“After the first few days, it's completely normal to have a little bit of redness, soreness, and swelling. The swelling can last upwards of 10 to 14 days, and you'll get a little bit of clear or white discharge, which will turn into what we call 'crusties.
“Infections are most likely to occur during the first week following the piercing, but can arise later on,” Dr. Kaplan says.
Signs of an infection
Your piercing might be infected if: the area around it is swollen, painful, hot, very red or dark (depending on your skin colour) there's blood or pus coming out of it – pus can be white, green or yellow. you feel hot or shivery or generally unwell.
When you have an infected piercing, your first thought might be to take your jewelry out. While that might seem like the best thing to do, it's best to leave this to your doctor. If your piercing is actually infected, and you remove the jewelry on your own, you may spread the bacteria.
A little bleeding, swelling, or redness is normal after a piercing. As it heals, if you notice new redness in the area, you can treat it with warm compresses and an antibacterial ointment. But if it isn't better in 5 to 7 days, it could be infected.
At-Home Treatment
Antibiotic ointment: After cleaning the piercing, apply a light layer of an over-the-counter antibiotic cream like Neosporin or Bacitracin. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): You can treat occasional pain and swelling with over-the-counter NSAIDs like Advil (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen).
A new piercing is an open wound, and swelling is part of the body's natural reaction to any damage. Most people who get their ears pierced will notice pain and swelling for up to a week, sometimes more. People with gauges or plugs in their ears may notice swelling each time they stretch the ear.
What does a normal reaction look like after you get pierced? “After the first few days, it's completely normal to have a little bit of redness, soreness, and swelling. The swelling can last upwards of 10 to 14 days, and you'll get a little bit of clear or white discharge, which will turn into what we call 'crusties.
Swelling and inflammation: Days 4–10
The swelling tends to increase for several days after the piercing, and it may last for a week or slightly longer . The wound may also bleed or ooze. A small amount of bleeding is normal, but consistent bleeding may signal a problem.
It's normal to have some redness, swelling or pain for a couple of days after getting your ears pierced. But your ears should look and feel better each day. If you find that your ears do great and then suddenly start to become red, inflamed or crusty a week or two later, that's usually a sign of infection.
*Avoid sleeping on the piercing. Even if your piercing does not hurt anymore, try not to sleep on it. The pressure of sleeping on your piercing during the healing process may cause bumps or migration.
Most ear piercing pain – including redness, swollen ear lobes or cartilage and soreness – typically lasts anywhere from a day or two, to around a week after your piercing session. Most side effects will subside within 3-5 days.
Take anti-inflammatory medicines to reduce pain and swelling. These include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve).
Ice helps decrease swelling and pain. Use an ice pack, or put crushed ice in a plastic bag. Cover it with a towel and place it on your earlobe for 15 to 20 minutes every hour or as directed.
For the first few days, your piercing may be a bit tender, sore, or even swollen. This is all fairly normal. Drinking lots of water can help reduce swelling as can over-the-counter anti-inflammatories.
Hands are germy and you don't want to expose your piercing to everything you've touched, it could lead to infection. Do not twist or turn your jewelry, this can damage the piercing channel and prolong healing. Avoid submerging your piercing while it is healing. No baths, swimming in pools, lakes, oceans, etc.
The normal stages of healing are; first Inflammation, then epithelialization and angiogenesis and then the maturation stage. These stages are not separate but overlap slightly and may be happening at the same time. Inflammation is the body's response to harmful stimuli such as damaged cells caused by the piercing.
Usually, the first three-four days are when the piercing is tender, there is mild bruising, swelling or a little bleeding. But the complete healing process can take three-four months.
9. DON'T: Take out the piercing until it's completely healed. You should never swap out your jewelry before your piercing has completely healed. Doing so can lead to infection, scarring and even a rejection of the jewelry.
Surface piercings such as eyebrows, neck, nipple and wrist tend to be rejected more easily than other piercings. That's because they do not travel directly through the body, but rather along an area of skin because the jewellery is puncturing only a small amount of the skin's surface.
Don't eat spicy, salty or acidy foods or liquids while you are healing. Avoid hot drinks such as hot chocolate, coffee, and tea. Eat cold foods and drinks as they lessen swelling. Be extra careful when eating crunchy foods.