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.
Use a warm compress for better circulation
After the initial swelling goes down, you can use a heating pad or hot water bottle for 5-10 minutes to increase circulation. Place a clean piece of gauze between your piercing and the compress for protection. If you're experiencing swelling, use cold instead.
A cold compress and/or ice will help reduce swelling and slow bleeding. Secrete a whiteish-yellow fluid which may dry on the piercing. This is normal and will stop when the piercing is healed. Do not pick this with your fingers!
Apply a warm compress
Trapped fluid under the skin can cause a bump, but heat and pressure will help gradually drain it. A simple warm water compress can be made by soaking a clean washcloth in hot water, applying it to the piercing, and holding it there with gentle pressure for a few minutes.
"While piercing bumps can be hard to prevent, they can be treated or addressed with different topical creams or ointments, such as Vaseline Healing Ointment ($4) or antibiotic ointments such as a prescription called mupirocin ointment, or topical steroid creams to reduce the inflammation," says Garshick.
If the piercing is removed, the lump will almost always disappear. They can be sore, itchy and bleed easily. While it is possible that you have a keloid, they are incredibly rare.
Use warm, boiled water and a little salt to make a saline solution, and give your piercings a cleansing bath every few days to every few weeks. If you are experiencing any tenderness, swelling, or discomfort around your piercing, try a warm chamomile compress.
Apply a cold pack. This can help reduce swelling or bruising. Never apply ice directly to the skin. This can cause tissue damage.
These often are what we refer to as a cartilage bump or nose piercing bump. If untreated they may be prone to infection. They may occur from allergies, genetics, poor aftercare, irritation, trauma, or sometimes just bad luck. With treatment, they may disappear completely.
The best way to get rid of an irritation bump is to treat it like a fresh piercing. Clean the area 2-3 times a day with a sterile saline wound wash, and do not touch it outside of cleaning it. Also make sure that you do not introduce any more irritants to the piercing.
To avoid red lumps, NEVER fiddle with the piercing or knock it. If you do acquire a lump then leaving it completely alone is the best option, not cleaning it multiple times a day which just aggravates it even further. OVER CLEANING WILL CAUSE INFECTION !
Saline/Salt Water Soaks:
The best thing you can do for your piercing is a saline soak 2-4 times a day, completely submerging your piercing in the solution for 7-10 minutes. There are many packaged sterile saline solutions available, including Wound Wash and Blairex.
An allergic reaction can cause bumps or swelling near the piercing. A person might notice symptoms either shortly after the piercing or after changing the jewelry. Allergic reactions may cause intense itching or pain. The wound may look infected.
That little bump could be a pustule, which looks like a little pimple or blister — and just like with a pimple or blister, you shouldn't try to pop it. Pustules are a sign of an infection, and they can be filled with blood and even pus. Ouch!
This oil reduces inflammation and promotes wound healing. For external piercing, it can be used with coconut oil and applied directly. It generally takes 2 weeks to heal with tea tree oil.
Check if you have an infected piercing
If you've had an ear or nose cartilage piercing, small lumps can sometimes form around the piercing. The lumps, called granulomas, are trapped fluid. You can treat them by soaking a pad in warm water then holding the pad against them once a day.
Ear keloids are a type of scar tissue, so there isn't any pus to squeeze out, like a pimple.
Take anti-inflammatory medicines to reduce pain and swelling. These include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve).
Some pain and redness are part of the normal healing process for pierced ears. It can be easy to confuse those with signs of infection. If there's a bump on the back of the ear piercing, it's not necessarily infected. Small bumps called granulomas can sometimes form around the piercing.
On extra hot days, we can often expect a bit more swelling especially on very fresh piercings. The best way to combat this is to keep cool, hydrated, and avoid overexerting yourself. Drinking plenty of fresh, cool water is not only good for you, but good for your piercings!