Lip Piercing Infection

There are always some pros as well as cons of any kind of body art that you get done, especially in the case of body piercing. Most people who get a body piercing done are prone to developing an infection due to various reasons. Although the infection can be treated, it extends the time required for healing and in cases with severe infection, eventually ending up with jewelery being removed and the piercing closed. Also, the infection may take a long time to heal, depending on the area of the piercing and it may also be accompanied by severe pain and discomfort. Let us know some more about lip piercing infection, its cure and treatment.

Lip Piercing Infection
Lip piercing infection is one of the common types of infection associated with body piercing. Lip piercings are rather difficult to heal and also take more time compared to others because of the location of the piercing. Lip piercing infection is one of the major dangers of lip piercing and the infection can also spread to the teeth and the gums if not treated on time. Lip piercings can be infected by bacteria as well as virus of different kinds. Dealing with an infected lip could be quite difficult, so the best course of action would be to follow a lip piercing care routine and prevent lip piercing infection. Read more on lip and tongue piercings.

Lip Piercing Infection Signs
There are a number of signs and symptoms of lip piercing infection that can be used to identify an infected lip piercing.

• Severe, throbbing pain that has been persistent for more than 2 days. Swelling and redness at the location of the piercing.
• Irritation, burning and itching at and around the location of the piercing.
• Discharge from the area of the piercing accompanied by a foul smell and fever.
• Swelling of the lymph nodes of the neck.

All the above mentioned signs and symptoms of lip piercing infection should be taken seriously and should not be ignored. Treatment for the same should be administered without any delay to prevent the infection from spreading.

Lip Piercing Infection Treatment
The most important thing to avoid when you detect a lip piecing infection is to mess with it further. Do not try to touch it with your fingers, or squeeze out the discharge by yourself. The germs on your fingers can increase the infection and cause further damage. Also remember not to remove the jewelery just because the piercing is infected. Removing the jewelery will cause the infection to get trapped in the hole of the piercing and an abscess filed with puss form. For a lip piecing infection that is mild, use an antibacterial mouthwash or mix sea salt with water to rinse your mouth after every meal. The sea-salt solution will also help eliminate the discharge and crust that has formed around the piercing. To reduce and eliminate the pain and swelling, hold a warm compress to the pierced lip, twice a day. Ibuprofen will also help reduce the swelling and pain. If your lymph nodes start swelling up, it would mean that your infection has turned severe. In such a case, you should consult a doctor immediately, who will prescribe some antibiotic medication.

Lip Piercing Care
You will need to care for your lip piercing even after the infection has been cured. For this, make sure that you brush, floss, clean and rinse your mouth and jewelery at least twice a day, with an antibacterial mouthwash. Consume as much vitamins as possible to speed up the healing process. Avoid smoking and consuming alcohol until the piercing heals completely. Also avoid eating spicy food that can cause irritation to the lip piercing. Read more on lip piercing care.

For more information, you can refer to:

• Body Piercing Tips and Precautions
• Body Piercing Infections

Caring for the lip piercing is very essential to prevent and cure lip piercing infections. Make sure that you do the needful to heal and maintain you lip piercing.