r/piercing • u/lbbhbean • 16h ago
Troubleshooting/question existing piercing oh boy help please
about 4 months old. horseshoe, i'm assuming externally threaded? not sure of the material but i'd say stainless steel. was previously cleaning with q tip and neilmed but now just spraying and drying with hair dryer on cold and touched it less. but since then it's actually gotten worseee, honestly started from touching it i think but ive been trying pretty hard not to touch it with dirty hands at least but it just seems to be getting worse
EDIT: i looked at the studio online, they use ASTM F136 titanium jewelry so that's my bad for just guessing what sounded right whoops
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u/devon07 16h ago
Start with good quality jewelry, implant grade titanium. Then no touching at all (clean hands or not), just sterile saline and keep dry, and no sleeping on it!
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u/lbbhbean 16h ago
wait i wrote stainless steel coz i thought it was the right one but im actually not sure, it might be titanium
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u/madness0102 16h ago
You should find out what’s in your body.
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u/lbbhbean 16h ago
yeah you right, the place i went to is very reputable so you'd think it'd be a good material? didn't get it done locally but probably worth getting it switched somewhere just in case
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u/Brichzyy 16h ago
My daithbumps looked similar to yours. I started drying with a clean tissue instead of the blow dryer. I noticed it stayed a bit wet even with the blow dryer. Sleeping with a piercing pillow. And really never touch it! It helped for me!
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u/Putrid_Magician178 15h ago
Just wanted to add I just recently removed a faith that was bumped just like in the photos (but the bigger bump was in my ear). Piercer told me the same thing, that when I get it re done to dry with clean gauzes instead of using a blow dryer.
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u/Ilovetodreamsomuch 7h ago
I also removed my daith coz it took me nearly 4 years and still didn't heal... So I decided to remove it in the end. When I touch it now I still feel something there, it's not just healed like the hole's closed. Anyways, not touching it and sleeping on it helps.
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u/Putrid_Magician178 7h ago
I removed mine pretty quick. It got a massive bump in my ear and was blocking my ear canal. If it wasn’t on the inside I would have tried to wait it out. I had to retire a lot of piercings due to build up and my piercing pillow failing me
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u/Silversn0w_ 13h ago
Same!!! Mine were even worse as the pics posted by OP but clean tissue worked better for me to dry it too! No rubbing just gentle dab(?) it dry :)
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u/alic6 15h ago
Can you explain how you dry it with a tissue without touching it? Or do you have to touch it to dry it? My bumps won’t go away and not touching them at all (only drying with a hair dryer) made the worse. But I feel like I can’t dry it/clean the big crusties properly without touching it.
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u/Brichzyy 15h ago
You indeed touch it a bit when drying it with a tissue. I sprayed with saline and dried it once a day. The real touching trouble I mean is more "playing" with it during the day
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u/alic6 15h ago
Okay yea that makes sense. I just see LITHA everywhere as being the best thing for it and I tried it and I feel like it made it worse. But maybe I took it too literally idk
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u/Putrid_Magician178 15h ago
Some people I think their ears clean better. For me using a blow dryer and just the saline I still have a lot of buildup, it just sticks to me. My piercer has me clean with gauzes gently after the saline now. They had to use forceps to remove some of the buildup it was so stuck on.
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u/whimsygoth_ 16h ago
I'm begging people to not put jewelry in or have piercers put jewelry in unless you know exactly what metal type the jewelry is first. If this is actually stainless steel, it's probably contributing because stainless steel isn't a good metal and a lot of people react badly to it. Since you don't know for sure, you should get it switched it out for a CBR that's confirmed to be implant grade titanium.
Also, the piercing is only 4 months old and bumps are pretty standard for a lot of piercings. I think this is more of a matter of patience and proper consistent aftercare more than anything.
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u/lbbhbean 16h ago
to be fair it's possible he told me and i just forgot. and yeah i know it hasn't been long but they're just so massive i haven't seen any that big before
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u/SmarmyLittlePigg 16h ago
Every reputable shop I’ve visited has listed the size and material of the jewelry installed in the exit paperwork. I’d take a look at yours.
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u/whimsygoth_ 16h ago
Then please be more cognizant because the metal type can literally make or break a piercing. I strictly do not ever put any jewelry in anymore if I don't know the metal type due to my metal sensitivities. Even long-healed piercings can experience issues after decades, so I simply don't risk it anymore. I have seen bumps like these on other people. If it gets worse, seek a second and third opinion from other reputable piercers.
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u/dubschloss 15h ago
Steel is a great material, actually. Steel does have naturally occuring nickel, but implant certified steel (ASTM F138) has such a thick chromium coating on it that does not leech out. If you're buying random jewelry, yes I would venture that titanium is safer than steel. But if you buy implant certified metals you have such a small chance to react to it, effectively titanium and steel are the same experience for 99% of people. Source: someone who works at an extremely busy, successful piercing studio that has been piercing with steel for over 30 years with a handful of people that actually react to steel. Every septum, daith, and nipple are done with steel unless requested otherwise.
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u/v0idness 12h ago
Curious why those 3 piercings in particular? Or was this just a non-exhaustive list?
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u/dubschloss 12h ago
Nostrils and most ear piercings we use press fit titanium pieces. Anything with a ring is steel. Nipples we use straight internally threaded barbells and they're also steel. Surface anchors are also titanium.
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u/doggaroo 2h ago
Came here for this comment. IMPLANT grade stainless steel is not the devil!!! It's a bit heavier and has a slightly different color to titanium as well; I prefer it in my large gauge piercings like my septum! Every material that's proper for healing piercings (titanium, steel, niobium, glass, gold, platinum) has its pros and cons. Just like types of jewelry (hoops, barbells, curves, threaded, threadless) have theirs.
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u/Monkeynuggetqueen 15h ago
NAP but I had bumps like this on my industrial. My peircer and I decided to take it out let it go down completely and try again. (I had my industrial repierced. First time I got it done had absolutely no issue what so ever) But if you wanna keep it in LITHA. Neilmed and blow dry. After showering tab with non woven cloth to help get loose crusties off. Use a peircng pillow when sleeping, no headphones of any kind in that ear and good luck
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u/collisionxcore 14h ago
NAP: I had these issues with my industrial and forward helix too. They healed fine, switched out the industrial with my piercer as recommended to a shorter bar but my forward helix was an on and off again problem child. My industrial would act up every so often too. After about the 6th month mark, I was annoyed enough with my bumps coming back that I moved them gently in the shower under water after I washed and conditioned my hair. I think after the initial healing phase, for me at least, my shampoo and conditioner was getting into the piercing and causing problems, since cartilage isn't considered fully healed for a year or more. My industrial is still a persnickety little thing and I have to make sure I rinse really well otherwise it'll flare up again.
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u/lbbhbean 16h ago
- 4 months old
- horseshoe
- externally threaded maybe
- assumed to be stainless steel
- neilmed + q tip
- spraying with neilmed and drying with hairdryer on cold
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u/dubschloss 15h ago
Rinse the saline off too. Salt left to dry on the skin can change your pH balance and the crystals can irritate the skin.
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u/hiikiikomorii verified piercer 6h ago
Hey! I’m thinking this guy should be removed. The piercing was done too deep and not in the fold where it should be sitting. The jewelry is also too small to accommodate swelling and not great quality. I’d let this heal and redone by a reputable piercer.
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u/lbbhbean 2h ago
hey if you get a chance please look at my recent post with a picture of it fresh to see the placement better and let me know if it is done wrong, thanks for the advice!
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u/lbbhbean 16h ago
UPDATE: i looked up the place and it is ASTM F136 titanium jewelry
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u/dubschloss 15h ago
I think the ring looks too small. See if they would upsize you. Also circular barbells (horseshoe style) can irritate the piercing because the balls can dig in when it rocks back and forth. A captive bead ring or a fixed bead ring would be more ideal.
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u/lbbhbean 15h ago
really, i don't know how to comment a picture of it fresh but my ear there is really swollen so i think it might just seem small but i don't think it is, but ill see a piercer anyways
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u/ImSecretlyAButterfly 14h ago
NAP, got my daith in March, and had these from month 2 until about two weeks ago now - so for about 3 months. I had a piercer suggest using q-tips/cotton buds to clean, but I think thats what caused it. I switched to nielmed only and dried with a hairdryer when I could, ditched all headphones, and slept with a piercing pillow every night, and it finally cleared up.
I completely understand the panic when this happens - I have been there myself! But it absolutely can clear up with proper care, so try not to worry too much. Prioritise letting it be: as little physical agitation as possible, whilst still keeping it clean. Best of luck!
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u/PiercethaHeavens 7h ago
As someone that struggled to heal their daith for close to two years. Don't use q-tips. Rinse it with warm water in the shower and use a blow dryer on cool setting. Avoid sleeping on it at all costs and avoid using earbuds. Your body will handle the rest.
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u/No-Professional-7697 7h ago
This is literally EXACTLY what happened to me and i fix it but i would definitely go to an APP piercer FIRST!! However, i went to my schools student health and this doctor drained it because there was some soft, pus fill tissue and he prescribed some antibiotics. i then took those and did a hot compress every night and it worked like a charm! please ask a piercer specifically how to do the compress tho because there are important steps and such that will ensure it does not get further irritated
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u/fijifilm 16h ago
Ditch the qtips. Neilmed and air drying only. Piercing pillow for sleeping
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u/lbbhbean 16h ago
i'm just worried if i air dry it will trap moisture?
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u/fijifilm 13h ago
You can use like a hair dryer but just don't touch it with anything, LITHA (leave it the hell alone) is the main strategy behind making piercing bumps go away.
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u/sunspotpea 16h ago
NAP but the only place you should have been using a q tip would be in your ear canal to get any leftover saline out- it’s better to let your piercing air dry. Q tips are not sterile and shouldn’t be used to dry your piercing at all.
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u/Few_Recording_7992 6h ago
mine looked JUST like this a few weeks ago, maybe even worse. i found that what has been keeping my bumps at bay is actually drying it with a q tip. my piercer told me that it’s usually a bad idea to use a q tip like that, but some nook and cranny piercings like daiths could actually benefit from it.
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u/never4getdatshi 1h ago
As someone who’s had both daiths pierced, this looks normal to me. Both mine went thru the same for a bit. I would encourage you not to over clean it (once a day max) and wait it out. As long as you’re not having signs of infection.
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16h ago
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u/lbbhbean 16h ago
hell na hurt too much to have it re-pierced
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u/LaaaaMaaaa 16h ago
I don’t think it should be taken out. Daiths are very common to have piercing bumps I’ve seen great success stories.
If it’s stainless steel then definitely change to titanium. Stainless steel is just a marketing name it can have all kind of crap in there ://
Stop cleaning with Q tip it can leave threads that add to the problem. Some people use clean folded gauze etc.
Definitely change jewellery to a quality one.
Get in touch with a good piercer (if it’s really stainless steel you’ve been pierced with then it’s not a good piercer)
Educate yourself and stay strong
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