Piercing Troubleshooting

Some piercings are prone to irritations or issues during the healing, which can delay the overall process. The most common of these is the dreaded ‘piercing bump’ which is more common with cartilage, but can form around almost any piercing. If treated early, these bumps can be broken down but if left and ignored then they can harden into a keloid scar which is much harder to get rid of. If you see a bump starting to form around the piercing there are a few things to help treat it;

Firstly, make sure there is minimal movement of the jewellery - take extra caution when removing clothing, brushing hair or towel drying after a shower and absolutely never t touch or twist the jewellery! Secondly, be aware of excessive pressure on the piercing - try not to sleep directly on the piercing and avoid headphones compressing on the jewellery. Lastly, try to minimise friction from clothing and use band-aids to create a protective layer where necessary.

In order to reduce the bump itself there’s a few ‘at-home’ methods that can work;

Option 1:
Spray two cotton tips with saline solution and gently massage the bump/skin either side of the piercing to flatten down the extra tissue growth. You will likely notice some fluid leakage or light bleeding which is okay, but you don't want to be too aggressive with this process. Repeat twice daily (every time you clean the piercing) for a few weeks and you should notice the bump settle down. Continue this gentle massage regularly for a week or so after the bump completely goes away in order to make sure it doesn't easily come back.

Option 2 (more effective if began early when the bump is still small & soft):
Brew 1 chamomile tea bag with 100ml of freshly boiled water and 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. Once the solution has cooled enough to touch (but still warm) soak a clean cotton pad in the liquid and gently compress either side of the piercing for 10-15 minutes. Repeat daily for a few weeks, until the bump has completely gone.

These methods aren’t guaranteed to work and everyone’s skin will respond differently to a healing piercing. It often depends on the initial cause of the irritation so there’s not always a “one-size fits all” solution. If you have any further issues, questions, or if you want a second pair of eyes, contact us or come in for a chat with your piercer!