Are These Piercing Issues Normal?

You might not think about it in the moment but there are a lot of unusual things that can come up after your piercing that might have you concerned. Don't worry! We're going to talk you through some of the most common piercing worries and how you should proceed.

Fresh piercing is red? That’s totally normal. It’s going to be red; it’s going to stay red for some time. A piercing is a wound, and your body is naturally going to respond the same way. The only time the redness is worrisome is if it comes out of nowhere on an already-healed piercing. A fresh piercing that is red and warm deserves to be kept watch over, as these can be signs of impending infection. However, they can still also be signs of a perfectly normal, healing piercing so don’t panic.
Piercing is oozing? You probably shouldn’t panic so long as the ooze is clear and yellow. That’s just lymph, and you’ll mainly notice it as yellow crusty stuff on your jewelry. Totally, totally normal stuff. If the ooze is opaque, green, or red, you should have your piercing seen by a medical professional because that can be a sign of infection. But if it’s just yellow crusty crud, it’s simply a normal part of the healing process.
Piercing has a bump? That may be normal. Did you hit it against something or sleep on it? You may have irritated the piercing. (Sleeping on a travel pillow can help a great deal if your piercing is on your ear.) If you have a bump that won’t go away, go see a trusted piercer. You may have issues with the jewelry or the angle at which the piercing was performed. Don’t panic, this is not a death sentence for your piercing.
Does your septum piercing smell funny? Yeah, that is totally normal. It will linger during the healing process. After your piercing has healed, it may reappear if your piercing needs some cleaning. But it is still totally normal and nothing to panic over.
Is your piercing rejecting? If the area around the hole/holes is red and flaky, if you can see a lot more of the jewelry than previously, or if there is a new hole in the skin over the jewelry, or if the jewelry is no longer located in the same place, you might be experiencing rejection. If you’re only experiencing the first, you may be having an allergy to your jewelry or simply have dry skin and some irritation. Go see your piercer and get some advice because this may be relatively normal.