Have an itchy piercing? You’re most probably here because of that huh. It’s okay, don’t worry, you’re not alone. A new symptom like itching can cause a lot of anxiety, whether you’ve had your piercing for years, months, or just days. Even if you strictly adhere to your piercing aftercare instructions, itching usually begins a week or more after the wound starts to heal, and that goes for most types of face piercings.
Why is my piercing itchy?
Is my piercing infected?
Is my piercing rejecting?
It isn’t always a bad thing when your piercing is itchy. Here are a few reasons, both good and bad, why your piercing could feel itchy.
Why Your Piercing Might Be Itchy
1. Your Piercing Is Healing
Yes! You read it right… as the healing process takes place, a face piercing might itch. Itching is a wonderful sign that the healing is going in a healthy and natural way, which may seem counterintuitive. Keep in mind that a piercing is a puncture wound. The needle causes harm to the tissue of whatever body part is being pierced as it is pushed through your body. Your body must work to heal the trauma, and after it has, you will have a healed body modification.
2. Bad Piercing Aftercare
It takes time for piercings to heal, especially cartilage piercings like the industrial, tragus, and even the nostril. Once a day, a sterile saline spray will guarantee that the area around your piercing is free of dirt, debris, and bacteria. It’s not worth the risk to scrub, rub, or tug at the region around your piercing. Allow the piercing aftercare spray to perform all of the work. Do not use soaps, shampoos, or chemicals on your piercing. These products are usually harsh and might cause harm to your piercing. Until your piercing is completely healed, use saline and warm water from a shower.
Pro tip: don’t clean your piercing too much because it will dry up and cause more itching.
3. Material Sensitivities
Everyone’s body is unique. There are no two piercings that are alike. Some people’s bodies reject jewelry made of particular metal compositions, including 14k gold. If your body doesn’t react well to a new piece of jewelry, you might want to try a different material. We recommend titanium body jewelry for metal and you can even go for anodized titanium jewelry if you want a pop of color. Titanium is one of the most chemically inert metals, making it an ideal material for use in the human body.
4. Piercing Bumps
Taking off our clothes and drying our hair with a towel is a routine that we don’t think twice about, it just comes naturally. But when you have a piercing, it might get snagged in these situations. It happens to the best of us and it hurts the most when we aren’t expecting it.
You can expect some discomfort if your piercing is irritated, which may or may not include itching. A piercing bump, also known as a hypertrophic scar, may appear. These little, fleshy, fluid-filled lumps are persistent and ugly, but they are often harmless. Leaving it alone is the best way to get rid of them. Otherwise, keep it clean with your saline spray routine once daily and wait for the swelling to subside.
5. Infection or Rejection
A piercing that appears normal but is itchy is most likely just going through the healing process. However, there’s always the possibility that your piercing will become infected (such as an infected eyebrow piercing) or reject, so it’s crucial to be aware of the warning indications.
If your piercing develops any of these symptoms, in addition to the signs of having just been pierced (swelling, a little pain, throbbing), it’s time to consult your piercer and a doctor.
- Extra redness
- Chapped or flaking skin around the piercing site
- A smell coming from the piercing
- Yellow or green discharge or even pus coming from the site
- A change in the way your jewelry is sitting
- A change in the physical appearance of your piercing site
- Sharp pain
Other reasons your piercing might be itchy include unnecessary stress on your piercings. Consider whether you’re wearing any headwear, such as headphones, hats, headbands, or earmuffs, or even masks that could be causing strain on your jewelry. This also applies to sleeping because we all toss and turn at night, but try your best to avoid laying down on your piercing.