Why does my piercing hurt after years?

An infected ear piercing can also develop years after a person got the original piercing. Usually, the infections are minor, and people can treat them at home without complications. Touching the piercing too often with dirty hands or not cleaning the area can lead to infections.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com


Why does one of my old ear piercings hurt?

An infected ear piercing may be red, swollen, sore, warm, itchy or tender. Sometimes the piercing oozes blood or white, yellow or greenish pus. A new piercing is an open wound that can take several weeks to fully heal. During that time, any bacteria (germs) that enter the wound can lead to infection.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on my.clevelandclinic.org


Is it normal for a healed piercing to hurt?

It stops hurting – piercings are often only tender to touch, or if they are knocked, in the first couple of weeks. If your piercing “hurts” most of the time there might be something wrong, so it is a good idea to see your Piercer and have it looked at.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on piercinghq.com.au


Why would an old ear piercing get infected?

Most commonly, an infected ear piercing is caused by bacteria entering the wound, which can happen in several ways. Handling with unclean hands. If you clean your ears without washing your hands first, you run the risk of exposing your piercings to bacteria. Not cleaning the piercing enough.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on webmd.com


How do old ear piercings heal?

Antibiotic Ointment:
  1. After cleaning, apply an antibiotic ointment to the earring post and the earlobe holes.
  2. Examples are Polysporin or Bacitracin. No prescription is needed. You can also use one you already have.
  3. Then reinsert the earring.
  4. Continue until drainage and redness are gone for 2 days.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on pediaclinic.net


What To Do When Your Piercing Won't Heal



Will my ear piercing close up after 10 years?

It's hard to predict how quickly your body will attempt to close a piercing, but as a general rule, the newer it is, the more likely it will close up. For instance: If your piercing is less than a year old, it can close in a few days, and if your piercing is several years old, it can take several weeks.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on today.com


Should I take my old piercing out if it's infected?

Additionally, it's important that you don't take your piercing out even when cleaning it. It's best to leave it in unless a doctor says otherwise because the hole can close up and trap bacteria or pus inside. Don't try to squeeze the pus out either because you may introduce more bacteria into the piercing site.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on insider.com


How do you know if your body is rejecting a piercing?

Symptoms of piercing rejection
  1. more of the jewelry becoming visible on the outside of the piercing.
  2. the piercing remaining sore, red, irritated, or dry after the first few days.
  3. the jewelry becoming visible under the skin.
  4. the piercing hole appearing to be getting larger.
  5. the jewelry looking like it is hanging differently.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com


Why does my ear lobe piercing have a bump?

Keloids from piercings

Sometimes your body makes too much scar tissue, leading to keloids. This extra tissue starts to spread out from the original wound, causing a bump or small mass that's larger than the original piercing. On the ear, keloids typically begin as small round bumps around the piercing site.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on healthline.com


Why does my cartilage piercing still hurt after years?

Cartilage piercings typically take longer to heal and are more prone to infection than earlobe piercings. Even when a person follows the aftercare instructions, infections may still occur. An infected ear piercing can also develop years after a person got the original piercing.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com


Do healed piercings crust?

Crusting after body piercing is normal—this might just be the result of your body trying to heal itself. While perfectly normal, these crusties should be cleaned carefully and thoroughly whenever you notice them.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on byrdie.com


How do u know if your piercing is infected?

Check if you have an infected piercing

Your piercing might be infected if: the area around it is swollen, painful, hot, very red or dark (depending on your skin colour) there's blood or pus coming out of it – pus can be white, green or yellow. you feel hot or shivery or generally unwell.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on nhs.uk


What helps sore earring holes?

Gently pat dry the affected area with clean gauze or a tissue. Then apply a small amount of an over-the-counter antibiotic cream (Neosporin, bacitracin, others), as directed on the product label. Turn the piercing jewelry a few times to prevent it from sticking to the skin.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on mayoclinic.org


Why are my ears suddenly sensitive to earrings?

Because nickel is so prevalent in many common items (zippers, faucets, belt buckles, eyeglass hardware), many people do and will develop an allergy to this and other metallic alloys. First – if earrings make your earlobes itch or feel super sensitive, or give your skin a rash, chances are you have a nickel allergy.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on heyrowan.com


Why are my old piercings itchy?

If you've never had an earring hole infection before, you may not be familiar with the warning signs and symptoms, but they're pretty straightforward. Warm, itchy, tender ears are a telltale sign of an infection, and your ears will also likely look red and a bit swollen.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on today.com


What happens if I pop my piercing bump?

That little bump could be a pustule, which looks like a little pimple or blister — and just like with a pimple or blister, you shouldn't try to pop it. Pustules are a sign of an infection, and they can be filled with blood and even pus. Ouch!
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on health.clevelandclinic.org


Why is my piercing hard inside?

A keloid around a piercing will appear as a round, raised bump that is darker than the surrounding skin. It may cause pain, itching, or tenderness and will feel firm to the touch. A granuloma can form as the body's immune system tries to fight off something it thinks may harm the body.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com


Should I leave my piercing bump alone?

To avoid red lumps, NEVER fiddle with the piercing or knock it. If you do acquire a lump then leaving it completely alone is the best option, not cleaning it multiple times a day which just aggravates it even further. OVER CLEANING WILL CAUSE INFECTION !
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on accupierce.com


Can a piercing reject after 5 years?

Rejection usually happens in the weeks and months following a new piercing, but it can also happen years, even decades, later. If you bump your old piercing in an odd way or have an infection that kicks your immune system into overdrive, you might suddenly see signs of migration and rejection.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on healthline.com


When should you give up on a piercing?

Here are some of the biggest ones.
  1. You've tried to have the area pierced a number of times, but it just won't stick. ...
  2. You start to feel uncomfortable wearing your piercing. ...
  3. You can't stick to the aftercare period. ...
  4. Your piercing constantly gets in the way. ...
  5. Your piercing is causing health issues.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on blog.freshtrends.com


What piercings reject the most?

The most common body piercings that reject are navel piercings and eyebrow piercings. The surface piercings most likely to reject are those that reside more closely to the skin's surface such as the sternum or nape (back of the neck) and Madison piercings.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on midnightmoontattoo.com


Can a healed piercing get infected?

How you can get a piercing infection. A piercing is essentially an open wound. An earlobe piercing usually takes six to eight weeks to heal. Cartilage piercings, which take place on the harder part of your ear, generally take longer to heal and can be more prone to infection.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on healthline.com


How do you stop piercings from hurting?

Other tips for reducing pain include getting a good night's sleep before the day of your piercing and avoiding getting pierced if you've consumed alcohol. You may want to listen to music, focus on your breathing, or chat with your piercer before or during your piercing to distract yourself from the pain.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on healthline.com


Do earring holes ever go away?

If a piercing is fully healed, you've had the jewelry in place for longer than a year, and you take the jewelry out, chances are very good that the hole will shrink, but not close completely and look as if it were never there. You will likely always see a small divot where the jewelry was placed in the skin.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on almostfamouspiercing.com


Can I re pierce my ear in the same spot?

As a result, getting re-pierced in the same location can be a good location for a piercing to be re-established. This is because the dense tissue will support the piercing and be less prone to infection. It does depend on the way your piercing has healed, and the type of scar tissue.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on essentialbeauty.com.au
Previous question
Is rose gold actually gold?