How To Get Rid Of A Piercing Bump

For the most part, body modifications come at a price — and we're not just speaking in monetary terms. Yes, you pay top dollar to get the finest experts and best hands to perform the beautification you desire, whether body art or piercings. But if you think that's all there is to it, you may be in for a bit of shock. 

Many times, you need a recovery period, some time to adjust to the alteration made on your body. This process can be quite difficult and uncomfortable. If you've gotten a piercing, for example, you may experience a piercing bump, which is a particularly common occurrence after a cartilage piercing, such as on the nose and the outer part of your ear (via News Medical).

Piercing bumps are usually harmless things (via Byrdie) that are incidental to the healing process your body initiates after its been altered. Most times, these bumps will disappear on their own, but to leave the process completely to nature may be a little risky, as it may result in serious infections.

Piercing bumps go away faster when you do the following

Hygiene is the key. As a rule of thumb, you want to make sure that you're always maintaining hygienic practices, such as keeping dirty hands off the area of the piercing (via Inverness Corp). This helps prevent any infection or irritation from worsening the situation.

It is also advised that you leave your jewelry in the piercing for at least six weeks. Your choice of jewelry also matters, as the wrong one could impede the healing process if it is either not the right size or if it is made of inferior-quality materials (via Byrdie.) A visit to your local piercing studio should help sort this out, as the professionals there will have an idea of what's best for you. Do not hesitate to reach out to a doctor if you feel more comfortable having an actual medical professional check things out for you.

A solution of warm saline water and soap will do a great job of soothing the area and help move the healing process along. But never use your towel to clean the piercing after a bath, per Medical News Today, because towels can introduce bacteria to the piercing and do more damage than good. Nor should you cleanse with alcohol, as that slows down the healing process (per Healthline).