Body piercing has always been a popular cultural practice throughout decades. However, even with the latest pain-free techniques and technology and meticulous care, they can sometimes go wrong.

When you get a piercing, your mind knows you want it but it can take a while for your body to adjust to it. The first reaction that your body has to the piercing is treating it as an open wound because technically, that’s what it is. With good aftercare, your body heals and starts adapting to the piercing but at times these wounds do not heal properly.

The body tends to push the jewelry out before the wound can heal. This is known as a piercing rejection. And that’s what we’re going to discuss in this post.

Read on to learn the signs of a piercing rejection.

How to Recognize a Piercing Rejection

After you get your body piercing, you should keep a close eye on these signs and symptoms that may indicate a rejection.

  • Skin Changes

If the skin around the piercing is getting thinner or tighter or throwing the jewelry outside the piercing, know that your body is rejecting the piercing. Similarly, if the skin is changing its color to either pale or is nearly transparent, it is definitely rejecting the piercing. It’s your skin’s way of filling up the cavity so that the piece of jewelry can no longer stay in your body.

  • Migration

If the jewelry starts to move from the site of piercing, there is a high possibility of a piercing rejection. In an attempt to protect itself, your body slowly combats the foreign object by pushing it away and healing the skin behind it, eventually forcing the piercing back out through the skin.

Even if a migrated piercing does not turn into a full-blown rejection, it will not look the way you hoped. Stretch marks, wrinkling, and widening holes around the piercing indicate that it’s undergoing migration.

  • Continued Inflammation

Inflammation is a natural reaction to any wound. So, your skin will look inflamed whenever you get a new piercing. However, it should start reducing within a week or so. If it stays the same or gets worse, you should probably get it checked. Prolonged redness, swelling, pain, and flaky skin are all potential symptoms of inflammation.

How to Save a Piercing That’s Being Rejected

If you notice any of the above signs and symptoms, it’s best to get in touch with your piercer without any delays. If your piercing has already moved from the actual site, it will be best to get it removed to mitigate further risk. This is because leaving may cause skin complications and it will also make it difficult to re-pierce that area after it’s healed.

In other cases, your piercer might try to save the piercing by recommending certain products that can accelerate healing and reduce inflammation. If caught early, your piercer may also change the jewelry to a safer metal, a larger piece or a different gauge.

To Sum Up

It’s always necessary to practice good aftercare once you get a body piercing. However, in case you experience rejection, you may have to remove the jewelry and let your wound heal before you can give it another shot.