Piercing Healing Problems in 2025: What’s Normal, What’s Not, and When to See a Piercer

A common piercing bump on a flat—often caused by pressure, sleeping on it, or minor irritation. Usually reversible with proper care.

If you've been googling things like Is my piercing infected or just irritated?, How do I treat a piercing bump?, or Can jewelry get stuck in my skin?, you're not alone. In 2025, these are some of the most frequently asked questions we hear at Thistle Piercing in Salem—and we want to help clear things up in a calm, informative way.

While piercings do come with healing challenges now and then, most issues are minor, common, and completely reversible. Here's what to know about the most searched piercing healing problems, based on years of professional experience.

Piercing Healing Problems: Is It Infected or Just Irritated?

This is the #1 question we get. Irritation and infection can look similar, but there are some key differences:

Irritation:

• Redness and swelling localized to the piercing

• Mild tenderness

• Dryness or crusting around the jewelry

Infection (which should be evaluated by a medical professional):

• Spreading redness or streaks

• Pus (yellow/green and foul-smelling)

• Hot to the touch

• Fever or general unwellness

Our Suggestion: Most issues we see are irritation-related, often caused by pressure, snags, or improper jewelry. Stop by our studio (or a reputable piercer near you) so we can assess and offer a solution like a jewelry change, better fit, or cleaning tweaks. If we suspect an infection, we may refer you to a doctor.

Are Keloids a Common Piercing Healing Problem?

True keloids are rare. Most bumps that clients think are keloids turn out to be hypertrophic scarring or irritation bumps.

Keloids:

• Thick, raised, and extend well beyond the piercing site

• Often genetic and not directly caused by piercing

Hypertrophic Scarring:

• Smaller, dome-like bumps near the piercing

• Common and usually temporary

Our Suggestion: If you have a bump, don’t panic. We suggest a visit to assess it. Many irritation bumps respond well to downsizing jewelry, switching to higher-quality materials, or topical treatments like warm saline soaks or hot compresses

. We’ll always walk you through what we’ve seen work best.

A rose gold prong holds this dreamy trillion-cut labradorite—subtle flash, bold shape, and soft warmth all in one.

Embedded Jewelry: A Piercing Healing Problem That Needs Quick Attention

Jewelry embedding can happen when:

• The post is too short for swelling

• The piercing is slept on excessively

• The jewelry shifts during healing

Our Suggestion: Do not try to remove embedded jewelry yourself. Instead, come in as soon as possible. A professional piercer can often safely remove it and suggest a better-fitting piece to avoid future issues. This is typically fixable if caught early.

Piercing Bumps: One of the Most Common Piercing Healing Problems

Piercing bumps are incredibly common, especially on cartilage and nostril piercings. They can be caused by:

• Sleeping on the piercing

• Snagging or trauma

• Improper jewelry size or angle

Our Suggestion: We’ve had great success helping clients reduce or eliminate bumps with:

• A jewelry check and possible downsize

• Sterile saline soaks or compresses

• Avoiding pressure or sleeping on the area

Most bumps are a normal part of the healing journey. With the right care, they often go away on their own or with minimal help.

When in Doubt, Come See a Piercer About Your Piercing Healing Problems

While Google is a great tool, nothing replaces an in-person look from an experienced piercer. At Thistle Piercing, we see these issues every day and can usually offer a quick, simple fix. If you’re not near us, we recommend seeking a reputable, high-quality studio in your area. And remember: while we can’t offer medical advice, we can guide you based on years of professional piercing experience.