Many of us have heard of piercings rejecting, and a large percentage have probably experienced it themselves. However, this is a topic that is rarely covered! I'm going to share with you the warning signs, care, and prevention so that your gorgeous adornments does not turn into just an ugly scar.
First lets talk about what kinds of piercings are most likely to reject.
Piercings that are only held in by a very thin layer of skin are the most likely to reject. This includes any surface piercings, dermal piercings, eyebrow and belly button piercings.
Yep, that's right! Some of the cutest piercings are ones with the highest risk!
So, how do you know if your piercing is rejecting?
If you notice your piercing starting to migrate closer to the surface of your skin, your body may be rejecting the jewelry. You may also notice the skin around the piercing has become red and inflamed or has started peeling. Sometimes, the skin may become hard and calloused. These are all signs that your body is trying to get rid of the intruder- aka your jewelry.
What to do if your piercing is rejecting!
First and foremost, you need to be sure you are keeping your piercing CLEAN! Do not use any alcohol based products on the area. Warm water and anti-bacterial hand soap works wonders when applied twice daily! You can also try a different material such as implant-grade titanium or flexible material. Trying a different size of jewelry may help as well- larger if your jewelry is being swallowed up, smaller if it is drooping or making gaping holes. In most cases, simply changing the jewelry will stop the rejection and migration, but as a last resort you may need to remove your piercing altogether and let it heal. Generally you can get the area re-pierced after one year.
How to prevent rejection in the first place:
Like mentioned above, proper cleaning and care of your new piercing is the easiest way to prevent rejection, but is also important not to change your jewelry until after the amount of time your piercer recommends. You should also ensure that the piercing is placed at the proper depth and that the correct jewelry size is used initially.
On an additional note, my belly button was done at a not-so-quality piercing shop that had a $5 piercing special. They placed it too shallow and it rejected, and I am now left with a horrible scar. In hindsight, I wish someone would have shared with me these tips and warning signs so I could have saved my own piercing! ALSO NEVER go to a shop that is willing to do a piercing for $5 unless you have proof that they have qualified piercers who produce quality work!!
I hope this little tidbit helps you guys out in the future so you can enjoy your adornment and not be left with scars!
Thanks for reading, until next week,
Kourtney