I took my belly ring out almost 3 years ago, and last night it had gross white puss coming out the bottom, and black out the top. Its very much like a big zit, smells bad....ewwww! I squeezed out as much as I could, and today its red and swollen.
Has this happened to anyone else? How did this happen? Shouldn't it have closed up by now? I've just been cleaning it with soap and water, any other recommendations? Going to the Dr isn't an option yet, I have a $50 co-pay, and want to try to treat it on my own first.
TIA!
thanks everyone for the great advice.
I used sea salt and tea tree oil and the redness went down right away. Now, a few days later, it's right back to normal. It was good to hear that this has happened to others. Gross for sure...if I had known this would be an issue years after taking it out....I may not have ever gotten it done. I always felt it was annoying anyway...sigh...guess it's one of the hard knock lessons!
thanks again everyone for your great advice!
Hot pack it, and then put neosporin (or OTC triple antibiotic cream) on it. Do that 2 or 3 times a day.
Try some sea salt. That's what I was told to use on mine when it got infected. You get the salt wet and make a sort of paste. Apply it to the top and bottom of the hole and leave it on as long as it will stay on. You could probably use a band aid to keep it on, but I never did. You might want to do it a few times a day. If it's not cleared up in a few days, or you start to get a fever, I'd go see the doctor.
It sort of sounds like something icky got in there. The sea salt should help.
Good luck !
The "gross white puss" is millions of white blood cells that died fighting an infection. The black stuff may be dried blood.
I would use hydrogen peroxide. Don't get it on your clothes. It stains. Put some on a cotton ball and tap the site. The hydrogen peroxide will bubble as it works. After you've thoroughly cleaned it put a band aid over it. Belly button lint is full of germs.
ADD: I forgot to mention a fever. Cheryl O. is right. If you have a 99 degree fever (98.6 is normal), no problem. If it reaches over 99.1 or 99.2, bite the bullet and see your doctor. DON"T take your temperature after drinking hot coffee or cold water. It throws the reading off.
Good luck to you and yours.
I agree with 8KidsDad....
Hydrogen Peroxide...keep it dry afterwards...you can use alcohol on it as well. The alcohol will dry itself, apply neosporin and put a band-aid over it to keep your pants from rubbing it raw and open again..if you have a fever today or within the next 24-48 hours - suck it up and get to the Dr with the co-pay - you could be fighting more than just a site infection...the body can do some pretty miraculous stuff but it can also do some pretty nasty stuff!!
The smell is your body fighting the infection as well as any debris left from the soap and water...
GOOD LUCK!!
Sounds like an abscess or a boil.
If it is an abscess, you're going to need antibiotics at least, and surgery in the worst case.
$50 is well worth it to save your life.
http://www.ehow.com/how_###-###-####_treat-infected-belly...
Hydrogen peroxide can assist draining the pus.
You want to be careful with an infection in this area because "some infections can be fatal. A systematic infection is when bacteria and toxins have spread throughout your body through your bloodstream. Take any infection seriously and know that it may not clear up by itself."
What came out is the same stuff, only more, that will come out of a pierced ear if you haven't wore earrings in a while. it is just dead skin, like a zit.
Thing is with all that gunk in there the skin on the inside gets moist so when you remove the gunk the tender skin is exposed.
Sea salt should work and any piercing doesn't always close up. I haven't worn earrings in my top holes since I was sixteen so so over 25 years. The holes are still there and if I wanted to I could still wear earrings.
Oh and yes, it happens every time I put on earrings. I don't wear them but maybe once or twice a year.
I would use hydrogen peroxide because it sounds infected. When you're getting dressed in the morning, put some Neosporin on it. If it doesn't get better in a couple of days, check with your doctor to make sure it's not something serious.
Maybe try a little tea tree oil or dilute raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar with water and put on cotton balls. You can GOOGLE the benefits of tea tree oil or organic raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar.
OMG! the same exact thing happened to me just this week. It was SO gross but I don't think you need to worry about getting to a doctor. Just make sure it's clean - swab it with rubbing alcohol, maybe some neosporin and it will heal. I think I took my ring out almost 10 years ago. What gets caught in there is soap scum and skin cells and if you don't give it some weekly or monthly attention in the shower, it will get gunky and fester. take care!
If you develop a fever, get to the doc ASAP!!
Those things never really heal... and it's summer, you've got sweat and grim in places you wouldn't BELIEVE right now!
My husband used to have ONE of his nipples pierced (um, LOL, big man is covered in tattoos but was too wussy to have both pierced... that's okay, I don't like piercings)... but he took the one out when we met (again, don't like them!)... well 4 years later, he decided to try to put something in there, and it went in all right... and brought out a bunch of stuff that's been sitting in there!
EWWWWWWWWWW!!
I am so terrified of piercings it's not even funny!! Tattoo me all day, but keep the piercing gun far, FAR AWAY!!
Use hydrogen peroxide and keep it clean and dry. If you get a fever, seriously, get your butt to the doc for antibiotics to help fight the infection.
8 years later mine never healed and still gets white stuff in there. i guess it's just what happens. i have not gone to the doctor no fever just annoyance i guess
Does it hurt at all? Because I have the same thing happen with my earring holes. I rarely wear earrings because I have too many holes I'm not allowed to fill at work, my daughter used to pull on them, and it became a hassle, and I have the same problem with my earring holes. I even asked about it on mamapedia and got some good advice. They'll get that white puss even when I haven't put any earrings in in months. I've taken to "popping" them every so often like a zit. Here was my question:
Mines been out that long too and while I can tell it's basically closed up I'll still get little nasties in there sometimes.. It's always either the top or bottom though because, like I said, mine's mostly closed. Drain it and use alcohol to disinfect.. if you can bathe with dial soap (they have bars and gels) it's antibacterial and since I've been using that it never happens.
i know this is going to sound disgusting BUT i had multiple piercings prior to mommy days... and the belly button top and bottom were done... well now 10 years later, i still squeeze white puss from both prior piercing sites.. not like pouring out puss but a little bit.. and you can feel the hard little ball of tissue inside just like in your ears... and after a good squeeze it does stay red for like a day... i wouldnt be alarmed. sounds normal even though gross. if it starts hurting or is reddened longer than just after being squeezed then yes may be an infection... :)
Get some disinfectant from the pharmacy. I use medicated tea tree a lot for skin conditions and infections, and i find it works very well.
I pierced my eyebrow in june of 1996. i took it out in september of 1996 because the whole time I had it, it was swollen and infected. As soon as swelling and infection went away it got taken out. I still (15 years later) can squeeze both holes every couple of weeks and get out puss just like popping a zit. I have asked it there is any way to get rid of the holes cuz you can still see them plain as day and they said the only way to get rid of them would be to pierce it again with a bigger gauge. Since it took so long to heal the first time, I have so far decided it is not worth it. I would use antibacterial soap, hydrogen peroxide and neosporin and it should take the pink and soreness away.
Best of luck!!
