New Piercing Itching, Bleeding, Crusty: Allergy or Just Healing?

I've received a lot of questions from people telling me that they're new piercing is itchy and crusty or bleeding. Some of them have asked whether it was due to an allergic reaction or if it was normal during healing. Here's my answer:

While there is a possibility that your piercer may have used a type of jewelry that you might be allergic to, it's extremely uncommon for a professional piercer to use jewelry types that are not hypoallergenic (extremely unlikely to cause an allergic reaction), particularly in new piercings. Generally, a professional piercer will use stainless steel as it will not deteriorate in your piercing socket or cause an allergic reaction. Itching in and around a new piercing site is not highly uncommon unless it come in combination with a rash, in which case I recommend immediately consulting your piercer about having the jewelry switched as the one used on you is likely nickel-containing and is causing you an allergic reaction. If there is NO rash present, your issue is probably quite simple but can be caused by a few different things:

In general, itching is usually sign of healing. Often, it doesn't start until a few days after your body suffers the trauma of the new wound (in this case a piercing) but as your body attempts to heal itself it can cause the sensation of itchiness that can sometimes be difficult to resist scratching. There are ways to lessen the discomfort though.

First of all, avoid overcleaning it as this can cause the site to dry out, causing the skin to crack and sometimes itch or bleed. Don't use harsh cleaning solutions, especially ones with alcohol. If using a sea salt solution for cleaning, consider using slightly less sea salt in the solution. Don't clean more than twice or so per day unless you absolutely have to (ie: if your day consists of spending time in a dirty environment that can't be avoided). As long as the site is staying clean and healthy, there's no need to excessively mess with or clean it.

Crusties are also common during healing as your body excretes fluid in order to help it heal. As long as the fluid is primarily clear in color with no heavy bleeding or greenish or yellowish pus, don't worry! Just try not to pick the crusties off as this can cause bleeding, scarring, delayed healing, and potentially lead to infection as well. If you must remove the crusties, make sure you do it when the area is moist, the crusties are soft, and your hands are clean. You don't want to tear your new skin! In the shower, when the crusties are softened from the moisture, is the best time to gently wipe them away if you must remove them. Be sure not to touch the piercing site with dirty hands and don't move the piercing excessively when it's healing, especially when it's dry.

As for the blood, as long as it stays to a minimum and you're not noticing signs of infection such as fever, extreme pain, excessive redness or swelling that doesn't go down, or green or yellow pus, just keep treating the piercing normally, cleaning a couple of times per day as instructed, avoiding excessive contact with the piercing, and keeping an eye on it. As the piercing heals, the itching, crusties, and bleeding should all decrease and eventually go away completely!