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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Recurring Bump At The Place Of Piercing, Red, Swollen. Antibiotic Taken. Advise?

Hello,
I got my belly button pierced two years ago, and immediately took it out because I found out I was pregnant. I did get a stretch mark there and decided to cover it last month by getting it repierced. The first two weeks the piercing healed perfectly with me cleaning it two times a day with sea salt spray. All of a sudden, a bump appeared and I had it checked out by a doctor. She told me that the piercing itself was not infected, but gave me an antibiotic just in case. The skin on the bump died and peeled off leaving no evidence that there was a bump. Four days later it is back! I don't know what it could possibly be, and it is just a red, swollen bump. I don't know what else I can do for it to go down.
Tue, 2 Jul 2013
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Dermatologist 's  Response
Hi,
Thanks for posting your query to HCM.
As per your query you have recurring bump at the place of piercing which is red and swollen despite taking antibiotics.
After reading your query I can make out three best possible diagnosis "Recurrent infection" at the area. Any kind of swelling in skin area is almost always a sign of an infection. This might bacterial infection initially but later can be mixed infection. As the area is prone for friction so there are high chances of it to get irritated again and again. The open wounds caused by scratching are source for secondary bacterial infection and then yellowish or smelly discharge. Basically we need proper dose and schedule of antibiotics for the infection to be treated by proper oral treatment.
In between- kindly no self medications, no picking or scratching the belly button, wash the area with simple soap, and just clean the area with warm saline water and dry it completely with sterilized gauze multiple time of the day.

Hope to have provided the helpful informations regarding your problem
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD (Dermatology & STD/Venereology)
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Recurring Bump At The Place Of Piercing, Red, Swollen. Antibiotic Taken. Advise?

Hi, Thanks for posting your query to HCM. As per your query you have recurring bump at the place of piercing which is red and swollen despite taking antibiotics. After reading your query I can make out three best possible diagnosis Recurrent infection at the area. Any kind of swelling in skin area is almost always a sign of an infection. This might bacterial infection initially but later can be mixed infection. As the area is prone for friction so there are high chances of it to get irritated again and again. The open wounds caused by scratching are source for secondary bacterial infection and then yellowish or smelly discharge. Basically we need proper dose and schedule of antibiotics for the infection to be treated by proper oral treatment. In between- kindly no self medications, no picking or scratching the belly button, wash the area with simple soap, and just clean the area with warm saline water and dry it completely with sterilized gauze multiple time of the day. Hope to have provided the helpful informations regarding your problem Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia MD (Dermatology & STD/Venereology)