For all the glitz and glamour they bring to the fashion table piercings can, well, get a tad bit unfashionable. If you’ve been hit with the unfashionable end of the body piercing by way of a piercing bump here are the fastest and easiest ways to rid to get rid of those pesky little swellings
But first, what is a piercing bump
A bump is a small (sometimes big) elevated scar in or around your piercing. They usually appear on piercings that go through cartilages because unlike most other body tissues, cartilages are sensitive with limited blood supply.
Most times bumps arise secondary to piercing anomalies, the most prominent of which are;
- A piercing infection
- Use of incorrect or irritating jewelry
- Improper piercing care
- Poor piercing technique (as is using a piercing gun). Sometimes, however, they occur without any known predisposing factor.
Bumps usually come with no symptoms, but that doesn’t mean they should be taken lightly. If you’re interested in removing the bumps on your piercing, here are three methods you should try out:
- Salt solution
If you’re a piercing regular, you should be already familiar with antimicrobial properties of salt based solutions. What you might not know however is that a salt soak could be all you need to counter that piercing bump.
Method
To a cup of boiling water add a quarter full spoon of sea salt. Proceed to stir the resulting mixture until all the salt is dissolved completely.
When the mixture is warm enough for skin application, soak a clean cotton based pad in it
Apply the soaked pad to the bump and hold it in place for at least two minutes. There’s no need to remove your jewelry at this point but be careful not to twist or turn it as you massage the bumpy area.
Repeat this procedure twice every day until you can no longer feel the bump
- Chamomile tea
For people with sensitive skin, Chamomile salt might be the best anti-bump option yet. Its soothing and pressure relieving nature work to counter bump growth without adversely affecting your piercing and skin.
Method
Add a bag of chamomile tea into a cup of boiling water
With a cotton pad apply the resulting brew to the bumpy area, this time for five minutes
Repeat the procedure two times every day
- Compression therapy
If your piercing is fully healed, one unconventional approach with pretty sterling results is compression therapy. Here the goal is to subdue the growth of the bump using slight pressure.
Method
Shop for medical tape (the breathable kind) from a drugstore. You’ll want a color that goes with your natural skin tone
Cut a sizable portion of the tape that’s just enough to cover the bump and about 2mm of space around it.
Apply the medical tape firmly so that there’s a bit of compressive pressure over the bump.
If the tape wears out or becomes weak, be sure to replace it with new tape.
Continue for two to three weeks and if there’s no noticeable change switch to any of the other two methods.
There you have it, three surefire ways to get rid of that pesky bump. Which one have you tried and which worked for you?