Conditions
Problem Piercings
People have been piercing their bodies for thousands of years, but whilst modern day teenagers are more likely to be doing it to make a fashion statement than to intimidate their enemies, the potential health problems are much the same. Most piercing, if carried out in a safe and surgical environment, shouldn’t pose any health problems, but there are several infections, including Hepatitis B & C that can be passed by use of dirty instruments. You can also develop bacterial infections around the piercing, resulting in air or pus filled cysts that can develop into much more serious problems. Piercing carried out in the genitals should be looked after with increased care, as infections down here can inhibit sexual intercourse and urination – which is quite a price to pay for an piercing that (hopefully) most people won’t see…
Comments and Questions
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Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.
I just got my belly button pierced for the 2nd time because it got ripped out the first time. it was fine for the first couple days, then out of nowhere it swelled up and now the top ball of the bar is almost engulfed into my stomach. What should i do?
I got my tragus priced roughly a year ago, when I first got it peirced it was fine. After a while it started to become painful, and a little lump has formed. It hurts when I change it and when the bar goes in, it bleeds. I have tried washing it regularly with different products, by nothing has worked! Please help.
The lump is probably keyloid scarring, caused by movement of the piercing while it was healing. Perhaps avoiding changing it and just cleaning it with rock/sea salt twice a day will help it heal properly.
i re-pierced my tongue 6 days ago, has had slight swelling, but has gone down, i now have a hard lump on the hole of the piercing, have taken it out to clean, isnt sore, just finding it awkward to talk and eat. what is th elump and should i keep bar out until it goes?
my mum had her tounge re peirced and it caused a lump to apper same on my lip peircing so dont worry to much
Hey I pieced my lip my self it seems to be okay but I have like a green stuff coming out it don't hurt but I clean it 3-4 times a day with hot salty water is this normal ?
i had the same problem when i pieced my own ear.. if its been going all green for more than 4 days take it out and go to your doctor mine was awfull and started getting painfull i advise u to go docotor :)
You're probably over-cleaning it! Piercings are only meant to be cleaned twice a day maximum, the green "stuff" is a form of puss. It's perfectly normal (I used to have two lip piercings, now removed.)
Hello, I have just had my belly button pierced for the 2nd time. Last time it got ripped out. I have read so many different things on the internet of how to clean it but what is best? The NHS website says not to use saline solution as it increases risk of infection? At the moment I am cleaning it with salt water, also do you have to move the bar whilst cleaning?
Naval piercings can become infected very easily so I advise using a seasalt water mixture to clean it with. I bought my solution at the parlor where I got it pierces for 15$ which is worth it. I also only advise cleaning 2-3 times a day so that it can heal. Hope I helped!
And nope u don't have to remove the bar. You actually shouldn't
No dont remove or even touch the bar for a min of 3 months use hydrogen peroxide sloution to clean it .
I got my lower navel (bottom of belly button) piercing back in october 2011, since then it has healed a little, but still has a pink/purple area/lump surrounding the area where the barball screws onto, and sometimes this area becomes scabby. Does this mean its infected, or is it just not fully healed yet ?
it takes a min of 6 months to a year to heal it sounds like your bar is too small and that your clothes are rubbing on it. i had the same problem about a year ago
Hey, i dunno if this would be the same question already asked, but i had my belly button peirced when i was 13 and it went funny i took it out and let it healed for a year or so, when i was 15 in september i went to have it done again but they refused to do it, i went and had it done in December and it was fine, but now there's a red/purple coloured blotch thing round it, i know it;s the scarring tissue but it looks really really ugly, and somtimes it hurts, the doctor has told me to massage it with moiseriser and i did that but it really hurt the next morning, is there any way i can get rid of it as people always comment that it looks scabby etc? Thankyou! xxxx
Clean it with the bar in with sea salt and boiling water once a day and ONLY once a day until it has gone, unless it is very red and painful then take the bar out, dip kitchen roll in boiling water, wait for it to cool and hold it against the hole. this will soften the skin, then put the bar in and moisturise with an unperfumed moisturiser. you can do this everyday but i wouldnt over do it if it isnt too bad.
I want my tongue pierced but im scared it will get infected, is septicemia common from getting your tongue pierced? should i talk to my doctor before? I heared they can prescrible antibiotics to prevent it getting infected. Thanks.
Infections can happen with mouth piercings but they aren't as common as you might think because your saliva is a natural antiseptic. You don't need antibiotics before getting the piercing done, just make sure that you go to a reputable piercer. The studio should look clean, they should put on a fresh pair of gloves where you can see and open a new needle in front of you. If you have any doubts then ask if you can see their spore test results, a safe piercer will have no problem showing them to you and answering any questions you have about hygiene. After you have had your tongue pierced you need to make sure to use mouthwash after meals (diluted listerine is good) to prevent a build up of gunk. You also need to stop smoking whilst it heals. If you have any problems or worries after the piercing then go to your piercer who should be happy to check it for you. In the unlikely event that anything does go wrong then go to your GP as soon as you can.
I had my ear piercing done when I was around seven. They were initially fine and I had no problem. One night I banged my ear and it bleed a lot. After that it become infected and after being unable to properly clear the infection I let the piercing close up. However a few years later I had my piercing redone again an infection developed and I had to let it close. Despite various creams and a course of antibacs my old piercing (which I now let close over a decade ago) still has a collection of puss. What can I do about this? xx
basically you need to open the pericing back up with a steralised needle and then get anti-septic wipes and clear round near the piercing, then you need to put anti-septic liquid on the needle and put it back through your ear. this happened to me once and after i done that process it was fine, i hope this could be of help :)xxx
hey, i had my earlobes pierced on saturday, now its friday, and on tuesday my left ear started hurting a little, by wednesday evening it started swelling up, so i went to out of hours at the hospital, and theyve given me antibiotics, so ive been taking them for two days and obviously soaking them in salt water and turning them when im cleaning my ears 3 times a day, now pus is starting to come out.. is this normal? im quite scared :/
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