Sometimes I'll get people in my messages worried about their piercings, thinking they may be rejecting, when in actuality it's just very irritated. It can be really scary when you think your piercing is rejecting, but there are very specific symptoms to rejection to look out for. Irritation is a lot more common and has a lot more triggers than rejection. So, it would be a good idea to delve into the two of them and compare/contrast, so you know what to look for in your healing piercings.
Rejection Symptoms
Signs of Migration
Migration is when the jewelry starts to move away from the original site of the piercing. You can tell when this is happening because normally there will be a red line following the jewelry as it pushes its way "outwards," trying to leave your body. A red line following the jewelry is one way migration shows itself. Another way is if its pushing upwards instead of sideways. When this is happening (usually in surface piercings or piercings like the rook or daith) the skin around the piercing becomes very thin and you can see the jewelry poking through.
Misplaced Jewelry
When the jewelry is very clearly not where it was originally pierced, then you have a piercing that is rejecting. If it begins to do this, take it out immediately. Listen to your body when it says it doesn't want something.
Severe Irritation
Irritation by itself is NOT a symptom of rejection. However, severe irritation accompanied by migration or misplaced jewelry can be a sign of rejection.
Irritation Symptoms
Signs of Irritation
Irritation shows its face in many different ways. Here are some incredibly common irritation symptoms that can be mistaken for rejection or infection -
Redness
Itchiness
White/Clear Pus
Swelling
Light-Medium Pain (usually dull, sometimes sharp if the jewelry is moved)
Rash
Irritation bump
Light bleeding
Signs of an Infection
Here are the specific signs of an impending or existing infection -
Bright, deep redness
Yellow/Green or dark pus
An odor
Severe pain
Heat/Hot to the touch
Intense throbbing
High levels of swelling
Infections are more often caused by things that happen after the piercing has been performed, such as not properly caring for the piercing or causing consistent irritation to the site of the fresh piercing. If you suspect you have an infection, contact your piercer immediately and seek medical attention.
Irritation Triggers
Irritation is very common and can happen for a multitude of reasons. Some of these triggers can include -
Getting piercing caught on hair, brushes, clothing, or blankets
Tugging on the piercing accidentally
Sleeping on the piercing
Touching or twisting the piercing
Wearing tight clothes or accessories over the piercing
Using the wrong cleaning solution (such as alcohol, peroxide, etc.)
Changing the jewelry too soon
Getting pierced with improper starter jewelry
Animals rubbing up against the piercing
Swimming
Getting makeup, oils, lotions, or other skincare products in the piercing
Not cleaning the piercing
There are plenty more reasons why your piercing could be irritated that are specific to your lifestyle, too. It's important to maintain contact with your piercer so that you can continue to ensure that your piercing is doing what it should be doing while it heals!
Severe irritation could be a warning sign for worse things to come, so even if it's "just irritation," courses of action should be taken to try to soothe and fix the triggers of the irritation.
At the end of the day, communicate with either the piercer who did your piercing or a piercer you feel like you can trust! Your body is worth protecting and taking care of!
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