For your tongue piercing to properly heal, its imperative that you follow some basic guidelines. Things like accident scars, surgical scars, etc. You might wonder if you have a hypertrophic scar. Tongue piercing healing: Day by day - Medical News Today Body piercing is also associated with transmission of hepatitis B and hepatitis C. The risk may be from the piercing procedure. When a tongue piercing heals correctly, the body treats the wound like a scar. Various treatment options are available for keloids. Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI. Low-quality jewelry can irritate the skin. Youll need to apply it on the piercing twice a day. Skin wound healing and phytomedicine: A review. You should still clean your piercing once its healed, but youll have more flexibility in how often you do so. Use it several times per day at first to encourage the healing process. Before treating a hypertrophic scar, visit your piercer. When your skin is injured, it goes through a complex process of healing that begins with inflammation and ends with the formation of scar tissue. It's also critical to distinguish relatively safe ear piercings from more problematic and potentially dangerous piercings. Skin infections. Try a larger piece of jewelry if your ring wont lie flat or your barbell looks like its getting swallowed up. Apply it for several days at least once in a day. (2014). Once the time comes to remove the jewelry used for the piercing, its best to see your piercer. My tongue still hurts, and there are two white scarred over holes on the top of my tongue. A little bit of swelling is normal after all, your tongue now has a hole in it. Causes pain, itch, or burning. That said, there is also a lot of misinformation floating around out there about scar tissue as well, so lets take a look at the facts, and debunk the fiction. Body Piercing: Issues and Challenges for Nurses - Medscape Be aware many scars need to be assessed in person, so you very well may need to do an in person consultation to get a final answer. How Long Does It Take a Tattoo to Fully Heal? Vijaya Daniel - UMass Chan Medical School. You may have to visit your doctors office for the laser treatment. 24 Purulent, . Some symptoms of infection include: Piercings heal from the outside in, which means that the outermost tissue of the tongue heals first. There are many options for treating keloid on tongue. A keloid, on the other hand, is an actual scar. Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT, Typical symptoms and piercing aftercare by day, General dos and donts during the healing process, authoritytattoo.com/tongue-piercing-healing-and-care/, ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/oral-piercing, girlshealth.gov/body/grooming/tattoo_pierce.html, Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI, How to Identify and Treat an Infected Tragus Piercing, What You Need to Know Before Getting a Tattoo, What's Really in Tattoo Ink? If it is too severe, they will be honest with you and decline to pierce you. Often keloids have genetic tendency. Please consult a healthcare practitioner before using tattoo/skincare products that may interfere with medications or known conditions. The wound may also bleed or ooze. There are a couple layers to your question, so let me start here: There are a bunch of reasons why you may have had complications with your first belly ring. This article looks at whether tea tree oil is a good remedy for new and older piercings, and whether it can help with scar bumps. I encourage you to seek out a piercer with history of working on surgically altered tissue and examples of this in their portfolio. Here's what to expect. However, over time, differences will emerge. See additional information. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. . Piercing Rejection: Signs, Prevention, Treatment, Pictures, and More Get A Mystery Coupon Immediately! 4 - 8 weeks. Gauglitz GG, et al. However, the advice of a piercer is not a substitute for a consultation with a doctor. The following table shows some of the key differences between these skin changes: Piercing bumps are part of the bodys natural response to injury, and they do not typically require treatment. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Swelling around the tongue piercing is normal. Most tongue piercings do not require special treatments or medications. Ear piercings are prone to infection, especially when they are new. It entirely depends on the degree and type of scarring if we can or cant, and often we need to see and feel the tissue in person to determine this. The swelling tends to increase for several days after the piercing, and it may last for a week or slightly longer. Those done on your tongue are especially delicate. Tongue piercings require special attention as complications here can be severe. DOI: Are hypertrophic and keloid scars the same? 20 scar tissue and keloid formation; 15, 21 and allergic contact dermatitis. Body piercings: Cleaning and healing. Until the initial piercing wound heals, trying to treat a scar could make things worse. 2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK. The best way to combat a jewelry allergy is to replace the metal with a hypoallergenic one, such as titanium, stainless steel, or 18- or 24-karat gold. This is considered the final stretch in your tongue piercing healing process. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. There have been few studies into how common tongue piercing infections are, but the warm, moist site of the piercing makes it a prime spot for bacteria to grow. Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. The appearance can depend on the location of the keloid, as well as the persons skin tone. The infection could be serious or life-threatening and involve the entire body (systemic). There are currently 5 Scar Removal + Tongue questions and doctor answers on RealSelf. . This response leads to inflammation, which is what causes the bump. While people shouldn't necessarily avoid piercings, they should be aware of the risks and best practices. After a few months, the body treats the piercing as a scar, and the piercing is less likely to close without jewelry in it. Last medically reviewed on April 19, 2018. Some other strategies that can speed healing include: Do not try to treat an infected piercing at home. Oral piercing of the tongue, lip, cheek or other soft tissues is a form of body art and self-expression. Aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs increase the likelihood of bleeding by thinning out the blood. We've got answers to all your piercing pain-related Qs. I don't know why that is. It is a valuable home remedy to treat keloids. Speak with a qualified piercer for advice. 2019 by Lynn Loheide. Keloids can take 312 months to develop after the original injury. Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to help treat the infection and prevent its spread. You shouldnt have any pain or swelling at this stage, but you might find that certain foods irritate your tongue. But don't wear white gold it may contain nickel. If you find yourself developing a hard lump around your tongue piercing, dont panic straight off. Scars from previous piercings that were irritated when removed, or left more severe scarring such as raised scars, discolored scars, or large scars, must be evaluated on a case by case basis. If a person suspects an infection, it is best to make an appointment with a doctor. Migration and rejection leave paths of scarring that are more severe then they little scar left from just removing a piercing. Last medically reviewed on January 5, 2021. A lump around your tongue piercing may be a sign of: There are a few different techniques for tongue piercing, but the most common one is the straight piercing technique. I know- your doctor may tell you to be pierced sooner, but I cover this in my. This is particularly true of piercings that migrated or fully rejected. Keloid on tongue may flatten up and disappear after sometime, but with home remedies and different techniques it can be speedily removed. Tongue piercing - scars and holes?? | BabyCenter This is about how long your skin needs to repair itself. Dilute apple cider vinegar in a cupful of water. You shouldnt remove the jewelry during this time. Do not use stronger solutions or antibiotic creams unless a doctor recommends it. Anyone who suspects that they have a keloid or another condition that may be causing a lump should speak with a healthcare provider. Piercings: How to prevent complications - Mayo Clinic Piercing bumps and keloids are different skin conditions that can occur following a piercing. The tongue heals from the outside inwards, so it may seem like its healed before it actually is. Depending on the surgery and anesthesia used, you may be asked to remove dental appliances and lip or tongue piercings. Not only is it vegan, but its also completely alcohol and additive-free. If you think youve developed an infection, your piercer isnt the right source for treatment. Some other possible causes include: Infections in new piercings are quite common, and they can occur if the needle was not sterile or a person is unable to keep the piercing completely clean. When the swelling decreases, replace the jewelry with a shorter piece of jewelry. Piercing through scar tissue - experiences please.. : r/piercing - Reddit Make sure you know the safety precautions and insist that they are used. Grubbs H, et al. They may take weeks or months to develop fully. Belly button piercings have a higher risk because they are difficult to, A look at infected tragus piercings, a condition where a small part of the ear develops an infection. To make a salt soak, add 1/4 teaspoon of iodine-free salt to 8 ounces of warm water. 2023 Healthline Media LLC. Contact with food may further increase this risk. Summary. In these early days, it is vital to rinse the mouth with a saline solution several times each day. By this stage in the healing process, it should have become less painful and will start to feel relatively normal. If youre following all of the recommended aftercare instructions, its likely a normal part of the healing process. Your piercer might decide to go straight through it, or they might pierce you in a slightly different position to try to avoid it. The consequences of tongue piercing on oral and periodontal tissues. If you suspect something is wrong, take out your jewelry and talk with your piercer. As Nazarian says, "Piercing again requires you to injure the skin through scarred tissue," and depending on how traumatized your body was with the original piercing, you may be able to re-pierce the hole. The rest of the wound is then stitched upward, creating a Y-shaped wound. However, your individual healing process depends entirely on how you care for your new piercing. They often occur following cartilage piercings, such as nose or upper ear piercings. Other symptoms that a person with a keloid scar may experience include: Initially, keloids and piercing bumps can look similar. If youre prone to scarring, be sure to: Hypertrophic scars are often benign and harmless. Eczema types: Contact dermatitis signs and symptoms. If you find yourself in this situation, its imperative that you seek medical care. Owing to the fact that piercings are holes bored into your body tissues, they have to be carefully protected against infection. Ways to Stop This Pain, Causes of Hiccups at Night During Pregnancy: How Do You Stop It. Without treatment, the keloid may continue to grow. It may not be possible to avoid a hypertrophic scars formation, since some factors are simply genetic. If you have a lump formed near your tongue piercing that isnt painful to the touch and isnt accompanied by any other symptoms, like fever, pain or swelling, it may be scar tissue. They can ensure a safe removal process and show you how to correctly put new jewelry in. Formation Of Keloid. DOI: Keloids and hypertrophic scars. Commonly pierced body parts are the ears, nose, and the belly button. Keloid scars tend to be larger than the original wound itself. Some of us will get them no matter what. Hypertrophic scarring and keloids: Pathomechanisms and current and emerging treatment strategies. However, it's also possible that piercings are not the problem; instead, the cause is other high-risk behaviors drug use, gang affiliations and school truancy, for example that can be associated with piercings. In this article, we give you some tips about natural remedies that can help get. One small survey revealed that 3 in 51 people with tongue piercings developed infections. How Long Does A Tongue Piercing Hole Take To Close Up? Most people who do this start with a tongue piercing placed where they want the back end of the split to be. A regular salt water rinse can help with this. If youre experiencing a medical issue, please contact a healthcare professional or dial 911 immediately. Piercing rejection isnt nearly as common as some other piercing complications, like infections, keloids, and dermatitis. Medical problems arising from body piercings happen a lot; the incidence of complications could be as high as one out of every five individuals. Keloid does not pain and it does not contain any substance in it except the scar tissue. My scarring is bad, but I still really want a piercing! I got it repierced about 5 months ago now and there was honestly almost no pain in the actual . In general, a person can expect to experience the following stages as their tongue piercing heals: Immediately after the piercing, the wound may feel very sore and irritated. This is what allows holes to close up when jewelry is removed. If it is a scar left behind from a previous piercing, which was healthy or fairly healthy when removed, and the scar it left is a small, mostly flat, healthy scar, absolutely. The Answer May Surprise You. While we do connect people with vetted, board-certified doctors, we dont provide medical consultations, diagnosis, or advice. Keloid: A case report and review of pathophysiology and differences between keloid and hypertrophic scars. Opt for a nonirritating plastic ring or bar. Steroids can weaken the nearby skin, so you shouldnt get more than five injections total. Is laser excision best for potential keloid or is oral surgeon with stitches? Keloid is a type of scar tissue which develops as a growth on or around the site of skin or damaged mucus membrane. Peoples bodies are all different, so the healing process varies from person to person. The tongue piercing healing stages are extremely important, and you should take care the best you can throughout this initial phase. . The jewelry has noticeably moved from its original place. Healing. Given that surface work is long term temporary, its important to consider that before getting a surface piercing and to keep that in mind when they eventually need to be removed. A hypertrophic scar is thicker than a normal scar. Research your options of piercing parlors beforehand so that you can pick a professional wholl take all necessary precautions against complications. If there are no complications, complete healing usually takes around 46 weeks. A small amount of bleeding is normal, but consistent bleeding may signal a problem. This is because the dense tissue will support the piercing and be less prone to infection. See additional information. Since these are major blood vessels, you may form a substantial hematoma from such a mistake. From from scar injections, to laser treatment, or silicone patches, there have been amazing breakthroughs in scar treatment in recent years. This man developed keloids on his face after chickenpox cleared. Last medically reviewed on August 14, 2018. Its the best way to help your piercing heal properly. Migration and rejection leave paths of scarring that are more severe then they little scar left from just removing a piercing. Other types of laser therapy remove the top layers of the skin. A piercing is essentially a tunnel of scar tissue, and it . A tongue piercing officially takes between six and eight weeks to completely heal. By day 10, your piercing may look like its good to go but appearances arent everything. In the case of surface piercings, the body is often tempted to push out the jewelry rather than wall it off with scar tissue. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. The guiche piercing is a unique, exciting piercing that can enhance your visual or sexual sensations when you look at it or play with it alone or with, Cartilage piercings heal from the outside in, which means that they may look healed on the outside long before the process is truly done. If you werent aware of needing to avoid these medicines, before or after the piercing, you might be experiencing a complication exacerbated by blood thinners. Septal hematoma. DOI: Pazyar N, et al. Nose Piercing Scars: Causes and Treatment - AuthorityTattoo What's Really in Tattoo Ink? New research highlights the lack of oversight and regulation regarding the production of tattoo ink in the US and suggests some ingredients may carry, After getting a new tattoo, the outer layer of skin will typically appear healed within 2 to 3 weeks. . The texture of keloids can differ. They can also be itchy or painful. Tongue Piercing Guide: 7 Types Explained (50+ Photos, Pain Level, Price) If you have questions about the establishment performing the piercing, you might try checking with your medical provider. How Long Does It Take For A Tongue Piercing To Heal? Keloid scars: Signs and symptoms - American Academy of Dermatology Speak with your piercer about the depth of the piercing and the best size for jewelry to wear while youre healing. Get the details on how you can lower your chances of developing blisters and other possible side effects. Laser treatment can lighten and shrink scars by dissolving blood vessels in the scar tissue. The hole may also close up if you remove the jewelry too soon. Hypertrophic scars are also common on your chest, upper back, and shoulders. Always consult a professional piercer to make sure a new piercing is right for you! A piercing is essentially a scar, and it takes time for this scar to form. Proper care can help the wound heal, reducing the risk of infection and helping keep the piercing in place. A lump near or around your tongue piercing isnt an immediate cause for concern. It gets them back the piercing they loved, and it prevents them from having more scars in the same area. Piercing bumps tend to appear more quickly and do not grow in size, while keloids take time to form and can continue to grow over time. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Can you pierce me through a scar? I heard it wont heal if you pierce me through a scar? I heard it hurts more through scar tissue? I get questions like this quite often, and these are super valid questions for sure! aad.org/public/diseases/bumps-and-growths/keloids, nyulangone.org/conditions/scars-keloids/treatments/medical-treatment-for-scars-keloids, aad.org/public/diseases/bumps-and-growths/scars, cartilage.org/patient/about-cartilage/what-is-cartilage/, How to Identify and Treat an Industrial Piercing Infection. The tongue, lips, nose, eyebrows, nipples, navel, and genitals may be pierced. You may start eating harder, crunchier foods, but do so with care. After a few days, the wound may also ooze a whitish or clear fluid. Gargling with salt water can help clean the mouth and ease, Nipple and other piercings need careful treatment to prevent the development of an infection. Double horizontal piercing, making two visible ends of a long jewelry on the tip of tongue look like snake eyes. Wound physiology. This might cause redness, pain, swelling or a pus-like discharge after a piercing. Can diet help improve depression symptoms? When you get a new piercing, youre welcoming a foreign object into your body. You can also use sterile saline instead of salt water. Is it possible to remove them by a punch excision? Eventually, your body will push the piercing to the surface, and your skin will crack open to let it out. DOI: Schmieder SJ, et al. Sometimes, cells make too much collagen and a raised scar can form. Tongue piercing not that risky, but things can go wrong. Complications of body piercing. An infection is potentially serious. It stopped growing about four months ago but I'm afraid it might be getting bigger again. Tea tree oil for piercings: Does it work, and when is it safe? If your piercer makes a mistake and nicks these blood vessels during the piercing process, you may experience some dramatic effects. Nickel is present in less expensive jewelry, but gold or silver jewelry may contain small amounts of it, so these could also cause a reaction. Update on hypertrophic scar treatment. But there are things you can do to lower your risk of getting hypertrophic scars on healing piercings. When using it from the very start of the healing process, the spray helps to decrease healing times and aims to eliminate anylingering pain or soreness.. The entrance and exit holes increase in size. Oral Piercing/Jewelry | American Dental Association In case of adverse side effects, they should be the first person you call for advice. Complications of body piercing include local and systemic infections, poor cosmesis, and foreign body rejection . See your doctor if you have: You might have an infection or something else that needs medical attention. Some people also choose to consume smoothies or other liquid foods for the first few days, until they adjust to eating with the jewelry in place. Risks and side effects. Some people, unfortunately, find that they experience complications with the healing process from any traumatic wound. People may refer to this as a Cupid . Like we discussed above small stable scars like from previous piercings, or even minor cut, scrapes, minor surgical scars, and minor acne scars you are probably fine and things will probably heal up just fine! While your piercing is healing, you shouldnt: These habits can irritate and bother the area around your new piercing. As a result, getting re-pierced in the same location can be a good location for a piercing to be re-established. After an initial growth period, hypertrophic scars can flatten and shrink over time. (n.d.). These scars are much more complex, and I will start by saying that the final say always should be done in person. You should also work towards ensuring your mouth is as clean as possible at all times. Your body will only build up scar tissue around a piece of jewelry if that process is easier than pushing out the jewelry entirely. Generally, hypertrophic scars dont cause complications. Tongue piercing healing process and care guide [Blog]. They may be itchy, tender, or hard to the touch. Anything wider in diameter, such as an 8 gauge, is more likely to cause scarring. Do this twice a day. Most piercers recommend using a quarter teaspoon of iodine-free salt mixed in 8 ounces of warm water. You'll also, New research highlights the lack of oversight and regulation regarding the production of tattoo ink in the US and suggests some ingredients may carry, After getting a new tattoo, the outer layer of skin will typically appear healed within 2 to 3 weeks. Ive had these procedures done myself and sent clients to get them. A dermal piercing starts with an anchor that's inserted underneath your skin. Tongue swelling after a new piercing can interfere with chewing and swallowing and sometimes breathing. This includes eating what you want, getting intimate, and switching out your jewelry. When rejection does happen, its usually in a flat area of the body. After the resected tissue is removed, the bottom of the scar is pinched and sewn together. However, people with poor oral hygiene, weak immune systems, and mouth injuries may still be vulnerable to infection. Last medically reviewed on January 14, 2020, Sometimes, the body will reject a piercing. What is the risk of infection with a nipple piercing? A person should also seek the advice of a doctor if they are experiencing symptoms of an infection. Up to 30% of people with body piercings are allergic to nickel, which is a common metal found in jewelry.
