Getting a new piercing can be an exciting experience, but not everything always goes according to plan. One of the risks of getting pierced is the possibility of your body rejecting the piercing. But what does a piercing rejection feel like? And how can you tell if your piercing is being rejected?
What is piercing rejection?
Piercing rejection occurs when your body sees the piercing as “foreign” and tries to force it out. This is a natural response and can happen with any piercing. Rejection usually occurs within the first few weeks or months after getting pierced, but can sometimes happen years later.
Signs of rejection include:
- Redness, swelling, irritation, tenderness, or throbbing around the piercing site
- A bump or abscess forming near the jewelry
- Pus or unusual drainage coming from the piercing
- The jewelry feeling loose or starting to migrate
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to see your piercer or doctor. If the rejection is caught early, the piercing may be able to be saved by replacing the jewelry or using antibiotics. If the rejection is too severe, however, you may have no choice but to take the piercing out and let it heal.
What does rejection feel like?
So what does it actually feel like when your body starts rejecting a piercing? Here are some of the common sensations:
- Soreness: One of the first signs is tenderness, redness and swelling around the piercing. This can range from a dull throb to sharp pain whenever the area is touched.
- Burning: As the irritation progresses, you may feel a hot, fiery sensation around the piercing site. This burning indicates inflammation and your body’s attempt to expel the foreign object.
- Itching: Itching can occur as part of the inflammatory response. For some people, the area may itch intensely, especially if a rejection bump forms.
- Achy: Your body is essentially forming an abscess around the piercing, which leads to a deep, aching pain. This can make the area feel bruised and tender.
- Stinging: A more severe rejection can cause a stinging sensation, like you’ve been pricked with a needle. This stinging can come and go in waves.
- Throbbing: The piercing may start to throb as blood rushes to the area to fight the perceived infection. It may feel like no matter what you do, you can’t relieve the pulsing sensation.
- Sharp sting: When discharge starts to leak from the piercing, you may feel sharp, intermittent pains. This indicates the puncture wound is widening in an attempt to expel the jewelry.
In general, a rejecting piercing leads to pretty significant discomfort. The area is angry, inflamed and trying very hard to push out the foreign object that’s embedded there. Even light touching or bumping can cause jolts of pain. The intensity of the pain depends on the severity of the rejection response.
Pain level of rejection
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being extremely painful, most people report the pain of a rejecting piercing between a 4 to 8. However, this can vary based on:
- Location of the piercing – Rejections tend to be more painful in areas with less fatty tissue like ear cartilage vs. earlobes.
- Severity of the reaction – If your immune response is strong, the pain will likely be worse.
- Infection – A rejecting piercing is prone to infection, which amplifies pain.
- Individual pain tolerance – Some people have a higher threshold for pain.
At first, the pain may register as just mild irritation. But as your body steps up efforts to expel the piercing, the discomfort can reach searing, throbbing and stinging pain levels. Most people find that rejections cause significant soreness that makes sleeping on or bumping the area very painful.
Pain timeline of a rejecting piercing
Wondering when you’ll start feeling pain if your piercing begins rejecting? Here’s an approximate timeline:
- Days 1-4: Mild soreness and tenderness around the piercing.
- Days 5-10: Noticeable redness, swelling and throbbing. Pain when area is touched.
- Days 11-20: Increasing burning, itching and aching. Difficulty sleeping on the area.
- Days 21-30: Potential discharge, stinging and sharp pains. jewelry may start to migrate.
- Day 30+: Severe pain, abscess. Jewelry very loose or falls out. Needs medical treatment.
As you can see, the pain tends to gradually increase over time if left untreated. That’s why it’s important to have a reputable piercer evaluate any persistent discomfort so steps can be taken to reduce complication risks.
How long does the pain last?
If caught quickly, the pain of a piercing rejection may only last a few days to weeks. Prompt treatment like changing the jewelry or taking antibiotics can reduce swelling and allow the area to calm down.
However, if the rejection is more severe or you try to ignore the symptoms, the pain can last for months. And without intervention, the piercing will likely have to be removed completely. This means letting the wound heal and repiercing later on if desired.
After a rejection has run its course and you’ve removed the piercing, the pain typically goes away within a few days. Some residual soreness is normal as the puncture wound heals. Wearing loose clothing and using a saline spray can relieve post-rejection discomfort.
The bottom line is this: If your new piercing is hurting more than expected or not improving, get it checked ASAP. This gives you the best chance of saving it and avoiding prolonged pain.
Pain management for a rejecting piercing
Dealing with the ache of a rejecting piercing can be frustrating. Here are some tips to help manage the discomfort:
- Over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
- Cold compress on the area to reduce swelling.
- Warm compress to promote healing once initial swelling subsides.
- Saline spray or soak helps clean the area and draw out fluid.
- Avoid sleeping on the piercing or letting clothing rub it.
- Don’t touch, twist or fiddle with the jewelry.
- See your piercer promptly if symptoms persist or worsen.
With some TLC and avoidance of further irritation, you can manage discomfort until the piercing stabilizes or you can get it assessed. If pain levels become severe or you have signs of infection like fever, it’s important to get medical care.
Does taking out a rejecting piercing hurt?
If a piercing rejection is caught early, removing the jewelry often provides quick relief. At this stage, the tissue hasn’t been too damaged so pain levels are minimal.
However, if the rejection is advanced and an abscess has formed, removing the embedded jewelry can be extremely painful. Just the movement required to twist or pull out the piercing can be agonizing.
Significant swelling and scarring around the jewelry makes removal difficult. And draining the built-up pus once the jewelry exits can cause some pain too.
To minimize discomfort, it’s advisable to have a doctor surgically drain the abscess and remove the piercing. They will numb the area first and can prescribe antibiotics and wound care instructions.
If the tissue is damaged badly enough by rejection, the piercing may close up immediately after jewelry removal. Otherwise, some lingering pain is normal during the healing process. Be gentle with the area and keep it clean while the wound closes.
What helps piercing pain after removal?
Caring for the piercing site after removal helps reduce stinging and supports healing. Some go-to remedies include:
- Ice pack – Apply ice wrapped in cloth for up to 20 minutes to minimize swelling and post-removal aches.
- Warm compress – After 48 hours, switch to a warm compress to promote blood flow and speed healing.
- OTC medication – Ibuprofen or acetaminophen keeps discomfort in check.
- Saline spray – Rinsing with a saline solution keeps the area clean.
- Antibiotic cream – If prescribed by your doctor, apply as directed.
- Bandage – Covering the area protects it and absorbs drainage.
- Loose clothing – Avoid rubbing or irritation until fully closed up.
- Don’t re-pierce until healed – Give your body adequate time to recover.
With proper aftercare and cleaning, post-rejection piercing pain usually resolves within 1-2 weeks. Severe cases may take a month or longer to completely heal up. Listen to your body and avoid re-piercing the area until all discomfort has subsided.
Does a piercing close up if rejected?
A rejected piercing often closes up rapidly after the jewelry is removed. This is because the tissue has already started trying to force out the foreign object and close the puncture.
However, how fast it closes depends on factors like:
- Area pierced – Fleshy body parts like earlobes take longer than armpits or navels.
- Size of piercing – Larger gauges take longer to shrink.
- Duration pierced – Longer-healed piercings won’t close as quickly.
- Severity of rejection – Advanced cases usually seal faster.
- Scarring – Thick scar tissue may seal the opening.
- Aftercare – Gently stretching the piercing may delay closure.
A severely rejected piercing can begin closing within hours after jewelry removal. Mild cases may take weeks or months to fully close up. Either way, you should let the area heal completely before attempting to repierce it.
Can you repierce an ear after rejection?
It is possible to get your ear repierced after a rejection, but timing is important. You’ll need to wait until the tissue has fully healed before attempting to pierce it again.
For earlobes, waiting about 6 weeks allows the puncture wound to seal and swelling to resolve. Cartilage may take 3-6 months due to slower healing times.
Make sure the area feels back to normal before repiercing. Signs it’s ready include:
- No more pain, tenderness or irritation
- No more crusting or drainage
- No visible infection or swelling
- Scar tissue is flattened and smooth
Repiercing too soon risks another rejection, infection or scar tissue buildup. Be patient and let your body fully recover first. Discuss repiercing timelines with your piercer.
To boost repiercing success, have an experienced piercer do it, use implant-grade jewelry, keep the area clean, and avoid touching it. With proper aftercare, your re-pierced ear can heal smoothly.
Tips to prevent piercing rejection
While rejections can happen randomly, taking some precautions boosts your odds of piercing success:
- Get pierced at a reputable studio with fresh needles, not a gun.
- Choose implant-grade metals like titanium, niobium or 14+kt gold.
- Keep the piercing clean and dry while healing.
- Avoid trauma like bumps or playing with the jewelry.
- Wear proper jewelry shape and gauge for your anatomy.
- Don’t submerge in bodies of water until healed.
- Avoid irritants like cosmetics, bleach or hair products on the skin.
- See your piercer right away if you notice signs of rejection.
While you can’t prevent all rejections, taking these steps gives you the best shot at smooth healing. Be patient through the process and resist the urge to touch or change out the jewelry prematurely.
Conclusion
Having a piercing rejected by your body can be disappointing and painful. But catching it early improves your chances of being able to save it. Pay close attention for the first signs like soreness or redness so steps can be taken quickly to treat it.
The discomfort of a rejecting piercing ranges from irritating to agonizing depending on multiple factors. Pain management and a prompt piercing checkup are key to getting back on track. If removal is necessary, proper aftercare helps the area heal so you can get repierced once it’s ready.
While rejections can’t always be avoided, taking precautions like choosing a reputable piercer and high-quality jewelry will give you the best odds of success. And remember to listen to your body – it will let you know if something’s not right!