Is Your Piercing Infected?

Piercing is all the rage. People will pierce just about any part of their body and won't think twice about it. There is a danger of infection from getting body parts pierced though. One of the dangers is infection. Infection can cause scarring and even more dangerous illnesses if not taken care of immediately.

How to tell if a Piercing is Infected

Redness

You will obviously have some redness after you get a piercing done. If the redness does not go away or gets much darker, there is a possibility that it could be infected. Use an antibiotic cream to try to reverse the effects of the infection. Antibiotics are the only thing that will get rid of infections. If you catch it while it is still only in the redness stages, you won't end up with scarring from it.

Swelling

If the area around the piercing is unusually swelled for an extended period of time, there is a good chance it is infected. Follow the above advice about using antibiotics. Do not let the swelling continue for too long. Contact your doctor if it persists. Your doctor can give you a prescription strength antibiotic to help.

Puss

If you begin to see puss around the pierced area, you definitely have an infection. This must be taken care of immediately. Contact your doctor right away. This is when it can lead to scarring of the skin. If you let it go too long, you could end up in the hospital. Infections are nothing to mess with and there is only one way to get rid of it.

To avoid getting an infection to begin with, take care of the piercing after you get it done. Keep the area around the piercing clean by using alcohol. Avoid getting dirt anywhere near the piercing for a while after you have gotten the piercing done. The piercing might be attractive to you when it is the way it is supposed to be. When it gets infected, it becomes extremely ugly and it is dangerous. Take care of your body and it will take care of you.

Think hard before you get a piercing done. A piercing isn't quite as permanent as a tattoo because all you have to do is take the jewelry out and let it grow back in. If your piercing gets infected, it can become a permanent scar that will never look right again. Make sure you keep it clean.