Hello.

I recently got my lip pierced a few months ago and it hasn't really caused me any problems.

but last night it was pretty inflamed and was kind of swelled. so i decided to replace my regular ring with my retainer, except my retainer would not go in, after almost an hour of trying to push it through i admitted defeat and gave up.

in the afternoon i noticed a rather large lump where the ring had gone through, its circular like a marble and is pretty hard.

i was just wondering if this is an abcess or scar tissue or ???, and if i should go to the doctors to get it checked out.

thank you.

-shawn

Hello Shawn

It appears that you developed an infection. These kind of infections normally heal if kept clean but a scar may form. Please see you doctor about it. I would not advice a stud anywhere in your body. Your body wasn't designed for studs and the mouth is more prone to infections as food/teeth would knock against a stud either damaging the teeth or starting off an infection - saliva is not sterile!

Take care.

Best wishes
Vinod

Hello. I was in a whitewater rafting accident at the beginning of Nobember (Nov 5) and I had to receive stitches, 3 on the ouside of my bottom lip (which split open) and 2 on the inside of my bottom lip. I was given a Z-pack for 3 days and a Tetanus shot at the ER, along with the stitches. My lip was so horribly swollen that I went to the doctor at my college and they gave me prednisone to reduce the swelling but said there was no infection, so I took that for the allotted # of days and they kept telling me my lip was not infected. It's now been more than a month and I have a pretty big hard ball of fiber in my bottom lip, and it's now starting to form a kind of ridge along the inside, along with some bubbling and blistering occassionally, although there is no pus or dark red color. It really hurts even when I push my lip softly against my teeth. What could this be? Could there be a stitch still in there? Could it just be scar tissue, and if so, how can I remove it without surgery? Could it be something entirely different??? Please let me know.

Hello Amymimi

It is probably scar tissue. It will soften with time but you may always be able to feel the healed scar tissue within. Do see your doctor who should be able to advise you.

Best wishes
Vinod