Anyone with piercings? Q about flare-ups...

salxtai
salxtai Posts: 341 Member
edited December 25 in Chit-Chat
Has anyone had issues with old piercings suddenly flaring up / getting irritated for no reason?

How do you deal with it?

The story:

I've got an old (2007) helix (cartilage) piercing that up until about 8 months ago had no issues. Its flared up before, but they've gone down within days - this one has been going on for 8 months, if not more :S

I know its laziness on my part but I've done the "ignore" treatment and it hasn't worked
- have tried to avoid sleeping on it, tried 2x tea tree oil applications (has worked previously) etc... nothing.
Will try icing it over few days, see if that happens to work..


The front of the piercing has a small cyst-like lump around the opening, but no pus or anything. Its fairly sore to twist the jewelry around.
(photo is here if you want to see what I mean... http://i49.tinypic.com/xly23m.jpg)

and its also swollen around the back as well. ( http://i46.tinypic.com/2uiybma.jpg)
- it used to look like my other ear, before this started ( http://i46.tinypic.com/2uiybma.jpg)


switched from my titanium stud to the clear retainer last night so the piercing's even more irritated than normal in the photos.


Any advice would be awesome - after 8 months, I'm starting to get annoyed (since its not directly in the way of daily life, I tend to forget about it, but its always there)
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Replies

  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member
    sigh. bump...
  • akjstyles
    akjstyles Posts: 75 Member
    I've got my nose pierced and had the same type of lump appear on the inside and outside of my nostril this past winter. I ended up having to take it out for 2 weeks and wait for the swollen lump to go back down. It was the first time it has happened and I've had my nose pierced for 4 years.
  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member
    I've got my nose pierced and had the same type of lump appear on the inside and outside of my nostril this past winter. I ended up having to take it out for 2 weeks and wait for the swollen lump to go back down. It was the first time it has happened and I've had my nose pierced for 4 years.

    I'm not very confident with my piercings to take them out, although logically speaking, you'd think it'd survive a 2-week break if its been pierced since 2007... might need to do this.

    Have switched to a much longer bar, see if that helps
  • piratesaregrand
    piratesaregrand Posts: 356 Member
    I've my piercings 10ish years. Sometimes if I'm sick they will act up. I just put some lucas paw paw ointment on them and that works.
  • JeaninePaige
    JeaninePaige Posts: 464 Member
    Yep, especially my nose piercing. When it starts getting sore or the surrounding area gets red, I just baby it a few days by making sure I don't get makeup around it and I clean it a few times per day with bland soap and water. It quickly returns to normal.
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
    I've never had any flare-ups fromy past piercings, but when I got my orbital piercing it took awhile to heal. They originally put 2 rings for the first month, then I had to go back and get a single ring put through both holes. During that time I ended up getting a little sore bump like you're describing. They told me to soak the ear in warm, sea salt water twice a day. I did that, and after awhile it went away. Bump free for 4 years.
  • georgie_lou
    georgie_lou Posts: 225 Member
    I had that!! I took my normal earring out and changed it to one they use when you get your labret pierced (with the flat back and the long bar). That and tee tree oil cleared the lump in a couple of days.
  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member
    I had that!! I took my normal earring out and changed it to one they use when you get your labret pierced (with the flat back and the long bar). That and tee tree oil cleared the lump in a couple of days.

    I switched to my original barbell a few hours ago - hopefully this does the trick, cause the bump looks just a *tad* ugly, haha.
  • Jade17694
    Jade17694 Posts: 584 Member
    I had that happen to me a while after i got it pierced, oddly enough changing it back to the bar i had it pierced with and cleaning it with Saline solution for a few days completely healed it. Think i'm allergic to the bar i had in it even though i'd had it in there weeks before it reacted. Odd huh :ohwell:
  • Koshkaxo
    Koshkaxo Posts: 332 Member
    I They told me to soak the ear in warm, sea salt water twice a day. I did that, and after awhile it went away. Bump free for 4 years.

    I used to have the same cartridge piercing and it would flare up the same way a few times a year.

    Good job on switching to a barbell, they are far less likely to cause trouble because they are straight and not curved.

    I think warm sea salt soaks might be beneficial as long as the salt concentration isnt too high. It will draw out any lymph discharge without irritating it. You didnt mention any green or red/brown discharge coming from it so its probably not infected.

    Also: Dont use regular table salt,only sea salt! haha
  • MellowGa
    MellowGa Posts: 1,258 Member
    my wife had gotten her navel Pierced a few years ago, had a reaction, now she can only wear pure gold or Steerling Silver, anything else she breaks out with an infection this is Ears as well, and even a necklace that is not stone or gold/silver irritates her skin
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
    I They told me to soak the ear in warm, sea salt water twice a day. I did that, and after awhile it went away. Bump free for 4 years.

    I used to have the same cartridge piercing and it would flare up the same way a few times a year.

    Good job on switching to a barbell, they are far less likely to cause trouble because they are straight and not curved.

    I think warm sea salt soaks might be beneficial as long as the salt concentration isnt too high. It will draw out any lymph discharge without irritating it. You didnt mention any green or red/brown discharge coming from it so its probably not infected.

    Also: Dont use regular table salt,only sea salt! haha

    I recently got my lobes pierced again and they actually recommended sea salt instead of soap for cleaning in general. They had something (which I honesly didn't read because it wasn't my first piercing hah) about how the pH balance is restored by using sea salt. I think it was a 2-1 ratio, but I'm too tired to completely remember it. :p

    As for the piercing, I have the barbell (industrial) on my other ear and they started me out with the barbell. The orbital piercing is a round piece of jewelry that goes through both piercing holes on my cartilage. ;)
  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member

    I think warm sea salt soaks might be beneficial as long as the salt concentration isnt too high. It will draw out any lymph discharge without irritating it. You didnt mention any green or red/brown discharge coming from it so its probably not infected.

    Also: Dont use regular table salt,only sea salt! haha

    Off I go to buy sea salt again then, for the first time in about 4 years - safe to say the last batch is long gone in the cooking :P

    As for the piercing, I have the barbell (industrial) on my other ear and they started me out with the barbell. The orbital piercing is a round piece of jewelry that goes through both piercing holes on my cartilage. ;)

    My 2nd forward helix piercing was intended to create a half orbital with my first fwd helix - however by the time it healed I ended up liking my spikes too much to switch, haha.
    - who can resist blue-green spikes? http://i46.tinypic.com/2uiybma.jpg

    btw, that's water droplets on my hair (fresh out of the shower), not dandrufff (ewwww.)
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I've had my ear lobes pierced since I was 9 and I'm 24 now. Randomly one of them decided to get infected, even though I've never had one before.

    The one thing I did was put a warm wash cloth on it and just hold it there until it ran cold.. and do that multiple times a day. It will help that lump open up and the pus come out.
  • Jani2416
    Jani2416 Posts: 275 Member
    I had my bellybutton done in 1995, took it out in 1999....it got an infection in 2007, it was crazy....I never had an issues when I had it in.
    My cartilage piercing hurts sometimes if I sleep on that side the whole night, but that's about it, I've never had an issue with that one.
  • Kittyface722
    Kittyface722 Posts: 12 Member
    I got mine done like 5 years ago and it's acting up too. In my experience, the bump I got was a keloid from the piercing rubbing the ear the wrong way. Applying tea tree oil and putting it a non-irritating position made it go away. As for the hurting, I only notice it when I sleep on it or move the ring. It sucks. I'm trying tea tree oil now to see if it will help with the hurting. So weird!
  • Amberlynnek
    Amberlynnek Posts: 405 Member
    I got mine done like 5 years ago and it's acting up too. In my experience, the bump I got was a keloid from the piercing rubbing the ear the wrong way. Applying tea tree oil and putting it a non-irritating position made it go away. As for the hurting, I only notice it when I sleep on it or move the ring. It sucks. I'm trying tea tree oil now to see if it will help with the hurting. So weird!

    I had a bump when I got my industrial piercing. They are actually quite normal. Apply the tea tree oil and try to avoid touching it and changing it so much. Cartilage piercings can take a while to heal and you have to be gentle with them.
  • tibby531
    tibby531 Posts: 717 Member
    I switched to sterling silver in my lobes, and titanium in my cartilage, and I haven't had any issues since. apparently, I'm "delicate."
  • Phoenix__Rising
    Phoenix__Rising Posts: 9,981 Member
    Has anyone had issues with old piercings suddenly flaring up / getting irritated for no reason?

    How do you deal with it?

    The story:

    I've got an old (2007) helix (cartilage) piercing that up until about 8 months ago had no issues. Its flared up before, but they've gone down within days - this one has been going on for 8 months, if not more :S

    I know its laziness on my part but I've done the "ignore" treatment and it hasn't worked
    - have tried to avoid sleeping on it, tried 2x tea tree oil applications (has worked previously) etc... nothing.
    Will try icing it over few days, see if that happens to work..


    The front of the piercing has a small cyst-like lump around the opening, but no pus or anything. Its fairly sore to twist the jewelry around.
    (photo is here if you want to see what I mean... http://i49.tinypic.com/xly23m.jpg)

    and its also swollen around the back as well. ( http://i46.tinypic.com/2uiybma.jpg)
    - it used to look like my other ear, before this started ( http://i46.tinypic.com/2uiybma.jpg)


    switched from my titanium stud to the clear retainer last night so the piercing's even more irritated than normal in the photos.


    Any advice would be awesome - after 8 months, I'm starting to get annoyed (since its not directly in the way of daily life, I tend to forget about it, but its always there)

    The guy that pierced me told me it could get a hair, lint
    or anything trapped in there. It's very important to
    always wash the rings, keep the holes clean and use
    only surgical steel materials.

    Hope it heals.
  • WickedPineapple
    WickedPineapple Posts: 698 Member
    I They told me to soak the ear in warm, sea salt water twice a day. I did that, and after awhile it went away. Bump free for 4 years.

    I have a couple outer helix piercings and conch on my left ear. They're not the easiest piercings to care for, they get sore and/or infected easily compared to other piercings. I've had my lip pierced for 10 years and never had any issues.

    Anywho, yes to the warm sea salt soak, very low concentration (a pinch, 1/8 tsp/4 oz water), 10 minutes twice a day. Don't use regular salt, don't use too much salt or too hot of water (it'll irritate the area). I just lower my ear into the glass and chill there awkwardly. It works every time. You could also try soaking a paper towel with the solution and putting it directly on the piercing.
  • katro111
    katro111 Posts: 632 Member
    Yep. I got my belly button pierced in 2002, took it out in 2005 and haven't tried to put any other jewelry in since then and the piercing site gets irritated and weepy at least twice a year. I think it's the nickel in the buttons on my jeans, but whatever. I clean it with saline and slather it in Neosporin and it clears up pretty quickly. Same thing happens with my ears lobes (pierced in 1990, haven't put earrings in since 2000). I think it must be shampoo residue or something. Oddly enough, my cartilage piercing that I got in 2003 has NEVER had any problems.
  • WickedPineapple
    WickedPineapple Posts: 698 Member
    PS - Keep your hands away from your piercings (all the time unless just washed with anti-bacterial soap) and only use clean towels to dry the area. When you do the soak there's no need to move or touch (directly) the piercing at all.

    I've also had luck cleaning the piercing with anti-bacterial Dial soap. The sea salt soaks work better/faster though.
  • ErinMLB
    ErinMLB Posts: 100 Member
    There is a really great salt water solution spray that you can get at pharmacies for like 5 bucks, it's wayyyyy easier to deal with than soaking it, plus you don't need to touch the affected area. Do that for a few days, I would try not to frig around with it too much because that can irritate it as well.
  • kdsp2911
    kdsp2911 Posts: 170 Member
    Didn't read all responses but that cyst could be a keloid and if so it will never go away. My husband had this and had to just remove the piercing and forsake it forever. That was 6 years ago and the cyst is much small but still there.
  • jigsawxyouth
    jigsawxyouth Posts: 308 Member
    warm water and sea salt is the key! I've done this with retired ear piercings, retired Monroe and most recently, my nipple piercings (when I had my son, taking them out and putting them back in every two hours would have freaking killed me)
    The first winter was the worst... making sure they aired out and were cleaned with sea salt and warm water really helped...

    Sometimes my tattoos get bumpy and itchy out of no where, too... Usually just hit it with some warm, soapy water, feels a million times better!
  • jigsawxyouth
    jigsawxyouth Posts: 308 Member
    PS - Keep your hands away from your piercings (all the time unless just washed with anti-bacterial soap) and only use clean towels to dry the area. When you do the soak there's no need to move or touch (directly) the piercing at all.

    I've also had luck cleaning the piercing with anti-bacterial Dial soap. The sea salt soaks work better/faster though.
    in addition to this: don't rub the area dry, use a clean towel and pat the area dry! :D
  • angiez93
    angiez93 Posts: 63
    Had the same issue with my nose. Baby it and use a paste of a tiny bit of water and crushed aspirin - worked for me!
    Piercings can be quite annoying sometimes. Best of luck!
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
    I had to go back to my piercer to get him to put the little tiny ball back in my helix ring a few months ago and he recommended Vitamin E oil for the bumps. Apply a little before my shower and then wash it off with soap before getting out. He also mentioned the tea tree oil. I do sleep on that side of my head so I tend to have more irritation on a regular basis, but I just keep up with the vit e oil when necessary and make sure to wash that and my other piercings with an anti-bacterial soap every day.
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
    The best thing ... and I know this is kinda out there. But back in the day .. when I had piercings, I was told to soak / rinse my piercings regularly with ... urine. Your own urine .. just to be clear.

    It is just that it is sterile to your own body .. and is excellent at helping them heal and maintain a healthy state.

    It was not my thing, so didn't do it. But that is what I was told.
  • reddz12
    reddz12 Posts: 350 Member
    could be a keloid (sp?) I would just go to a shop and get it checked worst case.. take it out, let it heal properly, get it done again.... source... I've had over 25 piercings... and unfortunately, sometimes this is the best way to ensure no internal infection.
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