to normal in no time.
In some cases, piercing infections can lead to more serious conditions. This is why it is important to pay close attention and to ask for help when something doesn’t look or feel right. The best rule of thumb is to reach out if you have any doubts. It is certainly better safe than sorry!
Hello! My name is Emily and I obsessed with piercings (and tattoos) since I was a little girl of 6 years old. I was fortunate enough to make my passion my work after meeting my amazing husband Jeffrey who owned his own tattoo shop. I just recently finished my internships at some of America’s most famous piercing shops and a dream to start something together was born. After falling in love with each other (and each other’s piercings and tattoos) we decided to expand his tattoo shop and I got to manage my own piercing shop in the same space! I’ve never been so happy being able to share my love for piercings through my shop and this blog I started back in 2013. We love to share models and inspiration, so feel free to email me your suggestions, pictures or if you just want to say hi!