Lip Piercing

Misticles

I got my lip pierced with a ring nearly a month ago.

Last week I woke up to what I think was an infected piercing

It was stingy, swollen and red on the inside.

Since then Ive been cleaning it alot with alcohol free mouthwash, salt and water, I had to put anbesol on the inside and now Im just using the mouthwash and putting iodine on the outside.

It still stings when the iodine gets into the piercing but redness and swelling has gone down..

Was it infected? Is it still infected? When will it clear up?

I was due to get the ring change last week but didnt because of this.

Oh Ive never had an infected piercing so dont really know the protocol.

Thanks

jenizzle

I would say it's not infected but irritated (you would see some yellowy-green goo oozing if it was infected). You may have bit down on it in your sleep or hit something off of it without noticing. Could you be rundown at all either?

I would keep the iodine away from it, rinse it out twice a day with sea salt solution on the outside and keep up with the alcohol-free wash and a quick rinse after food on the inside. Don't over-clean it as this will make things worse.

If it doesn't improve after a few days, go back to a piercer and get the ring changed to a labret stud as studs heal much quicker and easier than rings as they move around much less and don't get caught on random things.

ETA - Iodine is baaad for fresh piercings, definitely keep it away!

Misticles

I bit down on it about a week or so after I got it done and it got slightly swollen.
Theres nothing ooozing out of it just the regular crusty healing stuff.
I am possibly run down, I broke out in a cold sore on the other side of my lip last week too. Ive started taking multivits again.

So I should just stick to salt and water and mouthwash?

Lillylilly

I have loads of piercings, and I often find that around "lady time", some of them get quite irritated and itchy, even the ones I've had for 6+ years! So even if you don't feel run down, your body may still react to them. Just something to be aware of!!

Misticles

Lady time is coming up this week....
frig sake, so many thinks to take into account ha

jenizzle

Misticles wrote: »

I bit down on it about a week or so after I got it done and it got slightly swollen.
Theres nothing ooozing out of it just the regular crusty healing stuff.
I am possibly run down, I broke out in a cold sore on the other side of my lip last week too. Ive started taking multivits again.

So I should just stick to salt and water and mouthwash?

Definitely It'll be grand in a few days I'd say, just take it handy! Tis mad how the body works and how different things can affect how your piercings :rolleyes: I always know I have a cold starting (before the runny nose stuff) cos my scaffold starts getting annoyed and I've had it 6 years now!

And as I said, if it doesn't calm down, get yerself into a studio and swap it for a stud for a month or two till it chills out a bit.

Misticles

cool

thanks for ur help