AboutBrian Skellie Expertise I can answer questions in regards to and not limited to: jewelry safety, specifically material, shape, proportion, and related issues; aseptic technique and sterilization as it applies to piercing safety; ethical issues of technique and bedside manner; the aftercare and recovery process for piercings.
Experience
Past/Present clients
Tens of thousands of one on one client experiences. http://www.piercing.org/ Body jewelry design and safety expert: Member ASTM committee F04(www.astm.org)
Member AAMI (www.aami.org)
Research advisor and educator for the APP for over a decade(www.safepiercing.org) teaching advanced studio setup, sterilization and equipment management, freehand piercing, aseptic/sterile technique and much more.
Distributor for SciCan StatIM sterilization and cleaning products. http://www.piercing.org/statim/
Expert: Brian Skellie Date: 7/19/2008 Subject: lump on monroe piercing
Question i got a monroe piercing a week ago.. at first it was fine, then two days later i hurt it with my car door so i had to take it out because it was extremely ren and swollen..the next morning i put it back in and it was fine,, that night i felt it swelling up again so i decided i was gonna take it out and leave it out... the next morning i felt a lump..its not above my lip or in my mouth.. i feel it in between the skin...it doesnt hurt and there is no discharge but the bump has me worried.. is it an infection? should i leave it for a couple of days to see if it goes away and then go to the doctor?? what do i do???
Answer If the swelling and redness spread, or the sensation gets worse see a doctor. Go ahead and see a doctor anyway if you can, since you tend to damage a piercing by removal and reinsertion. The best thing to have done would have been to ice the area, and to see a professional to change the jewelry with sterile technique to a longer piece to allow for the swelling.
If you choose to reinsert, it may be possible for a professional to do it for you at this time. That may even help the situation by allowing you to clean out the wound more thoroughly.
