Is My piercing infected or is it healing?

Check if you have an infected piercing
Your piercing might be infected if: the area around it is swollen, painful, hot, very red or dark (depending on your skin colour) there's blood or pus coming out of it – pus can be white, green or yellow. you feel hot or shivery or generally unwell.


How do I know if my piercing is healing correctly?

You'll know your ear is healed once any discharge, swelling, redness, flaking, or soreness stops. In general, your piercing should continue to feel better with time and a consistent aftercare routine!

Will an infected piercing heal itself?

Most infected ear piercings can be treated at home and will improve within a few days, although, in some cases, antibiotics may be necessary. If symptoms do not improve, the infection spreads, or there are other symptoms, a person should speak to a doctor.


What does a piercing look like when it's healing?

Discoloration (redness) and itching during healing process are also fairly common. Secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid (not pus) is part of the healing process and is to be expected. It is liquid when it leaves the body but dries into “crusties.” Piercings will go through “ups and downs” while healing.

How do you know if your piercing isnt healing?

Symptoms of piercing rejection
  1. The jewelry has noticeably moved from its original place.
  2. The amount of tissue between the entrance and exit holes gets thinner (there should be at least a quarter inch of tissue between holes).
  3. The entrance and exit holes increase in size.
  4. The jewelry starts to hang or droop differently.


Is Your Piercing INFECTED or IRRITATED?



Should I leave the crust on my piercing?

DO NOT pick the crusties off—that's just introducing your dirty hands to a healing piercing and can increase your risk of infection. The best way to clean them is to soak the piercing in warm saline solution, softening the crusties which then come off easily.

Do piercings move as they heal?

Sometimes piercings will migrate around a little because of sleeping on it, but it does not mean it is rejecting. If you feel you are experiencing migration or rejection, come by the studio for assistance.

Should you turn a healing piercing?

There's no reason to rotate your piercing. You could damage the delicate, healing skin by rotating the jewelry. In the past, rotating the jewelry was recommended, but it has been found to cause damage that can lead to infection and scarring. For happy healing, NEVER rotate your body jewelry.


Do piercings get crusty when healing?

It's actually really normal for piercings to create a crusty discharge during the healing process which is usually a minimum of 6-8 weeks. If the crusties continue for a long period of time, it could be caused by trauma or the quality of jewellery.

How long are piercings sore for?

It's normal to have some redness, swelling or pain for a couple of days after getting your ears pierced. But your ears should look and feel better each day. If you find that your ears do great and then suddenly start to become red, inflamed or crusty a week or two later, that's usually a sign of infection.

How long should a piercing infection last?

With proper care, most mild earlobe infections will clear up in 1 to 2 weeks. It is common to have mild infections come back without daily earring care.


How do I fix an infected piercing?

Gently pat dry the affected area with clean gauze or a tissue. Then apply a small amount of an over-the-counter antibiotic cream (Neosporin, bacitracin, others), as directed on the product label. Turn the piercing jewelry a few times to prevent it from sticking to the skin.

How long infection comes after piercing?

"Surprisingly, piercing infections do not typically happen until three to seven days after the initial piercing, sometimes more," says Leila Mankarious, MD, an ear, nose and throat specialist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear.

What speeds up piercing healing?

The general advice is to use saltwater or saline solution for about 5 minutes, at least twice a day. We recommend the Dr. Piercing Aftercare Solution, which comes in swab-form and consists of an isotonic saline solution alongside anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and B-Vitamin ingredients.


Do piercings swell when healing?

The skin around a new piercing might be swollen, red and tender for a few days. It might bleed slightly. If the swelling, redness and bleeding last longer than a few days, contact your doctor. Prompt treatment can help prevent potentially serious complications.

How many weeks do you sea salt soak a piercing?

1/8 TEASPOON of SEA SALT

Drench a cotton ball in the salt solution and hold it on the piercing for 3-5 minutes. Afterwards, use a Q-tip or another cotton ball to remove any dried matter from around the piercing. Repeat this process 2-3 times a day for the first 2 weeks and then once a day for the following 4 weeks.

How often should I clean my piercing?

Caring for Your Piercing

No matter what type of piercing you get, the same best practices apply: Wash your hands before touching your piercing for any reason. Clean the piercing with either a saline solution, a fragrance-free antimicrobial soap, or both once or twice per day.


Should I clean the scabs off my piercing?

Scabs that don't come away with little or no effort should be left alone. It's your body's natural band aid. Picking it off will only leave a bigger wound that needs a new scab. Use anything harsh to clean it.

How long do piercing crusties last?

WebMD reports that redness and even light bleeding can persist for some time after the initial piercing. It also may be normal to see a clear layer of crust or slight discoloration around the area for a day or two following the appointment.

What happens if I accidentally move my piercing?

The idea of twisting/moving your new piercing daily & doing this frequently throughout the day is outdated & rarely helps the area to heal nicely, in most cases it causes soreness, redness or swelling which leads to longer healing times & can lead to infection.


Is my piercing infected or rejecting?

According to Thompson, the telltale signs of an infection are simple: “The area around the piercing is warm to the touch, you notice extreme redness or red streaks protruding from it, and it has discolored pus, normally with a green or brown tint,” Thompson says.

What does a rejecting piercing look like?

the piercing remaining sore, red, irritated, or dry after the first few days. the jewelry becoming visible under the skin. the piercing hole appearing to be getting larger. the jewelry looking like it is hanging differently.

What piercings reject the most?

What piercings reject the most? Surface piercings have the highest rejection rate. Surface piercings such as microdermals as well as eyebrow piercings and navel piercings reject the most because they are closest to the surface of the skin.


What does an infected piercing look like?

Your piercing might be infected if: the area around it is swollen, painful, hot, very red or dark (depending on your skin colour) there's blood or pus coming out of it – pus can be white, green or yellow.

Is pus normal for a new piercing?

Sometimes the piercing oozes blood or white, yellow or greenish pus. A new piercing is an open wound that can take several weeks to fully heal. During that time, any bacteria (germs) that enter the wound can lead to infection.