Stage 2 of Piercing Healing: Inflammation
Once a scab is formed, the area remains swollen and may feel warm for up to 3 weeks. Reason being, the spleen is sending little fellas called monocytes to the area of injury where they join together like the Megazord (it’s a power rangers reference and that’s FINE) to form macrophages. “Macrophage” means “big eater” and their job is to munch up any cells or bits of gubbins that aren’t supposed to be there, break them down and reabsorb them. During the inflammation stage, the army is building but once everyone is assembled the roadways that are the blood vessels can chill and the swelling will go down.
With a gun: Well, since the body has already started trying to bleed and it can’t get out, it’s pretty likely to swell up and possibly bruise pretty quickly. That burning and stinging sensation Elanor felt after her gun piercing was her body trying to pump blood into the area and it not being able to escape, creating some sort of gross flesh-balloon. Additionally, the post is only 6mm long so there isn’t much room for swelling and the stud looks tight from the outset.
I expect the gun pierced ear to be more swollen than the needle piercing and worry a bit that the jewellery from the gun piercing might be too short and could start to embed.
With the needle: Using an 1.2x8mm labret means that not only is there room for blood to get out if it needs to but also, there is space for the ear lobe to swell. The titanium is inert so the body is able to crack on with healing it as if it’s not there at all.
I don’t expect much visible swelling on the needle pierced ear because it will be accommodated for by the jewellery so shouldn’t cause any further trauma.
One issue with the gun piercing could easily be that the shorter jewellery is too tight which causes further injury which causes more swelling which causes more trauma which causes more swelling and you see where this goes? Additionally, all that turning and cleaning is going to traumatise the area and make this all the more likely.
Definitely getting quite snug and the ear is looking red as the blood vessels remain active to try and address the injury. Which is causing more injury because there isn’t enough space on the bar!
Nothing much to report, Elanor says this one isn’t painful or swollen and is fine to sleep on.