High Maintenance

Malaise

I seem to be one of those people who just won't heal!! My piercings are all clean & uninfected, but still weep lymph after way too long. I've tried everything, antibacterial wash, saline solution, savlon cream & disinfectant... but the nipple that's been done over a year is in the same state as the one I had done recently & my navels must be done at least three months! I even used hydrogen peroxide to clear them out...

Is it just me, or is there anything I can to speed up the healing process???

djk1000

Don't use any detergents or soaps for a while, it weakens the skin/wound and can actually stop the piercing from healing. If that doesn't work, go to a doctor it could be a symtom of a blood or clotting problem.

eth0_

Stop using all those products to clean your piercings for a start (especially the peroxide!!), and just use a saline solution once or twice a day (pinch of sea salt in a shot glass amount of water as hot as you can stand).

It could be that going OTT on cleaning has irritated the piercings, could be that the metal in your jewellery is something you're allergic to. I'd suggest you go see your piercer first, they'd be able to tell you if it's an allergy or something more serious. Doctors tend to be very unsympathetic when it comes to piercings.

Most piercings will always discharge some lymph no matter how long you've had them....i've had my industrial over 2 years now and it still gets little crusties most days...but they're gone after a morning shower...it's comparable to waking up with sleep in your eyes each morning.

Malaise

Thanks for that. I don't think it's an allergy, purely because they're not irritated, just weepy, I may be wrong though.
I also think that I'm quite run-down & may need something to give my immune system a boost. Will just use the saline solution for the time being & see how it fares!

Thanks again

Hellrazer

Firstly nipples can take anything up to 2-3 years to heal properly.Mine are done 3 years now and can still leak a small bit of lymph (stress is a major cause of the leakage).

Dont worry about them--just leave them alone and buy "oxysept" contact lens cleaner.Spray once a day.Thats it nothing else.

As for the navel--Its one of the easiest piercings to be rejected.Again leave well alone and use the oxycept a couple of times a day.
Do you know how bad peroxide is for your skin.All it does is kill bacteria.It can actually make healing take a lot longer.Its too harsh.

If you`re run down take vitamin e--This helps your body to heal a bit quicker.

Richie

Malaise

Brilliant! I'm off to Boots to Vitaminify myself!

eth0_

Originally posted by Hellrazer

If you`re run down take vitamin e--This helps your body to heal a bit quicker.

Richie

I think it's better to ingest zinc in tablet form, and rub vitamin E oil into a piercing, you can buy the oil in any chemists. Might be best to hold off on the oil for a wee while and give the piercings a bit of a break for a few days?

curadh

I just removed my nipple piercing forever about 2 weeks ago cos of much the same problem - it never properly healed in the 3 years I had it.
To be honest I'd say this was due to always aggravating it when working or playing or if a cailin got a bit rambunctious in the scratch. the constant changes in temperature in this country probably doesnt let it settle aswell.
The best I got it was for about 2 weeks it was grand cos I would wash it every 2/3 days in the shower. What you do is take it out and use the power of the shower, la la la, to clean inside the piercing , and this helps it toughen up aswell. But its easy to get lazy, and the worst thing about friggin Ireland is that you can never get to show your piercings or tattoos off, except on stage if you can get that far.