CHANGING, REMOVING, or LOSS of JEWELRY: Your piercing will not be completely healed for several years. Even after the piercing is healed, it is very possible that if you remove the jewelry, reinsertion can be very difficult and sometimes even impossible. Jewelry should not be personally changed during the initial healing period. It is always important to wear the proper size of jewelry in your piercing. If you ever must temporarily remove your jewelry during or shortly after the healing period, you can put a retainer in the piercing to hold it open. Nylon line is an excellent choice as a retainer, especially when jewelry loss occurs. Advice is available on different types of retainers or disguises. It is no problem to permanently remove your jewelry. In most cases only a small indentation will remain. Many piercing thought to have been long closed are quite often successfully re-opened. INFECTIONS and IRRITATIONS: Infections and irritations have very similar signs. INFECTIONS are caused by contact with harmful bacteria, fungi, and other living pathogens. Piercing infections are actually quite rare but can usually be traced to some of the following activities: Touching with unwashed hands, oral/bodily fluids, cosmetics, infrequently washed clothing or bedding, pool, hot tubs and other type of bodies of water, or unattended trauma. While these symptoms may indicate also another problem look for these first indications of an infection: Redness and swelling. A sensation of heat at the piercing site. Pain, especially throbbing, spreading pain or discomfort when touched. Unusual discharge of yellow, green or grey colors. An Abscess, especially accompanied by a fever must be treated immediately by a physician.