Ever gotten that piercing itch? And no, I don’t mean that desire for a new piercing. I mean a literal itch- ever notice your piercings are itchy sometimes during healing? Well this is a common part of the healing process, and also one that many clients ask and wonder about! So let’s chat about it!
Itching can be a very normal part of various wound healing processes, and there are a few different things that can cause it. First is physical itching, the sensation of itchiness because of something on your skin. With piercings, this is usually the result of crust or debris being built up near the piercing. You know how you can tell when you need to clean your ears because you can feel the ear wax, and it’s a mildly itchy or unpleasant sensation? This is very similar. You can feel that there is crust or secretion built up on your piercing, and it’s rubbing against the skin and making things feel itchy. I find this is most common on nostril, septum, nipple, and oral piercings where the more sensitive tissue and the high movement make any bit of buildup obvious to us. Thoroughly cleaning your piercing will usually soothe that itching sensation and everything will be back to normal. I’m a fan of taking a long hot shower, letting the water run over the area and soften any crust or debris, and then gently using a pointy makeup q-tip to remove it after the shower. Once the crust is gone, the itching should subside. The crust can also create a sharp or pinchy sensation when dragged into the channel of the piercing, coupled with the telltale itch. If you bump or move your jewelry and feel something sharp and stingy, it’s another sign there’s something built up that needs to be cleaned away.
Sometimes however itching is a result of our nerves. When skin is injured, nerve fibers in the area can become affected. Nerve irritation usually creates an itching or burning sensation, and this is incredibly common after surgical procedures. This can also occur during the healing of a body piercing. As things heal and as inflammation reduces, that itchy, tingly nerve feeling will go away as well. I personally find larger gauge piercings much more prone to this nerve-based itch, with large gauge lobes being notoriously itchy.
Keeping your piercing clean and following your aftercare guidance from your piercer will help reduce that sensation. I also find taking a nice hot shower will both get things clean and be a sensory distraction from the itching so you simply do not notice it as much. If you’ve cleaned the crust thoroughly and still feel that lingering, nerve-based itch, a shower may be helpful. While the itching can be annoying, it’s best to resist scratching as this can irritate the piecing or even cause you to snag jewelry or have it come out. A general guideline is it’s best to keep our hands off our piercings while they heal.
The good news is that wounds that itch are usually not a cause for concern. If the itching is coupled with other concerning symptoms like irritation, severe redness, or large amounts of secretions, I would suggest getting a checkup in person with your piercer. But if everything is looking and feeling fine, and it’s just itchy, that’s a normal part of the piercing healing process! Try not to scratch, and just leave your piercing alone. As it heals, itching will reduce. Happy healing!