How to Heal Piercing Bumps

Video Transcript

"Sometimes piercings can be accompanied by painful bumps. If you experience this, there are steps you can take to heal the bump and reduce the pain. I'm Jackie with How to Heal Piercing Bumps. Always check with your doctor if you suspect you have an infection. The most common type of piercing bump is a boil or bacterial pocket. It can be painful, red, contain pus, and possibly bleed. There are also hypotrophic scars that can form around the exit hole, which can feel hard but not painful. The most serious bump is a keloid, which is scar tissue that has grown beyond the boundary of the piercing. Keloids often need to be surgically removed. To treat a boil type of bump, use sea salt soaks. Mix one eighth of a teaspoon of sea salt with warm water, and soak the piercing for five to ten minutes a day. Rinse the piercing after soaking to remove excess salt. You can even alternate sea salt soaks with tea bags. If the bump is not responding to these treatments, check with your doctor to make sure there's not infection. For hypotrophic scarring, changing your jewelry is usually the best advice. Time and oil massages often help improve scarring. Remember, to heal piercing bumps, try salt soaks, tea bags, oil massage, or changing your jewelry. I'm Jackie with How to Heal Piercing Bumps. I hope you feel better."