Piercing issues

A piercing is a wound in which a foreign object (jewelry) is placed, and during the entire period of wearing jewelry, various minor or major problems can occur. The healing process depends on the piercing method itself and the type of jewelry used, but a significant part of it is influenced by individual skin type, immunity, hormones, habits, accidental incidents, and more.

In case you notice any concerning changes in your piercing, please contact us as soon as possible for an examination and consultation.

If you are unable to visit in person, you can send us a picture of the piercing along with a brief description of the issue and general information about the piercing. The pictures should be sharp and taken up close so that we can see the nature of the problem. It is preferable to take pictures from different angles, especially if it’s an ear piercing because we need to see both the front and back of the piercing, and it helps to have a side view to assess the level of swelling.

In addition to describing the issue, please be sure to provide the following:

• When the piercing was done (the age of the piercing is important for a proper problem assessment).
• Whether you have changed the jewelry or accidentally hit the piercing in the past few days.
• Whether the jewelry you currently have is the initial one or if a shorter one was placed after the healing period (this is important for piercings in the earlobe, cartilage, lip, and tongue).
• How you clean the piercing, with what, and how often.

Please send all consultation inquiries to the email octopuspiercing@gmail.com

Keep in mind that we don’t have a crystal ball, and we can’t provide remote assistance without having all the information mentioned. If we are unable to give you an adequate recommendation for the existing problem, it will be necessary to schedule an appointment for an in-person examination at the salon.

During the first few weeks, the following are normal:

• Redness around the piercing, especially around the entry/exit points of the jewelry.
• Yellowish discharge (lymph) from the piercing channel – it can be stronger or weaker depending on your immune system.
• Itching – if it’s unbearable, apply a cold compress.
• Stinging.
• Dry and flaky skin around the piercing.
• Swelling – tongue (more pronounced), lips (more pronounced), bridge (weaker), cartilage (weaker), ear scalpel (more pronounced).
• Bruising (most commonly in the eyebrow area).
• Minor bleeding, up to 3 days.
• Pain.
• Sensitivity to touch.
• Changes in smell/taste (nose, septum, tongue).
• Yellowish and/or mucus-like scabs around the jewelry.

You should care for your piercing, but avoid panicking over every minor issue. If you constantly touch and examine it every 10 minutes, you may see things that aren’t there. Excessive cleaning with disinfectants can result in irritation of the piercing, redness, skin dryness, and increased lymph discharge.

Your piercing generally doesn’t like:

• Constantly lying (sleeping) on it – this disrupts normal circulation in that part of the body, and over time, it can lead to jewelry migration (healing at an angle).
• Playing with the jewelry – constant tugging and twisting the jewelry can result in various problems.
• Touching it with unwashed hands – bacteria can easily be transferred because they are (drumroll) invisible.
• Frequently removing and reinserting the jewelry.
• Applying cosmetics over it.
• Pools and jacuzzis (due to chlorine and bacteria).
• Saunas (heat can trigger bleeding in newer piercings and cause swelling).
• Tight-fitting clothing.
• Excessive cleaning.
• Low-quality jewelry.
• Heavy, oversized, or undersized jewelry.

Piercing jewelry will always be a foreign object, so some of the mentioned problems can occur even after years of wearing the piercing. Pain is not the only indicator that something is wrong with it. There are various other possible issues that may not be painful but can result in the permanent removal of the jewelry or aesthetically unsatisfactory piercing.

You should definitely come for an examination as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:

• Swelling: Moderate swelling is normal for tongue, lip, and bridge piercings for up to a week. For other piercings, mild swelling may occur in the first 2-3 days after piercing. If treatment is not started in time, swelling can increase to the point where the jewelry starts to sink into the tissue. In some positions, it is possible that you may not even notice it. We prefer you to come for an examination due to minor swelling that can be easily resolved rather than waiting for the pain to become unbearable because you “didn’t have time to come earlier.”
• Purulent discharge: During the healing period, a yellowish discharge (lymph) may be secreted from the piercing canal. This is not a cause for concern, but if you are unsure whether it is lymph or pus, contact us for an examination. Purulent infections are usually accompanied by swelling, redness, and pain. Under no circumstances should you remove the jewelry because the holes can close around the infection, preventing drainage and complicating the treatment.
• Growths around the piercing: Hypertrophic tissue (scar) may appear looking like a small subcutaneous pimple and may or may not be accompanied by an infection. It most often occurs due to sleeping on the piercing, snagging or hitting, playing with the jewelry, and so on. It is not painful, but if treatment is not started in time, the tissue can form into a solid scar that can only be removed surgically.
• Skin discoloration around the piercing: If you notice your skin changing color around the piercing to brown, dark red, or even purple, contact us for an examination immediately. This does not include redness, which is normal with new piercings. People with more sensitive skin may experience bruising around the piercing, especially with eyebrow piercings because the skin around the eye is thin and delicate.
• Jewelry embedding in tissue: If you notice that your jewelry is sinking into the tissue, we need to replace it with a longer piece as soon as possible. In some people, there may be more swelling than average, so the usual initial length of jewelry may not be sufficient. If embedding occurs after more than 2 weeks from the piercing, it is usually due to sleeping on the piercing or another form of irritation.
• Thinning of the skin that holds the jewelry: From sleeping on the piercing, playing with the jewelry, etc., the skin that holds the jewelry can thin over time (most commonly with eyebrow, navel, Christina, surface piercings). If you notice more and more jewelry sticking out from the canal, contact us for an examination. If the skin becomes too thin, it is enough to tug on the jewelry a bit harder, and the skin that holds it can break, leaving a significant scar.

Most people delay visiting a piercer for issues with their piercing just like they postpone a visit to the dentist, waiting until it becomes unbearable. A small problem can escalate into a big one if neglected for too long. If you feel that something is not right with your piercing, come in for an examination as soon as you notice it. In some cases, we will tell you that what is happening with your new piercing is normal during the healing process. But it’s better to come when nothing is wrong with the piercing than not to come when there is a real problem.

Sometimes, for reasons unknown to us, people feel the need to justify the condition of their piercing by concealing facts. For example, someone comes in with an eyebrow piercing held together by a crust because the jewelry was left in for too long, and they say, “It’s been like this since yesterday“. We will never judge or lecture you in any case. The only thing that matters to us is having all the information about the piercing and the problem that has arisen so we can help you better and faster. Therefore, there is no need to ‘beautify’ the situation.

Examinations are FREE for piercings done at Octopus. If you got pierced through a ‘private arrangement’ (at a friend’s place, in a park, a school restroom, or by yourself), examinations and consultations are charged 4.00 eur, and the proceeds go to the fund for animal shelters for abandoned animals.

Octopus piercing studio is not responsible for piercing problems that arise due to inadequate care (not following our instructions), wearing jewelry not purchased at Octopus, sleeping on the piercing, playing with the jewelry, hitting or snagging the piercing.
This does not mean we won’t help you resolve the problem. However, we kindly ask you not to come to the examination with the attitude of “you are to blame for everything” because, before getting pierced, you signed a form confirming that you are aware that a piercing is a wound and that various problems are possible throughout the entire period of wearing foreign objects in your body. Our staff does their best to help you in every way with a smile on their faces. Every situation can be resolved in a civilized manner to mutual satisfaction.