i know this is not necessarily a traditional oral piercing, but i figured this was the most appropriate place for my query.
i had my vertical labret done (at blackstar) almost two weeks ago, and it has been healing beautifully. i stopped cleaning it after 7 or 8 days, but have been rinsing it (basically just gently splashing with water, i guess) once or twice a day with warm water, just to remove the crusty buildup. which brings me to my question: is it normal for crusties to be forming this late into the healing process? there were no issues with crustiness until maybe 4 or 5 days ago. also the area around the lower hole is slightly red, but does not feel hot or itchy. i will come into the shop to have you take a look at it very soon; i'm just waiting to get over this dreadful cold i've been suffering.
Dry skin tends to develop microscopic cracks, which will allow opportunistic bacteria to gain access to the underlying tissues. Your natural defenses will respond with a slight inflammation, and crusties will form on the jewelry. In most such cases, moisturizing the skin around the piercing will prevent further cracking, and the problem will correct itself.
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