Body Piercing Problems

Topic Overview

Body piercings

Body piercing is very popular with both men and women. Many areas of the body are used for piercing. Most people who have piercings do not develop any problems.

The ears are the most common piercing site. Most of the time, an earlobe piercing heals without any problems. Piercing other areas of the ear usually involves piercing the cartilage that gives the ear shape. Piercing ear cartilage creates a wound that is harder to clean, takes longer to heal, and is more likely to become infected than earlobe piercing.

Other popular sites include the mouth and tongue, nose, eyebrow, navel, and genital area. Each body piercing site has its own normal healing time and its own set of potential problems. Home treatment can help speed healing of the wound and prevent problems. At first, a body piercing site may be slightly swollen. A small amount of blood or fluid may drain from the site.

Common problems that develop from body piercing include:

Infection of the site.
- Infection of the mouth or lips may cause speech, chewing, or swallowing problems or swelling that can block the throat.
- Infection of a nipple can scar the breast tissue and limit the ability to breastfeed later.
- The infection may be potentially serious or life-threatening and involve the entire body (systemic).
Splitting or tearing of the skin, which may cause the formation of scar tissue.
Problems with the type of jewellery used, including allergies to a metal. Make sure you use the type of jewellery designed for your piercing site. Only use non-allergenic jewellery. Surgical stainless steel, gold, platinum, niobium, and titanium are the only types of jewellery you should use in a new piercing.
Other problems caused by the jewellery.
- Jewellery in the mouth or lips can cause chipping or cracking of the teeth, gum problems, and difficulty chewing or swallowing. Jewellery can also become loose and be swallowed.
- Jewellery in the navel can get caught on clothing and linens. This constant irritation can delay healing. Navel piercings can take up to a year to heal completely.
- Jewellery in the genital area may cause injury to you or your sex partner. It also can cause condom breakage, increasing the risk of pregnancy and exposure to sexually transmitted infections. Piercings in the penis can decrease a man's ability to get or maintain an erection.
Damage to underlying blood vessels or nerves.
Scarring of the piercing site.

If a sterile technique is not used, there is a chance of spreading diseases, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Blood infections (sepsis) can occur if a sterile technique is not used.

You can reverse a body piercing fairly easily by removing the jewellery, which allows the hole to close. If you have not yet made a decision about piercing, it may be helpful to learn about making the choice to have a piercing and how to prevent problems.

If you have a problem with a body piercing site, check your symptoms to decide if and when you should see a doctor.

Check Your Symptoms

Do you have a concern about a body piercing?

Yes

Body piercing concern

How old are you?

Less than 12 years

12 years or older

Are you male or female?

Male

Female

The medical assessment of symptoms is based on the body parts you have.

If you are transgender or non-binary, choose the sex that matches the body parts (such as ovaries, testes, prostate, breasts, penis, or vagina) you now have in the area where you are having symptoms.
If your symptoms aren’t related to those organs, you can choose the gender you identify with.
If you have some organs of both sexes, you may need to go through this triage tool twice (once as "male" and once as "female"). This will make sure that the tool asks the right questions for you.

Could you be having a severe allergic reaction?

This is more likely if you have had a bad reaction to something in the past.

Yes

Possible severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)

Are there any hives?

Hives are raised, red, itchy patches of skin. They usually have red borders and pale centres. They may seem to move from place to place on the skin.

Yes

Hives

Did the hives appear within the past 3 hours?

Yes

Hives appeared within past 3 hours

Are there any symptoms of infection?

Yes

Symptoms of infection

Do you think you may have a fever?

Yes

Possible fever

Are there red streaks leading away from the area or pus draining from it?

Yes

Red streaks or pus

Do you have diabetes, a weakened immune system, peripheral arterial disease, or any surgical hardware in the area?

"Hardware" includes things like artificial joints, plates or screws, catheters, and medicine pumps.

Yes

Diabetes, immune problems, peripheral arterial disease, or surgical hardware in affected area

Is there any swelling near the piercing?

Yes

Swelling at piercing site

Is the swelling severe and rapid?

Severe swelling may cut off blood flow and make the area below the piercing cool or painful.

Yes

Severe, rapid swelling near piercing site

Is the swelling over a joint, such as the ankle, elbow, or hip?

Yes

Swelling is over a joint

Has swelling lasted for more than 2 days?

Yes

Swelling for more than 2 days

Have you had symptoms of an infectious illness in the several months since you had the body piercing?

Yes

Symptoms of infectious illness

Do you think you may need a tetanus shot?

Yes

May need tetanus shot

Is there any bleeding at the piercing site that has not slowed or stopped after 15 minutes of steady pressure?

Yes

Bleeding at piercing site

Have you had any other problems with the piercing for more than 2 weeks?

Yes

Body piercing problem for more than 2 weeks

Many things can affect how your body responds to a symptom and what kind of care you may need. These include:

Your age. Babies and older adults tend to get sicker quicker.
Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care sooner.
Medicines you take. Certain medicines, such as blood thinners (anticoagulants), medicines that suppress the immune system like steroids or chemotherapy, or natural health products can cause symptoms or make them worse.
Recent health events, such as surgery or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them more serious.
Your health habits and lifestyle, such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug use, sexual history, and travel.

Try Home Treatment

You have answered all the questions. Based on your answers, you may be able to take care of this problem at home.

Try home treatment to relieve the symptoms.
Call your doctor if symptoms get worse or you have any concerns (for example, if symptoms are not getting better as you would expect). You may need care sooner.

HomeTreatment

RelatedInformation

You may need a tetanus shot depending on how dirty the wound is and how long it has been since your last shot.

For a deep or dirty wound that has things like dirt, saliva, or feces in it, you may need a shot if:
- You haven't had a tetanus shot in the past 5 years.
- You don't know when your last shot was.
- You have not received 3 doses of the tetanus vaccine series.
For a clean wound, you may need a shot if:
- You have not had a tetanus shot in the past 10 years.
- You don't know when your last shot was.
- You have not received 3 doses of the tetanus vaccine series.

Symptoms of infection may include:

Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in or around the area.
Red streaks leading from the area.
Pus draining from the area.
A fever.

Certain health conditions and medicines weaken the immune system's ability to fight off infection and illness. Some examples in adults are:

Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS.
Long-term alcohol and drug problems.
Steroid medicines, which may be used to treat a variety of conditions.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer.
Other medicines used to treat autoimmune disease.
Medicines taken after organ transplant.
Not having a spleen.

Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can start within minutes of eating or being exposed to an allergen. While symptoms usually occur within 2 hours, in rare cases the time frame can vary up to several hours after exposure. Do not ignore early symptoms. When a reaction begins, it is important to respond right away.

Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can vary from person to person. The same person can have different symptoms each time they have a severe allergic reaction. Symptoms can include any of the following:

Skin: hives, swelling (face, lips, tongue), itching, warmth, redness
Respiratory (breathing): coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, throat tightness, hoarse voice, nasal congestion or hay fever-like symptoms (runny, itchy nose and watery eyes, sneezing), trouble swallowing
Gastrointestinal (stomach): nausea, pain or cramps, vomiting, diarrhea
Cardiovascular (heart): paler than normal skin colour/blue colour, weak pulse, passing out, dizziness or lightheadedness, shock
Other: anxiety, sense of doom (the feeling that something bad is about to happen), headache, uterine cramps, metallic taste

A severe reaction can take place without hives, so make sure to look out for all of the signs of an allergic reaction.

If proper technique and clean instruments are not used, there is a chance of getting an infectious disease when you get a tattoo or body piercing.

Symptoms of an infectious illness may include:

An overall feeling of tiredness and lack of energy.
Dark urine or light-coloured stool.
A new yellow tint to the skin or the whites of the eyes (jaundice).
Muscle or joint pain that lasts a long time.
Belly pain.
Fever.
Nausea and vomiting.

Seek Care Today

Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The problem probably will not get better without medical care.

Call your doctor today to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care.
If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have one, seek care today.
If it is evening, watch the symptoms and seek care in the morning.
If the symptoms get worse, seek care sooner.

HomeTreatment

RelatedInformation

Seek Care Now

Based on your answers, you may need care right away. The problem is likely to get worse without medical care.

Call your doctor now to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care.
If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have one, seek care in the next hour.
You do not need to call an ambulance unless:
- You cannot travel safely either by driving yourself or by having someone else drive you.
- You are in an area where heavy traffic or other problems may slow you down.

Call 911 Now

Based on your answers, you need emergency care.

Call 911 or other emergency services now.

Sometimes people don't want to call 911. They may think that their symptoms aren't serious or that they can just get someone else to drive them. But based on your answers, the safest and quickest way for you to get the care you need is to call 911 for medical transport to the hospital.

Make an Appointment

Based on your answers, the problem may not improve without medical care.

Make an appointment to see your doctor in the next 1 to 2 weeks.
If appropriate, try home treatment while you are waiting for the appointment.
If symptoms get worse or you have any concerns, call your doctor. You may need care sooner.

HomeTreatment

RelatedInformation

Home Treatment

Caring for a piercing site

Most body piercing wounds can be cared for at home. If you received written instructions from the person who did the body piercing, follow those instructions carefully. This will help prevent problems and promote healing.

If you did not receive instructions for care of the piercing site, try the following:

Stop any bleeding by applying direct pressure to the piercing site.
Apply a cold pack to help reduce swelling or bruising. Never apply ice directly to the skin. This can cause tissue damage. Put a layer of fabric or a cloth towel between the cold pack and the skin.
Wash the wound for 5 minutes, 3 or 4 times a day, with large amounts of warm water.
Elevate the piercing area, if possible, to help reduce swelling.
If you have a mouth or tongue piercing, use an antibacterial mouthwash, such as Listerine or Scope, 3 or 4 times a day to help the healing process. Avoid smoking, and don't drink alcohol or eat spicy foods until the piercing site is fully healed.
Clean your jewellery with hot, soapy water.
Avoid tight clothing over the piercing area. Tight clothing may irritate the piercing site. If irritation develops, it is best to bandage the site. Piercing sites usually will heal well with or without a bandage.
If the piercing site is red or you are worried about getting an infection, remove the jewellery. Soak the site in warm water for 20 minutes, 3 or 4 times a day. If it is too hard to soak the piercing site (for example, if you had your belly button pierced), apply a warm, moist cloth instead. If the site looks or feels worse during home treatment, check your symptoms to find out if you need to see your doctor. If the site does not get better after 48 hours of home treatment, call your doctor.

How fast the wound heals depends on the piercing site. The wound may take 4 to 6 weeks or longer to heal. Some sites may take up to a year to heal fully.

Medicine you can buy without a prescription
Try a non-prescription medicine to help treat your pain:
Acetaminophen, such as Tylenol Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Ibuprofen, such as Advil or Motrin Naproxen, such as Aleve Aspirin (also a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), such as Asaphen or Entrophen Talk to your child's doctor before switching back and forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. When you switch between two medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much medicine.

Safety tips
Be sure to follow these safety tips when you use a non-prescription medicine:
Carefully read and follow all directions on the medicine bottle and box. Do not take more than the recommended dose. Do not take a medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to it in the past. If you have been told to avoid a medicine, call your doctor before you take it. If you are or could be pregnant, do not take any medicine other than acetaminophen unless your doctor has told you to. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 18 unless your doctor tells you to.

Symptoms to watch for during home treatment

Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home treatment:

You develop signs of an infection.
You develop an allergic reaction.
Your symptoms are not improving after 2 weeks.
Your symptoms become more severe or frequent.

Prevention

Preventing piercing problems

Do what you can to help prevent problems. Think about the following guidelines and information before making your decision to pierce a part of your body.

Get a tetanus shot before your body piercing if you have not had one in the past 10 years.
Choose an experienced person to do the body piercing. Ask the person doing the piercing what piercing tools he or she uses, how he or she cleans the equipment, and what safety standards he or she follows. Sterile gloves, sterilized equipment, and appropriate jewellery should be used. A fresh pair of gloves should be used for each procedure. Make sure that the operator washes his or her hands before putting on the gloves. Ask the operator to change his or her gloves if he or she answers the telephone or does anything else during your procedure.
Check the studio to see if it looks clean.
To prevent problems with metal allergies, use appropriate jewellery. Only buy jewellery that is surgical steel (300-grade), 14- or 18-karat gold, niobium, titanium, or approved acrylic products. Avoid jewellery made of other metals, particularly nickel. Many people develop an allergy to nickel.
To protect others from disease, tell the person doing the body pierce if you have had hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV. If you have hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV, make sure any jewellery you use is sterilized before it is used and is not shared with anyone else.
Check with your local health unit to find out if there have been any complaints about the studio you are thinking of using.

Preparing For Your Appointment

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.

Questions to prepare for appointment

You can help your health professional diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:

Who did the body piercing?
When was the piercing done?
Where on the body was the body piercing done?
What are your main symptoms? When did your symptoms start?
Were sterile instruments and jewellery used?
What type of jewellery was inserted? What was the jewellery made of?
Do you have other body piercings? If so, did these piercings cause problems?
What home treatment measures have you used to clean or treat the piercing site? Be sure to include any non-prescription ointments or creams you have applied to the wound.
What prescription and non-prescription medicines do you take?
When was your last tetanus shot?
Do you have any health risks?

Credits

Current as of: July 1, 2021

Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine
Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine