Body piercing is very popular. Many areas of the body are used for piercing.
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 lips, tongue, nose, eyebrow, navel, nipples, and genital area. Each body piercing site has its own normal healing time and its own set of possible problems. Careful aftercare at home 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:
If a sterile technique isn't used, there's a chance of spreading diseases, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or tetanus. Blood infections (sepsis) can occur if a sterile technique isn't used.
You can reverse a body piercing fairly easily by removing the jewelry. This allows the hole to close.
Each body piercing site has its own normal healing time. Common sites usually heal within the time frames listed below. Healing depends on many things. It can depend on how big the piercing is and how thick the tissue is at the site. Your own ability to heal can also affect healing time.
Piercing site | Healing time |
---|---|
Ear cartilage (curve of ear) | 2 to 4 months |
Nostril (nose) | 2 to 8 months |
Face (includes the earlobes, eyebrows, and lips) | 6 to 8 weeks |
Inside of the mouth or tongue | 3 to 6 weeks |
Nipple | 6 to 12 months |
Genitals (clitoral hood, labia, and penis) | 6 to 12 months |
Belly button (navel) | Up to 9 months |
A piercing may not heal as fast if it gets infected or irritated or if scar tissue forms. You may need to see your doctor if your piercing does not seem to be healing.
Courtesy of Intermountain Medical Imaging, Boise, Idaho.
This X-ray of the belly shows two metal parts inside the bowel that were swallowed from a tongue piercing. The sharp stud could cause problems, while the blunt part is not likely to cause problems. Both parts are likely to pass in the stool.
Careful aftercare of your body piercing can help prevent problems and promote healing. If you received written instructions from the person who did the body piercing, follow those instructions carefully. If you didn't get instructions for care of the piercing site, try using these.
Do this by applying direct pressure to the piercing site.
This can 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.
Clean the area 2 times a day with a mild soap and water, gently removing any buildup on the jewelry. Wipe away any moisture around the jewelry.
This will help reduce swelling.
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.
A little bleeding, swelling, or redness is normal after a piercing. As it heals, if you notice new redness in the area, you can treat it with warm compresses and an antibacterial ointment. But if it isn't better in 5 to 7 days, it could be infected.
Symptoms of an infection may include fever and chills, increased pain, swelling, warmth or redness, or pus draining from the area. An infection can be serious.
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.
If you are thinking about having a tattoo or body piercing, go to a reputable studio. Look for or ask about the following:
Problems that can develop when you have your tongue, inner cheek, uvula, or lip pierced include:
If you have your mouth pierced and use oral jewelry, make sure you can remove it. The ball on one end of a barbell-shaped device must be able to be screwed off and on to make the jewelry easy to insert and remove. Mouth jewelry that dislodges can be accidentally swallowed or inhaled, causing injury or requiring surgical removal.
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