Take it out or leave it in?

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Wednesday February 13th, 2008 @ 4:28 AM

Filed under: Navel

I have my navel pierced since february last year, it’s still not healed, there is no sign of infection, no redness or anything else, but there is a small amount of withish liquid that comes out of it, I do think it’s lymph but I’m not sure, it does smell bad, I put vitamin E on it and it looked fine but juste for a couple of hours (maybe 6) I put H2Ocean on it two or three times a day since maybe a month. Finally my question is do you think it might me some kind of infection? and should if so do you have any treatment plus, if it’s not an infection should I take it out, let it heal and re-pierce it at another time?

sorry if there is any mistake my writting in english is not that good.

Whitish fluid is most definitely skin cells, body oils,etc what is most commonly referred to as “lymph”…It is often common especially with lower quality materials…Do you happen to know anything about the jewelry you have currently? What metal type is it? Is it Externally Threaded (Ball screws onto post) or Internally Threaded (ball screws into the post)?

Without seeing it in person I can only assume its just lymph and nothing to be concerned about. If anything however instead of just spraying it with a saline solution you should actually soak it to flush the pathway out.

But I will definitely say I doubt there is any infection present or anything like that. As with infection there is usually inflammation (redness, swelling,etc)

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9 Responses to “Take it out or leave it in?”

My navel piercing is only 3 months old and it shows the same symptoms plus the skin is red over the path of the bar under the skin. It have also migrated quite a bit. I have Wildcat externally threaded 16mm long titanium curved barbell in it, the same it was pierced with, I never took it out. Should I be worried?
Did anyone else have anything like this?
Thanks in advance!

Babysitter on February 13th, 2008 at 1:11 pm

They said “whitish fluid” and I’d call lymph more yellowish, and they also said it smells bad. Sounds like pus =(

Xenobiologista on February 13th, 2008 at 8:40 pm

Babysitter: Without seeing it in person or a photograph its really hard to produce any answers for you.

I will say I am not a fan of Externally Threaded jewelry and personally, not a fan of WildCat’s polish or anything.

I will say your statement that it is 16mm long is quite interesting as most piercers will usually pierce anywhere from 8m (5/16), 10mm (3/8) and at longest 12mm (1/2″)… So 16mm to me just sounds a bit long…Also know that the redness over the path of the bar is not a good sign and is often a sign of rejection/migration…I would strongly encourage you to go to a reputable and knowledgeable piercer to assess the situation in person.

Xenobiologista: There is Lymph which is indeed more yellowish but as the majority of piercers will explain: Clear, Milky White, Yellowish discharge is not uncommon and can and will often occur, especially when lower quality materials are being used.

Also “smell bad” can be a lot of things…For example the ever putrid oder of “piercing cheese” which often just doesn’t occur with ear lobes, it occurs in ALL piercings. (personally I find it the worse in nostril and septum piercings)

One can argue that what the individual is experiencing is Sebum (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-sebum.htm) which is also a natural body occurance.

Warren Hiller on February 14th, 2008 at 12:14 am

I know Wildcat is not the best but in Hungary that is the best you’ll get. All studios use that or some Asian crap. Do you think that ordering some high-end jewelry and having it changed by a piercer would help the problem? It is looking better lately but definitely not the best. I’m certainly going to see my piercer sometimes soon so he can check it in person.

Babysitter on February 15th, 2008 at 1:05 pm

Babysitter: Potentially switching it out to some higher quality materials (fyi: Industrial Strength IS selling within Europe now, via a European distributor) and just make sure your piercer KNOWS you demand the highest quality materials and not just mid-level market jewelry or worse.

Jewelry that meets ASTM standards and that has an immaculate mirror finish is essential to a healing piercing.

However I think there’s more problems involved then just the jewelry…The length and the red line you were explaining,etc…Is it possible for you to take a good crisp clear high quality photo of the piercing to show?

Warren Hiller on February 15th, 2008 at 9:03 pm

That “red line of doom” is almost certainly rejection, for whatever reason - you may not be suited for the piercing anatomically, it may not have been placed well, it could have been the jewellery, or any combination thereof. But if it’s migrated significantly, it’s pretty hard to stop that - personally, I’d say take it out, let it well and truly heal up and then treat the scar tissue with Mederma for 3-6 months, and consult with a better piercer about the possibilities of having it re-done if you’re hell-bent on it.

Lori St.Leone on February 16th, 2008 at 1:21 am

I inspected the jewelry closely (didn’t take it out) and found some scratches on the bar… my IS jewelry was ordered and it should be here in 2 weeks. I couldn’t manage to take any clear pictures, sadly. I’m trying to take some tomorrow again when I will have sunlight again.

Babysitter on February 20th, 2008 at 4:44 pm

Babysitter at least you will soon have proper quality jewelry…However like Lori stated that red line is not a good thing, and as she said rejection might already be occuring…No doubt from the fact of having a 16mm long piece of jewelry in your navel instead of a 10mm or 12mm one. Also like Lori said you might just not be anatomically suited for a navel piercing.

A photo can help but I really prefer analyzing navels in person as I take the client through a little song an dance routine with inspecting their navel (stand up, sit down, lay down,etc,etc,etc)

Warren Hiller on February 21st, 2008 at 8:51 pm

I see. I’ll try my best to keep it but if I see any further sign of rejection, I’ll take it out :,( It is a bit unfair that I know people who healed navel piercings ,self done with a safety pin and cheap jewelry, in a month and here I am, done by a piercer with supposedly good jewelry (turned out it really wasn’t…) and after three months I might lose it. Anyway, what in life was ever fair?

Babysitter on February 22nd, 2008 at 5:25 pm

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My navel piercing is only 3 months old and it shows the same symptoms plus the skin is red over the path of the bar under the skin. It have also migrated quite a bit. I have Wildcat externally threaded 16mm long titanium curved barbell in it, the same it was pierced with, I never took it out. Should I be worried?
Did anyone else have anything like this?
Thanks in advance!
Babysitter on February 13th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
They said “whitish fluid” and I’d call lymph more yellowish, and they also said it smells bad. Sounds like pus =(
Xenobiologista on February 13th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Babysitter: Without seeing it in person or a photograph its really hard to produce any answers for you.

I will say I am not a fan of Externally Threaded jewelry and personally, not a fan of WildCat’s polish or anything.

I will say your statement that it is 16mm long is quite interesting as most piercers will usually pierce anywhere from 8m (5/16), 10mm (3/8) and at longest 12mm (1/2″)… So 16mm to me just sounds a bit long…Also know that the redness over the path of the bar is not a good sign and is often a sign of rejection/migration…I would strongly encourage you to go to a reputable and knowledgeable piercer to assess the situation in person.

Xenobiologista: There is Lymph which is indeed more yellowish but as the majority of piercers will explain: Clear, Milky White, Yellowish discharge is not uncommon and can and will often occur, especially when lower quality materials are being used.

Also “smell bad” can be a lot of things…For example the ever putrid oder of “piercing cheese” which often just doesn’t occur with ear lobes, it occurs in ALL piercings. (personally I find it the worse in nostril and septum piercings)

One can argue that what the individual is experiencing is Sebum (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-sebum.htm) which is also a natural body occurance.
Warren Hiller on February 14th, 2008 at 12:14 am
I know Wildcat is not the best but in Hungary that is the best you’ll get. All studios use that or some Asian crap. Do you think that ordering some high-end jewelry and having it changed by a piercer would help the problem? It is looking better lately but definitely not the best. I’m certainly going to see my piercer sometimes soon so he can check it in person.
Babysitter on February 15th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Babysitter: Potentially switching it out to some higher quality materials (fyi: Industrial Strength IS selling within Europe now, via a European distributor) and just make sure your piercer KNOWS you demand the highest quality materials and not just mid-level market jewelry or worse.

Jewelry that meets ASTM standards and that has an immaculate mirror finish is essential to a healing piercing.

However I think there’s more problems involved then just the jewelry…The length and the red line you were explaining,etc…Is it possible for you to take a good crisp clear high quality photo of the piercing to show?
Warren Hiller on February 15th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
That “red line of doom” is almost certainly rejection, for whatever reason - you may not be suited for the piercing anatomically, it may not have been placed well, it could have been the jewellery, or any combination thereof. But if it’s migrated significantly, it’s pretty hard to stop that - personally, I’d say take it out, let it well and truly heal up and then treat the scar tissue with Mederma for 3-6 months, and consult with a better piercer about the possibilities of having it re-done if you’re hell-bent on it.
Lori St.Leone on February 16th, 2008 at 1:21 am
I inspected the jewelry closely (didn’t take it out) and found some scratches on the bar… my IS jewelry was ordered and it should be here in 2 weeks. I couldn’t manage to take any clear pictures, sadly. I’m trying to take some tomorrow again when I will have sunlight again.
Babysitter on February 20th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Babysitter at least you will soon have proper quality jewelry…However like Lori stated that red line is not a good thing, and as she said rejection might already be occuring…No doubt from the fact of having a 16mm long piece of jewelry in your navel instead of a 10mm or 12mm one. Also like Lori said you might just not be anatomically suited for a navel piercing.

A photo can help but I really prefer analyzing navels in person as I take the client through a little song an dance routine with inspecting their navel (stand up, sit down, lay down,etc,etc,etc)
Warren Hiller on February 21st, 2008 at 8:51 pm
I see. I’ll try my best to keep it but if I see any further sign of rejection, I’ll take it out :,( It is a bit unfair that I know people who healed navel piercings ,self done with a safety pin and cheap jewelry, in a month and here I am, done by a piercer with supposedly good jewelry (turned out it really wasn’t…) and after three months I might lose it. Anyway, what in life was ever fair?
Babysitter on February 22nd, 2008 at 5:25 pm

Take it out or leave it in?

«« trouble Septum Blow-Out? »»

Wednesday February 13th, 2008 @ 4:28 AM

Filed under: Navel

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9 Responses to “Take it out or leave it in?”

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