FAQS
by FAQS.org
- Table of Contents
- Is this normal? - healing process
- healing problems
- follicular cysts
- Do I have an infection
- I have a bump that's forming on my piercing. Is that normal?
- Piercing rejection
- Will nipple piercings affect my ability to breast feed?
Healing process
General healing process
The healing process consists of three phases:
inflammation-proliferation-and maturation
During the inflammation phase , blood vessels contract and red blood
cells clot the wound while white blood cells collect in the wound to fight
infection.
During the proliferate phase, special skin cells migrate into the wound
beneath the crust (scab; or what we call crusties) and grow. Granulation
tissue fills the wound and new capillaries form , giving the tissue its
red color and granular texture. . The wound then begins to contract and
the granulation tissue is soon covered with a layer of epithelial tissue
( new skin cells )
During the maturation phase, also can be known as the remodeling phase,
New collagen is formed to create a scar . the wound slowly regains strength
as the scar reaches its final size and shape . Scar maturation usually
takes at least a year . A scar is usually only 80% stronger as the original
skin.
Piercing Healing process
During the inflammatory phase, the area surrounding the piercing will
be slightly red, swollen, and may feel warm to the touch. These symptoms
should not worsen and should last no longer than a week.
Unlike a wound such as a scratch or a cut , a piercing cannot heal across
tissue layers. A piercing can be thought of as a tunnel whose entire inner
surface must heal. If the body is unable to reject a foreign object.,
in this case the jewelry, it begins the healing process in order to create
a barrier against the foreign object.
Because the environment within the piercing is moist , the piercing cannot
form a crust. The piercing will produce a discharge of lymph and dead
skin cells. The discharge is white to off white. in color and dries to
a yellow crusty formation around the opening piercing and on the jewelry.
As the epithelial layer forms the piercing may constrict around the
jewelry. the epithelial layer can be easily torn or dislodged; do not
force the jewelry to rotate. The piercing may need to be soaked in warm
water to allow the skin to expand so the jewelry can rotate..
So if your asking Epithelial what? while there are many types of epithelial
layers on the body like the tooth enamel the epithelial layer we are talking
about is a thin layer of skin that the body produces to protect your piercing.
Once the final layers of the skin cells form within the piercing, they
must toughen and strengthen. This process can take 6 months to a year.
as the piercing becomes fully healed the entrances will round inwards
like a donut hole and the piercing will become more flexible and relax
around the jewelry. The tissue surrounding your piercing will also soften.
If you plan to keep your piercing long term do not remove your jewelry
for any length of time while it's healing.
Most piercings require at least six months to a year before the jewelry
can be removed for any length of time. with out the risk of your piercing
closing. After the piercing has fully healed it will not close but will
often shrink in which case you will have to stretch it with an insertion
taper to reinsert the jewelry.
healing problems
Dry Skin
Over cleaning the piercing, failure to thoroughly rinse the piercing after
using a skin cleanser or soap, or using a skin cleanser r soap that is
too drying can cause the openings of the piercing to become red, overly
dry of cracked. Most piercings do not require cleaning more than 2 or
3 times a day.
Sensitivity to aftercare products
Sensitivity to aftercare products can usually be indicated by extreme
itching and burning upon application of the product and may cause a rash
of small bumps around the piercing. If you notice or suspect that you
are allergic to your aftercare product discontinue it's use, thoroughly
irrigate the piercing and rinse the area affected with water then give
us a call or if the problem persist consult your physician.
* also laundry detergent with stain fighting enzymes should not be used
to wash clothes which is in direct contact with the piercing.
prolonged healing
prolonged healing is indicated by the failure of the piercing to complete
the final stages of healing. The epithelial layer may be weak and easily
dislodged and the entrances of the piercing often remain ragged. If severely
irritated the piercing may be red and swollen.
The most frequent causes of prolonged healing include.:
placing the piercing at an inappropriate depth or angle to the tissue.
piercing in an area that changes shape with body movement
wearing jewelry of inappropriate design or dimensions ( gauge , width
, length )
friction or pressure against clothing / other body parts / other jewelry
injury to a piercing
chemical irritation or using inappropriate aftercare products
A darkening of the skin between the entrances indicates that the piercing
is constricted by the jewelry. The Jewelry may be too small in diameter
or length or too thick in gauge, or the piercing was placed too deep or
at an inappropriate angle to the tissue.
Prolonged healing may indicate migration , rejection or metal sensitivity.
Follicular Cysts
Follicular cysts may affect both new and healed piercing. They are caused
by a blocked pore adjacent to the piercing. Follicular cysts often appear
as red bumps , or pimples, adjacent to the piercing and will produce a
discharge of pus and blood. Hot compresses or soaking the piercing in
hot (not boiling just as warm as you can stand it) distilled water with
sea salt will encourage the cyst to drain.
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt to 8 oz of h2o.
Do I have an infection?
How to recognize an infection
The most frequent cause of an infection is touching the piercing or jewelry
with unwashed hands or contact with unclean items such as clothing or
bedding and hair..
An infection should be treated seriously. Symptoms of an infection may
include a discharge of yellow or green pus, pain, redness, swelling, and
the area will feel hot to the touch. Infected piercings often bleed.
If the piercing is draining pus , do not remove the jewelry. If the jewelry
is removed is removed, the openings of piercing will closed and the infection
will close and the infection will not be able to drain which can result
in an abscess.
An abscess is an infection that is trapped under the skin. An abscess
is indicated by a darkening and hardening of the surrounding tissue, swelling,
and pain.
Cartilage piercings are particularly prone to abscesses because of the
different layers of tissue involved.
Occasionally an abscess will form even if the jewelry is left in place
, particularly if the piercing is extremely swollen and constricting around
the jewelry. In this case you may want to switch to a smaller gauge jewelry
to allow the abscess to drain.
An Abscess usually requires treatment with oral antibiotics and may possibly
require surgical removal.
An infection that does not clear with in 2 to 3 days or any sign of an
abscess should be seen by a doctor.
To help out the infection : Hot Compress:
Hot compressing does two things;
1. encourage the infection to drain
2. increase blood circulation to the piercing to promote healing
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt to 8 oz of h2o.
Hyper Granulation
I have bump on my piercing...What is it and Is it normal?
During the proliferation phase of the healing granulation tissue forms
along the inner surface of the piercing. Occasionally a piercing will
develop excess granulation tissue, a condition described as hyper granulation.
(In slang we call it a Keloid)
Granulation tissue can be red to a dark pink color. It often forms a
raw looking , visibly layered bump that appears to erupt from the entrance's)
of your piercing.
Capillaries will grow into the tissue and hence the tissue will often
bleed when disturbed. This condition is usually not painful but the piercing
may be more susceptible to infection.
Hyper granulation prevents epithelication (producing a thin layer of
skin to protect your piercing) and the healing process is arrested.
While hyper granulation can affect any piercing , piercings in moist
areas which are also subjected to prolonged physical irritation appear
to be particularly vulnerable.
Prolonged pressure or physical irritation exerted on the piercing may
push the granulation tissue out of the piercing where it continues to
form. Removing the source of the irritation and keeping the piercing dry
will often allow the piercing to heal.
Because the granulation tissue is very delicate , it can sometimes be
removed by wiping with a cotton swab or gauze sponge.. Excess tissue may
also be excised.
In plain English -
Imagine your skin as a bunch of tiny threads all woven together. Well
when hyper granulation occurs (or what we call keloiding) Your body starts
over producing more layers of that woven thread. It's signal is that there
is a trauma and it needs to protect the area. And as said above this is
usually happening because there is some sort of irritation going on. (i.e.
over cleaning, cleaning products. jewelry, lifestyle just to name a few)
So by process of elimination you can usually figure out what is causing
this to happen.
Hot compresses help out a lot. Do not let this problem go on for any
long period of time. If gone untreated the bump may become permanent and
you will have to have it medically removed.
just wanted to add a couple of things to the treatment portion.
I know it says that it can be removed with a q-tip sometimes and or even
excised but leave that to your DOC if it comes to that.
The best way to get these things to disappear is to hot soak them,
1/4tsp of sea salt to 1 cup of water. If you notice that this dries out
your piercing too much you will want to cut down on the salt.
Hot Soak it two to three times a day.
By hot soaking it we mean to put the sea salt solution in a clean cup
microwave it to get it as hot as you can stand it but not so hot you will
burn yourself and either take a clean paper towel like viva (because they
are thick) and dip it into the solution WITH CLEAN HANDS and put it directly
on your piercing or just dip your nose into the cup submerging the piercing
in the solution. Make sure you do either for at least 5 or more minutes.
Once you notice the bump disappearing keep hot soaking it for another
week at least once a day.
Go to the Association of Professional Piercers web site and look up a
shop in your area if you want to have a known reputable piercer take a
look at it.
But like I said it is pretty common for cartilage piercings to form Keloid.
Toodles and please feel free to e-mail or call if you have any more questions
.
Thanks Primal Crew
Piercing rejection....
Yes sometimes a piercing will just decide it's not wanting to be there.
A good analogy is to think of a splinter. your body knows there is something
foreign in it and it will over time push it out.
Well your body sometime will do the same with a piercing.
This is common among navels, nipples, and eyebrows. mostly because these
piercings get constant irritation and pressure, (now when I say common
I have only seen about a dozen piercings reject in the 5 years I have
been here..)
If the piercing is done right and with the appropriate jewelry. And if
the proper aftercare is followed you should have a successful piercing.
But keep in mind Rejection is possible and if you do experience this
you may want to consider trying a different piercing.
There really are all sorts of reasons your piercing could be rejecting.
When you first notice this happening come on in and we will help you out
with it and let you know if you can save it. If you live out of town find
a reputable piercing studio and seek their help.
Will nipple piercings affect my ability to breast feed?
Nope. Your breast have many many milk ducts and actually some women find
that more milk comes out of the piercings.
However there are things to consider.
Make sure that your piercings are fully healed before your begin breast
feeding.
For two reasons
your jewelry is a choking hazard for the baby so you will want to be
able to take it in and out.
your hormones are going through so many changes it will be almost impossible
for your piercings to heal..
Addressing issue number one . Because you are going to be removing your
jewelry in and out a lot you are going to want to follow a few steps.
make sure your hands are clean.
have a clean place to put your jewelry
lubricate your jewelry to help ease the insertion.
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