The Tea: Normal Piercing Irritation vs. Actual Infection
Hey Body Candy Fam!
Hello world! It is I, Alley, here for another edition of The Tea. It's my every-Thursday vlog where we talk about PIERCINGS and JEWELRY and all that fun stuff. Is everyone else enjoying this pre-summer heat as much as I am?!
Nobody wants to suffer a complication with their piercing... But seeing as how piercings are literally puncture wounds, a little bit of soreness and irritation is to be expected. While infections are not to be taken lightly, a little bit of soreness or a piercing bump aren't typically signs of something more serious.
With that being said, it's important to be able to recognize warning signs! There's a big difference between normal piercing-related irritation and an actual infection, so I thought I'd go over what you can normally expect after you get pierced (irritation-wise) vs. what you would experience if your piercing was actually infected.
Disclaimer: I want to be very clear - I am not a piercing professional OR a medical professional, so my "advice" here should just be a starting point for you. If you really think you're having a medical issue with your piercing, go see a doctor/piercer RIGHT AWAY.
Today's Topics:
- Irritation - the following post-piercing (or post trauma) symptoms are totally normal for a few weeks after your procedure/incident:
Soreness; slight redness; a bit of swelling; a hypertrophic scar (aka a "fluid bump" or "piercing bump")
- Infection - the following symptoms are more serious signs of infection, which means you should be heading to a doctor or a pro piercer immediately:
Heat radiating from the piercing site; harsh redness; chapping or flaking skin; opaque yellow/green discharge; a rotten or cheesy smell; sharp pain
- Rejection - piercing rejection is an entirely different issue and doesn't necessarily mean you have an infection... But it's still a serious issue to look out for. Symptoms include:
Jewelry sitting differently in your piercing; the holes of the piercing site growing larger; a change in your skin (appearing thinner or translucent); a "looser" fit to your jewelry
- Aftercare - Always remember to practice good aftercare! Use a sterile saline spray once a day and otherwise, LITHA! If you think you're experiencing infection or rejection, make an appointment with a trusted piercer and/or a medical professional right away.
More content below! ♡
ALLEY'S PICKS:
MYSTERY GRAB BAGS
ALLEY'S PICKS:
PLAYBOY
ALLEY'S PICKS:
RAINBOW
We went all in on the infection/rejection/irritation content this week! In case The Tea didn't scratch that itch (and we certainly don't recommending scratching at your piercings), we wrote an entire guide about what to look for when it comes to infections or rejections. We know some people like to learn via video and some people prefer a written guide, so that's exactly what we did. If you're looking for just a bit more in-depth of an analysis on what to look out for in terms of regular piercing irritation vs. infection vs. rejection, I recommend checking out our latest blog: Normal Irritation or Piercing Infection? How to Tell.
Now that we've gotten through the informative part of today's Tea, let's talk a little bit about some fun stuff... JEWELRY! First, I'm still highlighting these super fun mystery grab bags! If you're someone who likes a little surprise and spontaneity in your life, these bags are for you (at an amazing price nonetheless)! We have mystery bags for belly rings; industrial bars; earrings; tongue rings, and much more! I'm super excited to feature a few new collections today as well! First, let's talk about our licensed Playboy jewelry! Playboy is an iconic brand with an iconic logo... Something about that bunny looks incredible on body jewelry! Check out our entire selection of Playboy jewelry here. I also wanted to include our new Rainbow collection. Obviously, June is pride month, which makes this collection a no-brainer. Rainbow anodized jewelry is incredibly eye catching (and if you get anodized titanium, it's also super comfy). Check out our entire collection of rainbow jewelry for that pop of color you've been looking for this June.
So, you're here for The Tea... But have you heard of Dear Alley. That's right! I have not one, but TWO (2) weekly columns for you to get your total piercing fix. The Tea is my chance to talk about stuff that's on my mind... But Dear Alley is my chance to talk about stuff that's on YOUR mind. Do you have a question about your piercings and you're not sure who else to turn to? Do you want some advice about which piercing to get next? Hear a crazy piercing rumor you want me to look into? Let me know! Shoot your question/comment/concern/compliment to DearAlley@bodycandy.com and I'll see what I can do!
Have you checked out our June monthly club selections yet? Our monthly clubs are for the pierced/modified individual who 1.) loves body jewelry, 2.) loves being pierced, 3.) wants to grow their collection, and 4.) loves saving money. For $14.95 (per month), you'll get three (3) body jewelry pieces sent to your door each month. Three sets of nipple rings?! Yes. Three belly button rings? Yep! Three of any club you choose - and we have eight (8), including: belly button club; nipple ring club; industiral bar club; cartilage earring club; nose ring club; septum/daith club; labret club; tongue ring club; and even our vitamin c serum club. We think you're gonna like June's pieces - check them all out here.
