Lip piercing has been practiced since the ancient times in various places as a custom and became a fashion trend in recent times. For some people, body piercing is a symbol of attraction, but it has its own pros and cons. Individuals who had body piercings, especially the lip piercing have suffered infection that is easy to treat, but if the infection is severe, it takes time to heal and the person has to remove the jewelry and the piercing should be closed.
The infection is accompanied by soreness and pain. Among the various types of body piercings, lip piercing is more susceptible to infection because it is close to the mouth which holds various bacteria. Lip infection is one of the problems of lip piercing and can spread to other body parts such as the teeth and gums if not properly treated immediately.
Oftentimes, the lip infection can be caused by using unsterilized tools for piercing the lips. Lip piercing infection is difficult to manage because of its location and the lips takes some time to heal unlike with others parts of the body.
Causes of lip piercing infection
- Infection begins when bacteria enter the pierced area of the lip. Take note that it is near the oral cavity, thus there is a high risk of infection since the mouth contains plenty of bacteria that can easily enter into the pierced area of the lip.
- Low immunity of the individual
- Poor oral hygiene
- Regular contact with the studs without proper hand washing
- Cleaning the pierce site of the lips using contaminated cloth
- Avoid eating foods and drinks that contains yeast such as bread, wine and beer.
Symptoms of lip piercing infection
- There is redness and inflammation of the affected area
- The lip becomes swollen and red
- The affected area becomes irritated and begins to itch and burn
- After a day or two, a fever may develop
- Swollen neck lymph nodes
- Severe pain in the affected area and becomes worse that last for more than two days.
- Pus or discharge which can be foul smelling on the affected area.
- There is difficulty in eating and chewing.
Treatment and home remedies of lip piercing infections
- Avoid squeezing the pus or discharge from the infected area.
- Avoid removing the jewelry since there is a high risk of developing an abscess and can delay the process of healing.
- Mix sea salt in a cup of warm water and rinse the mouth with this solution at least three to four times in a day, especially after every meal. Use sea salt solution to remove the crusts and debris that form around the area.
- The individual can also use an antibacterial mouth wash.
- Use a gentle toothbrush when brushing the teeth and avoid getting food particles lodge inside the pierced area.
- Suck or chew crushed ice since helps in reducing inflammation and pain.
- Stop drinking alcohol and avoid smoking since they can delay the healing process.
FACT CHECK
https://www.healthline.com/health/infected-lip-piercing