Getting a new piercing can be an exciting experience. However, not all piercings heal as planned. A rejected piercing is when a piercing doesn’t heal properly and the body starts to reject the jewelry as a foreign object. Rejection can happen with any piercing, but is most common with surface piercings on the face and body. Here’s what you need to know about rejected piercings and how to identify them.
What Causes Piercing Rejection?
Rejection occurs when the body sees the piercing as “foreign” and tries to force it out. This is a natural immune response and can happen for a few reasons:
- Poor placement – Piercings in high movement areas with thin skin are more prone to rejection. This includes surface piercings on the chest, hands, feet and certain ear cartilage piercings.
- Tension – Any tugging or pressure on the piercing can trigger rejection. Wearing tight clothing or bumping the area excessively can cause problems.
- Trauma – Blows or injury to a piercing makes rejection more likely. The sudden trauma can jumpstart the body’s immune response.
- Unsuitable jewelry – Low-quality metal jewelry containing nickel or improper jewel gauge may increase rejection risk.
- Oral health – Poor oral hygiene can lead to rejection of oral piercings. Same with smoking cigarettes.
- Health conditions – Certain disorders like diabetes or autoimmune diseases may increase likelihood of rejection.
Rejection happens slowly over time. The following signs indicate a piercing is not healing properly and may lead to rejection.
Signs of Rejection
- Redness/swelling – Mild redness and swelling is normal during initial healing, but should improve. If it persists or worsens, rejection may be starting.
- Green/yellow discharge – Yellow or green discharge (not normal healing lymph fluid) indicates infection which can trigger rejection.
- Crusting/scabbing – Some light scabbing can be normal around a new piercing, but heavy crusting indicates trouble healing.
- Bleeding/oozing – Bleeding that won’t stop or persistently oozing fluid points to tissue damage.
- Tenderness/pain – More than minimal soreness that lasts beyond the first week is a red flag.
- Red streaks – Red streaks coming from the piercing site mean bacteria has entered the body.
- Abscess – A pus-filled blister or abscess around the piercing is a sign of infection.
- Migration – If the piercing hole seems to be moving or getting bigger, it’s migrating and rejecting.
- Tissue damage – Thinning, tearing, or depressions in the skin around the piercing indicate the jewelry is eating away at the tissue.
The time frame for noticing rejection varies. It may happen quickly within the first month or gradually over several months. Pay close attention in the first 3-6 months for abnormal symptoms.
What Does Rejection Look Like?
Here are the visible signs as rejection progresses:
Early Stages:
- Redness and tenderness around the piercing hole
- Yellow/green discharge from the piercing
- Crusting and scabbing around the jewelry
Middle Stages:
- The hole enlarges and starts to migrate
- Jewelry may appear looser or start to sink into the skin
- Tissue damage becomes visible as thinning or tearing
Late Stages:
- The piercing hole enlarges dramatically and sinks further into the skin
- Jewelry eventually starts protruding from the skin as the hole tries to force it out
- A depressed scar may be left behind once jewelry exits the body
In the early stages, redness and discharge are seen around the piercing site. Over time, skin damage becomes noticeable as the hole stretches and tears. Finally, the hole becomes so big it can’t support the jewelry anymore and starts pushing it out.
Surface Piercings vs. Standard Piercings
Surface piercings have a higher risk of rejection than earlobe or other standard piercings. Here’s why:
Surface Piercings
- Placed relatively superficially in the skin
- Go through flat portions of the body instead of discreet folds/creases
- Prone to tension, friction and irritation from clothing
- More visible to immune system as foreign object
- Examples: Nape, sternum, hip, eyebrow, lip
Standard Piercings
- Penetrate thicker portions of the body with more tissue depth
- Nestled snugly into creases and protected areas
- Receive less tension and friction from movement
- Less visible to immune response
- Examples: Ear lobes, nostrils, septum, belly button
While any piercing can potentially reject, surface piercings are inherently more prone to migration and rejection issues.
Piercings Most Likely to Reject
According to professional piercers, these carry the highest risk:
- Eyebrow
- Hip surface
- Nape surface
- Navel (depends on placement)
- Nipple
- Rook
- Snug
- Anti-eyebrow
- Transverse lobe
- Dermal anchor
Factors like placement, jewelry style, movement, and individual anatomy also play a role in likelihood of rejection besides location. But these areas tend to have higher rejection rates.
Can a Rejected Piercing Be Saved?
If caught early, a rejecting piercing may be salvaged by:
- Switching to more suitable jewelry – Correct grade titanium flatback labret or barbell for example
- Treating infection with antibiotic ointment if present
- Reducing tension and irritation to the area – Wear loose clothing, don’t sleep on it
- Leaving jewelry in to stabilize – Taking it out may worsen the open wound
- Consulting a reputable piercer for their opinion on saving it
However, if the piercing is migrating quickly or there is considerable tissue damage, removal is usually the only option.
What Happens When a Piercing Rejects?
Here’s what you can expect if a piercing fully rejects:
- The hole will enlarge until the jewelry eventually starts poking out
- It may bleed heavily when the jewelry exits the body
- Pressure/cleaning is needed to stop the bleeding afterward
- An open wound will be left that requires regular cleaning to heal
- Once healed, a visible scar will likely remain
- The area should not be re-pierced until fully healed (if at all)
Although unsightly, a rejected piercing usually heals up fine if properly cared for after jewelry removal. However scarring is inevitable.
How to Prevent Rejection
These tips can help avoid rejection:
- Research placement thoroughly – Some anatomies are not suited for certain piercings
- Have it done by a reputable professional
- Avoid piercings prone to rejection if concerned
- Care for it diligently – Cleaning, not touching, etc.
- Wear proper jewelry type and gauge
- Avoid friction and bumps to area
- Check for early signs of rejection
- Consider a surface barbell instead of ring for some piercings
- Have patience – Some take over a year to fully heal
Proper placement and jewelry along with meticulous aftercare gives a piercing the best chance of healing without issue. Be aware that certain body areas have inherent risks.
Conclusion
While not extremely common, rejection remains a possibility with any piercing. Pay attention during the healing period for signs of trouble. Caught early, some may be salvaged by adjusting jewelry and caring for inflammation. But if significant migration occurs, removal is usually necessary to avoid further scarring. Although unsightly, rejected piercings tend to heal fine once stabilized. Be aware of locations more prone to rejection before getting pierced. And take steps to promote proper healing right from the start.
| Rejection Stage | Visible Signs |
|---|---|
| Early | Redness, discharge, crusting around site |
| Middle | Enlarging hole, jewelry sinks into skin, tissue damage |
| Late | Hole stretched dramatically, jewelry starts protruding out |
Piercings Most Prone to Rejection
- Eyebrow
- Surface hip
- Surface nape
- Navel
- Nipple
Tips to Prevent Rejection
- Research carefully
- Go to a reputable piercer
- Use proper jewelry
- Avoid knocks/friction to area
- Check for early signs of trouble
- Have patience, let it fully heal
Rejection happens when the body sees a piercing as “foreign” and tries to force it out. It’s the body’s natural immune response. Signs include persistent redness/swelling, pus, pain and migration of the hole. Surface piercings are most prone but any piercing can potentially reject. Caught early, some can be saved with better jewelry and care. But if the piercing hole is migrating significantly, removal is usually necessary. A rejected piercing will leave a visible scar once healed. Proper placement, jewelry and aftercare makes rejection less likely.