Badly infected lip piercing.

Penny Tration

Query for a friend.

She got her lip pierced 3 weeks ago, and it's badly infected.

She's been doing sea salt soaks a few times a day, avoided alcohol, all that lark. She's got two other lip piercings and never had any trouble.

Anyway, it's so swollen now that the bar has been pretty much engulfed by skin, the ball is pressed right against her skin, tightly. Didn't help that the piercer used too short a bloody bar. She's also got blisters all over her mouth, inside and out. She's allergic to nickel and is worried she may have had a reaction, but got all her piercings in the same place.

So, doctor or piercer? Which should she go to, to have it removed? She doesn't know which to go to, and is panicking.

Thanks in advance, guys

osaurus

She will more than likely need to go to the doctor regardless for antibiotics. If she is running a temp straight to A&E.

Penny Tration

osaurus wrote: »

She will more than likely need to go to the doctor regardless for antibiotics. If she is running a temp straight to A&E.

I told her to go to the doctor anyway because from what I know of infections, she'll absolutely need an antibiotic, it's very bad.

No temperature, got her to check that earlier.

She just isn't sure if it should be removed by a piercer or a doctor. I know feck all about piercings, but have advised going to an out of hours doctor.

GarIT

green_screen wrote: »

She just isn't sure if it should be removed by a piercer or a doctor.

It's infected, she'd be mad to see anyone without a medical degree about it.

osaurus

green_screen wrote: »

I told her to go to the doctor anyway because from what I know of infections, she'll absolutely need an antibiotic, it's very bad.

No temperature, got her to check that earlier.

She just isn't sure if it should be removed by a piercer or a doctor. I know feck all about piercings, but have advised going to an out of hours doctor.

Can she take it out herself? Or can someone help removing it? Leaving it over night isn't going to help her at all.

Penny Tration

osaurus wrote: »

Can she take it out herself? Or can someone help removing it? Leaving it over night isn't going to help her at all.

Not a hope. It's completely covered by swollen skin in the inner lip, and jammed too tight against the swelling on the outer lip to unscrew the ball. A few of us have tried, just left her crying in pain.

She has nobody to mind her toddler at such short notice (I'm looking after my disabled mam tonight and the kid is terrified of ny dog, so I can't take her), so I'm bringng her down in the morning and have her doing more sea salt soaks til then.

Reiketsu

Too many sea salt soaks is as bad as none at all. I am also allergic to nickel. Despite the fact she has had all her piercings done in the same place, I would still think of that as a possibility. Nickel reactions can be horrendous. Definitely get her to see her doctor asap, even ring on Monday morning for an emergency appointment. Antibiotics will be needed by the sounds of it.