Pounded Ink

A Tattoo And Body Modification Blog

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Piercing Migration And Rejection

July 11th, 2008 · 76 Comments

Pierced ears are prone to migrationLet’s take a look into piercing migration and rejection.  These are both things that you need to be aware of since it can happen with any piercing.

First you’ll need to understand the difference between migration and rejection as they are not the same thing.

Piercing Migration – The permanent movement of a piercing from its original position.
Piercing Rejection – The body’s natural process of removing a foreign object causing tissue damage as the body slowly pushes the object toward the surface of the skin.

What Causes A Piercing To Migrate?

There are several different things that can cause a piercing to migrate.  A common form of migration is referred to as the “cheesecutter effect”.  You will see this in elderly women who have had pierced ears all their lives and now instead of a small hole, they have a long cut shaped piercing from years of pressure on the small opening caused by gravity.  To avoid the cheesecutter effect yourself you should wear modern piercing jewelry, which is much more balanced then traditional jewelry and even stretch your ears if you have to.  Larger gauge piercings tend not to migrate as much as those with smaller jewelry.

Forearm Peircing RejectionPressure is also a very common cause of piercing migration especially common in tongue and navel piercings.  The constant pressure and position of the jewelry from the mouth or a tight shirt can cause a piercing to migrate.  Be sure to keep all your piercings from being exposed to constant pressure.  Your skin is quite flexible and jewelry can migrate before you know it.

Be sure to use the proper jewelry for the correct piercing.  Improper jewelry selection can cause a piercing to migrate and never return to its natural placement.  Be especially selective of eyebrow and navel rings as improperly used jewelry can cause them to grow out starting from the outside moving inward.

Can Piercing Migration Be Reversed?

If your piercing has migrated there is almost no chance of manipulating it back into its original position.  If the piercing has migrated to the point you are unhappy with its location or it starts causing discomfort you may have to remove the jewelry and re-pierce it.

Why Does Your Body Reject A Piercing?

Navel Piercing InfectedRejection is your body’s way of removing something it deems harmful from the system.  More often then not this is caused by the material being inserted into the body.  Some people have very sensitive systems that will not accept a certain type of metal.

Certain piercings have a much higher rate of rejection then others.  Among the most rejected piercing are surface piercings which can be very sensitive to pressure.

Impact can be a major factor in a healed piercing starting the rejection process without warning.  Sudden trauma to the pierced area can cause the body to view your healed piercing as a new wound and try to push out the jewelry just like it would a splinter.

Can Rejection Be Stopped?

Sometimes piercing rejection can be stopped with TLC and plenty of attention, other times you will need to remove the jewelry and let the area heal before attempting to pierce it again.


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Tags: Piercing


76 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Bill // Jul 17, 2008 at 1:09 pm

    Interesting post buddy. Just stopping by and “clicking” around. ;)
    Site is looking good!

  • 2 Nick // Oct 28, 2008 at 5:14 pm

    i was thinking of getting a 6 ring corset on my upper arm, do you think this is a wise idea or do you think my body will reject the jewlerey

  • 3 Curt // Oct 29, 2008 at 9:38 pm

    Nick,

    On an upper arm I would expect the body to reject a long term corset piercing. The upper arm is a high impact area which would not fair well to any surface piercing.

  • 4 Laura // Nov 29, 2008 at 1:23 am

    I was thinking of getting a 12 ring corset down my side. Not planing this for a while, but as of now i don’t have any piercings. Never have. Do you think the fact my body hasn’t had the experience, that I’m prone to rejection? I have been known to get hives due to lotion. So I’m guess that means its a risk, right?

  • 5 Curt // Nov 29, 2008 at 10:25 am

    Laura,

    There is no way to determine weather your body will be prone to rejection. It’s pretty much a stab in the dark and surface piercings like a corset are very hard to heal for anyone. You don’t really heal a corset piercing, you stop the rejection process (which could start again at any time, without warning).

    You can’t train your body to heal better, so the fact that you don’t have any current piercings shouldn’t be a deciding factor.

  • 6 Anna // Nov 30, 2008 at 4:22 pm

    Okay. So I am 19 years old and have 19 piercings; as of now. I want to get a 12 ring corset down the lower part of my back.

    Like you said above: Ive had piercings migrate and reject. I had 4 in my belly button [N,S,E,W] and the E & W both have rejected from my body. I believe the S one is being rejected and the N one went from up and down to almost Left and Right.

    None of my other piercings have migrated or rejected- only my belly button.

    I want a corset- but I was wondering do you think I should get it done or just not get it at all?

  • 7 Curt // Nov 30, 2008 at 5:09 pm

    Anna,

    The question isn’t weather I think you should get it done or not.. The question is, are you willing to take on all the risk associated with a corset piercing.

    Migration is a concern with a corset piercing but the largest problem is most definitely rejection, as with any surface piercing.

    I can’t tell you weather or not to get the piercing, I can only give you information.

  • 8 natalie // Jan 26, 2009 at 9:18 pm

    i recently got a microdermal anchor in my finger i have been treating it with a lot of tlc however i am concerned of rejection and migration could you send more pictures of rejection and migration please so i can get a better idea of what to look for? thank you sooooooooooooo much

  • 9 juli // Mar 8, 2009 at 2:51 pm

    Hey I had got a surface piercing under my belly button so I was basically on my belly when I had got it, it was good until the third day of the same week I got it one side of the ring was going inside my skin while the other side was to outward it was as if my skin was eating the piercing so I had no choice but to take it out, nd the two holes closed nd now I have 2 ugly scars . Its been six months already do you think my skin is heald already so I can try nd re-pierce it?

  • 10 Curt // Mar 13, 2009 at 4:13 pm

    juli,

    It’s hard to say if it’s healed without actually seeing the affected area. 6 months is a decent amount of time to allow a removed piercing to heal.

    Use good judgment and if everything looks healed and doesn’t hurt, you’re probably ready.

  • 11 Kelleigh // Mar 26, 2009 at 5:23 am

    I had my upper belly piercing done in early february, but it started rejecting i went back to my piercer who removed the piercing. I really want the piercing done again but i am afriad of rejection my piercer said it might or might not reject again do you think it wise to get another suface piercing or just stick to cartalidge piercings which i have had no problem with in the past. I am getting my next piercing in april would it be too soon to get my belly redone?

  • 12 Curt // Mar 26, 2009 at 9:31 am

    Kelleigh,

    Surface piercings are fickle things. It’s hard to heal them and everyone reacts different to them. If your previous piercing is completely healed, I would think it is OK to repierce. There is a chance that your body will never heal a surface piercing correctly. Again I stress that there is no way to tell how a surface piercing will or will not heal.

  • 13 Kelleigh // Mar 30, 2009 at 7:11 am

    Hey Curt,
    thanx for the information
    i have gone back to see my piercer and she said she would be happier to leave the belly to heal and wait and i decided on getting my double helix done on the left side as i have my rim pierced double on the right
    once again thanx for the help
    Kelleigh

  • 14 Vannessa // Apr 10, 2009 at 4:00 pm

    i have a question that really needs to be answered serious and soon PLZ!… Can a piercing reject or migrate from getting it at a young age such as…13?? Because i may get it done at this age and i dont want it to reject or ESPECIALLY migrate

  • 15 P. // Apr 11, 2009 at 9:46 am

    I just got my upper Belly Button pierced and the piercer said my skin looked delicate and I had a higher risk than others of rejection. I’ve had ear piercings and they’ve all been fine. . The piercing looks fine but I’m really paranoid. There’s no puss, redness and it’s not sore. Can I do something to reduce my risk of rejection?

  • 16 Curt // Apr 14, 2009 at 11:52 pm

    Vannessa and P.,

    Migration and rejection rates are subject to everyone’s individual body. There is no solid way to avoid it or reverse it. Proper care is the best solution for any piercing but will not always help migration or rejection.

  • 17 vanessa // Apr 15, 2009 at 12:20 am

    im not sure if i shud get it because my mom says im not done growing an that im not all the way through puberty…could this cause my piercing to migrate or reject? should i just take a chance? and if it does, do you think it will leave a scar?

  • 18 Curt // Apr 15, 2009 at 4:42 pm

    vanessa,

    You are still rather young and your body is certainly not done developing. Your form will certainly change substantially by the time you reach 19 or 20. This could very well cause a piercing to migrate. I don’t think that age would have a factor in rejection but could definitely be a possible cause of migration.

    If you were to develop scar tissue there is a good chance that it could become more prominent by the time you reach maturity.

    Certain area’s of the body are more prone to rejection of piercings then others and the type of piercing/jewelry are also important factors, but without knowing what you plan on piercing I can’t speculate any further.

  • 19 vanessa // Apr 15, 2009 at 5:30 pm

    thanks!

  • 20 stephanie // May 11, 2009 at 11:55 pm

    i recently got a surface piercing on my hand & i think i have rejection, i put in a eyebrow barbell in it like i do with all of my surface piercings i have. I have the nape which i put the bendable barbell on & one on the surface on the skin on the cheek by were it connects the middle of the ear to your cheek.. Anyways i want to know if there’s anyway to stop rejection from happening. Should i cover the whole area with polysporin ora ny type of ointment to keep it from getting bacteria in it? Please help. Thanks.

  • 21 Curt // May 12, 2009 at 6:46 am

    stephanie,

    sadly, I think you may be out of luck. A hand piercing is one of the hardest places to heal. There is far too much movement and pressure to heal optimally. The best advise I can give you is plenty of TLC and attention.

  • 22 stephanie // May 12, 2009 at 9:36 am

    What’s TLC ?

  • 23 Curt // May 12, 2009 at 5:23 pm

    “Tender Loving Care” – baby it.

  • 24 stephanie // May 12, 2009 at 6:29 pm

    Okay thanks, & by the way there’s no fluid coming out of it.. Only like a little drop . Idk if to take it off or keep it in.. I just put the tip of the polysporin bottle thing in one hole & then squeezed til it came out the other & cleaned the inside.. It had like a little yellow discharge mixed in with the ointment .. Its just irritatted around the holes .. Like the top of it is raised.. Its weird would you be able to tell me throuqh a picture ?

  • 25 Curt // May 12, 2009 at 8:27 pm

    stephanie,

    WHOAH, don’t be squirting fluids into it! There is a natural healing process that your body undergoes to heal a piercing and no part of it requires help from external sources. The only thing a piercing should ever need is a salt water mixture. You may be irritating the area with your care procedure.

  • 26 kiel // Jul 2, 2009 at 7:11 pm

    I just got my hips pierced yesterday, and I’d never even heard of rejection until i told a friend i got them pierced. I’ve been cleaning it with an epsom salt and water mixture 2 times a day. What are some signs of rejection? Also, I dont have metal jewelry, it’s some like, clear plastic or something. My piercer says he’s sworn by it for 4 years since he found out about it

  • 27 lee // Jul 12, 2009 at 3:28 pm

    i have a question. i have had 9 peircing. i have had all of them for the best of a year (tongue a year and a half) all of them havent rejected or shown at all any stress of it wanting to. apart from my eyebrow even with a curved bar. i just got 3 surface peircings on my top left arm yesturday. i dont seem to be in any pain apart from heavy stretching. i want to know cause the others havent will it mean my top arm ones will???

    second question is what is the best type of metal to use if it does reject in anyway…. i have been wanting them for so long and if they do reject how can i slow the rejecton down???

  • 28 Curt // Jul 13, 2009 at 3:38 pm

    kiel,

    You have tygon jewelry. Signs of rejection include… swelling, redness, smelly discharge and soreness.

    lee,

    everyone’s body is different so it’s hard to give you any answers. Just take good care of it and hope for the best.

  • 29 lee // Jul 13, 2009 at 3:40 pm

    ok thank you soo much for the comment. i will take that to consideration. thank you

  • 30 Brie // Jul 16, 2009 at 2:13 am

    Hi. I was just curious as to how long I should wait to get my tongue repierced? I know its one of the fastest healing things, and I had to have mine taken out 3 days ago because it was crooked. And I was hoping to have it redone tomorrow (the 4th day). I’m just worried about it migrating back into the other holes. What are the chances of it happening if he pierces it no where near the old one?

  • 31 Dreamz // Jul 22, 2009 at 6:00 am

    Hey great info but I have a question
    I got my eyebrow pierced 3 years ago and my body rejected it but I didn’t kno I had to take it out and it left a pretty deep scar on my eyebrow not
    to deep though but I was thinking of repiercing the same extact spot to cover it u think this a good idea or no

  • 32 Jane // Jul 25, 2009 at 6:55 pm

    I just got my nape pierced and I am super paranoid that it is going to reject. I purchased a bottle of salt water spray and I already have anti-bacterial soap. How many times a day should I spray it or wash it? What if I am outside a lot and get sweaty? They said that I should mess with it as little as possible and be very careful while cleaning it.

    They used a long metal surface bar so that it wouldn’t be iritated if it swells… And they said that I should switch to one of the shorter more bendable materials in about a month or so?

  • 33 Curt // Jul 26, 2009 at 9:17 am

    Brie,

    I would wait at least 2 weeks to re-pierce a tongue.

    Dreamz,

    Piercing the same area shouldn’t be an issue as long as you don’t have an excessive amount of scar tissue. I would be careful to look for keloids as they could result from re-piercing scar tissue.

    Jane,

    Use the salt spray 3-4 times a day, clean it at least once, don’t touch it, and hope for the best.

    If the barbel they used is too long you will need to replace it, but this may also cause trauma to the piercing causing an unwanted reaction.

    As far as using tygon instead of surgical steel, there are mixed opinions regarding both. See how your body reacts to the steel and if it seems to heal quickly stay with it. If not, then give the tygon a try.

  • 34 Jane // Jul 26, 2009 at 1:30 pm

    Thanks!

    Everything seems to be going well so far. Is it possible to use the salt water spray TO much? I want to make sure it stays clean, but I don’t want to over-do it.
    Currently there is no redness but it gets a little itchi sometimes. (I assume that is just from the healing process) And my neck is getting a little sore from trying to move it as little as possible to prevent iritation and rejection.
    How long should I wait till I can go swimming? or go to the gym? I mostly just use ellipticals machines which doesn’t require much neck movement.
    Oh, and my boyfriend wants to know how sex might effect it? How careful do we need to be and how long till we can go all out without problems? *blush*

  • 35 Curt // Jul 26, 2009 at 3:55 pm

    Jane,

    I’m sure it is possible to overdo it with salt water spray. Salt dries out the skin and if your skin gets exceptionally dry it will crack. 2-3 times a day should be plenty for a salt water soak.

    I would be very careful about swimming. The chemicals in pools are not very friendly to open wounds. I would at least wait until the piercing appears externally healed.

    Go to the gym all you want, just don’t cause any trauma to the piercing. Clean it good when you get home.

    As far as sex goes, you should be fine now. You must avoid impact to the piercing though. So as in everything you do, use caution.

  • 36 Jane // Jul 27, 2009 at 11:57 am

    Sorry to keep bothering you…
    I was wondering if you would check out these pics and tell me what you think. I am worried that they used the wrong jewlery.
    Like I said in my first post, they said they used this one to reduce irritation in case of swelling but I think it is the size(weight) of the barbell that could be causing problems. Notice how gravity is pulling the ends of the bars down… They didn’t tell me they were doing this until after it was in me!
    Day 1
    http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=44836847&albumID=937116&imageID=57470958
    Day 3
    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/AshNight/NapeD3.jpg

  • 37 Curt // Jul 27, 2009 at 1:45 pm

    Jane,

    That jewelry is entirely to large. It is causing undue trauma to the tissue any time you put pressure on it.

    You need a shorter surface bar in order to have any chance at healing it.

  • 38 Jane // Jul 27, 2009 at 2:46 pm

    They told me to come back in a month or so to change it out with a normal barbell. Would it be more harmfull to change it as soon as possible (before healing) or wait the month out (and risk this bar doing damage)?

  • 39 Curt // Jul 28, 2009 at 8:41 am

    Jane,

    From the look of your pictures I would try and replace that jewelry as soon as possible.

  • 40 shannon // Aug 10, 2009 at 12:20 am

    hey i have about 18 pircings that i have done by myself n have ha no problem with them.. but i went n got my septum done n it rejected it. im thinking bout geting an anti eyebrow pircing and dont want the same to happen to it should i do it myself cuz i havent had a problem with them or get it done profesionaly?

  • 41 Curt // Aug 10, 2009 at 8:23 am

    shannon,

    I believe you should get an anti-eyebrow piercing performed by a professional. An antieyebrow piercing is a touchy area and if you want the best possible chance for acceptance you should have it inserted by someone who has done many successful anti eyebrows.

    Keep in mind, an anti eyebrow piercing is a facial piercing and if things go bad you may be left with a life long scar that can’t be covered up easily.

    Play it safe and leave this one to the pros. You’d hate to get a staph infection or worse around your eye.

  • 42 shannon // Aug 10, 2009 at 4:24 pm

    ok thanks…. do u know of n e 1 close to oshkosh wisconsin that would b a good place to go?

  • 43 KP // Aug 14, 2009 at 1:46 pm

    so i got my belly button done almost a week ago and it feels pretty good.. the only thing thats sore is the top hole, and i’m so paranoid it will migrate or reject. how long will it take to notice if it’s migrating? oh, i clean it once a day with antibacterial soap and i put this ointment stuff on it for 4 days… i don’t have any discharge or anything.

  • 44 Reggie // Aug 16, 2009 at 1:15 pm

    I was thinking about getting surface piercings on both of my hips, but have read that they are never permanant and will always eventually reject after time. I would like to know if this surface piercings can be permanant if taken care of properly or if it will just end up as a scar no matter how hard I try.

  • 45 Curt // Aug 16, 2009 at 8:57 pm

    KP,

    It’s far too early to look for rejection.

    Reggie,

    Surface piercings do not heal, you only stop or stall the rejection process. Yes they can “heal” but it’s going to depend on your body, nothing is certain.

  • 46 KP // Aug 17, 2009 at 5:40 pm

    ok.. so when isn’t it too early to look for rejection?

  • 47 diana // Aug 21, 2009 at 6:42 am

    hey, interesting article, i was looking for info since i have a steel belly piercing for 4 years but i see the hole is big now and it’s like the piercing pushes the skin, i don’t have infection or pain, i only see the skin that holds the ring is getting thinner and smaller im scared the piercing pushes more and the skin can ripp? should i get a new piercing? thank you!

  • 48 Jacara // Aug 21, 2009 at 11:42 am

    Hi, this is a great site. i am thinking about getting my navel pierced. I am scared of the pain but i think i’m gonna do it anyway. The questions on here have kinda spooked me and i’m considering backing down. Can your skin really push jewelry out to rip your skin(omg)? and does rejection or migration painful? is it common?

  • 49 ACE // Sep 4, 2009 at 12:03 am

    Hey, I’ve been thinking about getting my hips pierced and I understande that the rejection rate for them is very high. i’ve had my belly button pierced for awhile now and have had no problems, it healed very fast with no problems. Since this is a surface piercing as well i was wonderinig if this one is fine why wouldn’t the ones on my hips be fine? What causes the hip piercing to be rejected so often?

  • 50 Curt // Sep 4, 2009 at 5:15 am

    KP,

    It will take one to several months to notice any sign of rejection.

    diana,

    Yes, your body can push out piercing jewlry to the point where it will rip right through. If it migrates to far you will need to remove and repierce it.

    Jacara,

    Navel piercings are rather common and easily healed. If you want it, get it.

    ACE,

    I don’t know that I would classify a navel piercing in the same class as hip piercings. Your own body will dictate weather or not you will be able to heal it. There is no magic answer.

  • 51 Lindzey // Sep 12, 2009 at 5:03 pm

    I have a question please Curt if you can find the time to answer it… Roughly 3 months ago I got a web piercing between my finger and thumb, now havin researched I knew there was a possibility of rejection, it’s not really painful, but the skin over the barbel is becoming translucent… Am I best using salt water to try and rectify it or keep infection away, or should I remove it now??? I’m worried it will be painful if it rejects

  • 52 Dustin // Sep 18, 2009 at 7:43 am

    Ok so we should skip all the parts about the you shouldn’t have done that but i have a question

    My girlfriend recently started her corset piercing … she only has 2 done right now … but they were done by someone who’s not very professional … Me .. I’ve done many lip piercings eyebrows ears cartilage piercings but this was the first time i ever did a surface piercing on someones back, hence the reason i only did 2 for now we were basically seeing if they would reject.

    the main issue is that i have never seen a rejecting surface piercing to know what im looking for

    there is redness around the entrance and exit but not all the way across like its trying to push itself out

    we used CBRs for the piercings

    could you please tell me what to look for to tell if its rejecting and if it is, is it reversible ?

  • 53 Chasityy. // Sep 27, 2009 at 2:19 am

    I was thinking about getting my hips pierced or my back dimples. But i dont know which one to get. Which one has the higher risk of rejecting..?

    Also how old do you have to be to get either of these piercings..?

    And, when you get the hip piercings, is the jewelry for that like the ones you have for your belly button?

  • 54 Jennifer // Oct 10, 2009 at 10:03 pm

    Hi Curt,
    I’ve been looking into getting my belly pierced, but I’m quite worried because I’m very sensitive towards metals (not sure of specifics). Would this increase the risks of migration/rejection? And d0 you know the name of the kind of barbell that I can ask the piercer to use, that is anti-allergenic?
    Thanks in advance!

  • 55 kaytee // Oct 12, 2009 at 9:16 pm

    I recently got a microdermal anchor under each collar bone. It is a long story but I had to get each one done at a different shop. The one I had done first is completely flat but the other one is crooked. I noticed when it was first done but didn’t say anything. Since then, I’ve written the piercing company. My question is: Can a microdermal be adjusted with no more pain than it was to get done in the first place? Also, is it better and easier to get it adjusted shortly after it was pierced? What if I wait a week or so? Do they have to actually remove it all the way then put it back in? Sorry about the 20 questions, they don’t have much online about this.

  • 56 Curt // Oct 13, 2009 at 9:26 pm

    Lindzey,

    Will it be painful if it rejects? yes. Is it currently rejecting or causing you discomfort? Íf the answer is no, then I wouldnt be so worrysome.

    Dustin,

    You are a very naughty boy. you shouldnt use CBR’s for surface piercings, its the wrong jewlery. rejection will be easily identified by closeness to the skin in relation to the jewlrey or downright infection.

    DON’T PIERCE YOUR FRIENDS!

    Chasitty,

    You are obviously underage and unresearched on your prospective piercing. Read more and wait until your done developing or you will end up regretting it.

    Jennifer,

    you must find out what you are allergic to. there is also a big difference between high and low quality stainless steel.

    Titanium is a solid choice for any body piercing, granted you aren”t alergic to it.

    kaytee,

    no, nothing is adjustable once place. things can and will move but there is no way other than pressure to move them. if a piercing isnt straight, take it out an reinsert it.

  • 57 Jennifer // Oct 14, 2009 at 1:40 am

    I’m allergic to nickel. Will this increase the risk of rejection? :\

  • 58 AJ // Oct 23, 2009 at 4:45 pm

    hey thanks so much for providing this article. I really want to get a microdermal anchor on my wrist. 1) how many could you fit on one wrist?? 2) how much does it cost to get one dermal anchor?? 3) what would be a good location on my body to get an anchor that would reduce migration/rejection?? thanks so much for taking the time to answer all of these questions!!

  • 59 Ashleigh // Nov 18, 2009 at 12:46 am

    Do you think this is rejection or infection? The skin seems to have shrinking some, i think the banana barbel i had in was too big so i changed to a smaller one. This is what it looks like now. Please help! :)

    http://tinypic.com/r/2e2p2k3/6

  • 60 Ashleigh // Nov 18, 2009 at 12:49 am

    oh sorry that was the old one this is what it looks like now:

    http://tinypic.com/r/30auikg/6

  • 61 Brianna // Dec 28, 2009 at 8:20 pm

    i hate rejection. my body is really sensitive to certain metal. like if i wanna get my ears pierced, they have to be pierced with 14k gold or something. & i had my belly button pierced once & my body rejected it because of antibiotics i took to get rid of the infection. [it ended up just pushing it out] and then i got it done a second time and it still rejected it. i just recently found out it was because of the metal. so i have to get it pierced with some other type of metal other than the type it was pierced with the first 2 times.

    it stinks but i’m gonna get my ears double pierced soon, but first i gotta find a place where i can get earrings that have the posts as 14k gold. so if you know any where i can get some, PLEASE TELL ME. & same with the belly button rings. i need one that isn’t stainless steel.

  • 62 andrea // Jan 8, 2010 at 1:36 am

    I have the worst thing ever. . . I had my navel pierced in october or november of 09′ and in january, yesterday in fact, my friend had grabbed my shirt-and my piercing. It didnt really hurt though, later on i realized that it was being held my a thin piece of skin.. which i messed with and it ripped so there is no hole for my piercing. it is swollen on both sides and was infected before this happened. I LOVED my navel piercing. I really have wanted this done for a long time. I was wondering what i can do to heal this? If there will be scarred tissue and if/when i can get it re-pierced??? Any advice would be much appreciated. shellturner69@yahoo.com

  • 63 Sandy // Jan 16, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    Well I Have A Question,I Got My Wrist peirced[Surface Peircing] About A Weeks Or So Ago And Around The Holes Its Red I’m Not Sure If Its Starting To Reject Or its A Way Of Healing. It Does Not Hurt At All And I’m Completely Comftorable With It. Is It Rejecting?

  • 64 Andrea // Jan 16, 2010 at 5:26 pm

    Curt,

    I got my hips pierced a little over a week ago. They’re doing great, except one side (to me, at least) looks like more of the bar is exposed on both ends. There is no swelling, redness, discharge, or puffiness around it, but I’m scared that it might be rejection. Should I got get it looked at?

  • 65 Taylor // Jan 28, 2010 at 6:33 pm

    Hello Curt,

    I have a question about my pretty recent belly button piercing.
    So I got it done on December 28th or something.
    So it has been almost a month give or take a day or two.
    Well I had my belly button pierced for a couple months in 2006 perhaps?
    And anyways, it rejected.
    So I got it redone, but now, it is not sore or anything, but it is a wee bit red under the top ball.
    And I cannot tell if the holes are bigger or not.
    I looked before my shower earlier, and I see the hole that the barbell is sticking out of, and then a little behind it is kind of a purplish gray kind of skin and I am not sure if that is from where it has moved or what. =/ I am pretty worried, and I can feel the bar of the whole ring pretty much without pushing down through my skin. =/
    Any suggestions?
    Thank you very much.

  • 66 Mary // Feb 5, 2010 at 10:54 am

    what is the best age to get your navel pierced so you will have a lower chance of it migrating or rejecting it?

  • 67 Christina // Feb 6, 2010 at 12:57 am

    Love the article!
    I was wondering…
    Over one year ago, I had two hoops in the cartilage of my left ear. I am not sure they fully ever healed, but eventually they did stop bleeding/hurting. Then they simply rejected and worked their way towards the outer portion of my ear. I miss’em! Hardly any scar tissue.. Can I re-pierce the same area? Should I go about it in a different way? I don’t recall the type of metal they used initially.. not sure I ever knew.

    Second quick question..
    My belly button rejected years ago as well. The hole is still there but the whole just stretched and piercings look weird. Will the hole ever go away? Not my biggest worry in the world, just curious =) thanks!

  • 68 ernie // Mar 12, 2010 at 1:29 pm

    hey well i peirced my collar bone about a month ago , and the ends are still red and scabby. is that normal ? does that mean its rejecting?

  • 69 khairul // Mar 13, 2010 at 12:08 am

    hey,
    i wanna do smiley peircings… isitt save to do it??

  • 70 Jenny // Mar 22, 2010 at 4:41 pm

    So I got my nipples pierced about 9mons. ago and so far they’ve been healing well. But recently my left nipple has been feeling tender and sore. It looks completely normal other than the usual crusties and I don’t remember hurting it at all. I just want to know if there its probably something internally happening or if this is a symptom of an infection waiting to happen?

  • 71 Veronica // Mar 23, 2010 at 3:08 pm

    alright heres the deal, i really need some help here. i got a navel piercing over a year ago, i never had any problems, no redness ect. i am starting to notice that there is very little skin holding the barbell. i believe it is migrating, and i am terrorfied!

    i dont like the thought of taking it out to heal for months, but im scared of it ripping right through the skin left. i have pictures of how it looked weeks after i got ti pierced, and the hole wa snever really high up to begin with.

    CAN SOMEONE HELP ME?! i have pictures of how it looked before and after, and how the hole looks. my e mail is vsousa60@hotmail.com … please feel free to e-mail me with help?!

  • 72 Brittany // Mar 25, 2010 at 12:35 am

    Hi. I got my navel pierced about 8 months ago, and now the skin in between is very very thin, and i’m assuming it’s from rejection. I really don’t want to take the piercing out and let it heal up, is there anything I can do to fix it? I’ve been caking neosporin on it but I don’t know if I’m doing anything wrong. :[
    Thanks for any help!

  • 73 jo // Apr 2, 2010 at 7:48 am

    Hey Curt..I got my rook pierced about two and a half month’s ago..It was pierced with a thick thread and pierced too tight to allow breathing and excess room in case it swelled…I ended up in great pain….So decided too take it out and replace the bar with a much longer smaller thread..Just wondering if this could of promoted migration or in fact helped with the healing?? It seem’s to be healing better and the blister that was at the top of the bar is shrinking..The redness and anger has also gone…plus the extreme pain has gone…Im using salt water and twice a week an infection spray? This there anything i can do?? thankyou

  • 74 nexys // Apr 9, 2010 at 12:45 pm

    Hey,
    I pierced my breasts and currently have expanders in. They’re healing OK, but th expanders keep pop out when i move. Do yous think microdermal anchors would help them stay in?

  • 75 nexys // Apr 9, 2010 at 12:54 pm

    Apropos to that, how do you get th anchor – in a vertical position so it’ll go into th hole -to go into a curved position, so th entire anchor is under the skin and parallel to the surface?

  • 76 brandi // May 25, 2010 at 11:58 am

    so i have a dermal anchor on my upper cheak by my eye…i got it about 3 weeks ago and it is starting to bleed again all of a sudden. is this a sign of rejection or is it normal? if it is rejecting is there a way to stop it?

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