u/Karrot-Fever-99

Hello! I’m a 29-year-old female, and I got both of my nipples pierced about 10 years ago. I ended up taking the left one out after about six months because it was giving me a really hard time healing. I kept the right one in for 9.5 years, and it healed beautifully. It would occasionally get a little crust around it, which I could wash away in the shower, but for the most part it never gave me any issues.

I decided to remove the jewelry (a barbell) at the start of 2026 because it just didn’t feel like me anymore. Since then, I’ve been having a very difficult time with it. It now oozes far more often than it ever did when the jewelry was in. My nipple will occasionally feel itchy and full, and when I apply a little pressure or gently squeeze it, yellow-white fluid comes out. Sometimes the edges also get raw and irritated.

I’m wondering if the openings are trying to heal while the fistula stays open, trapping debris and bacteria? I’m a bit concerned because, while the fluid usually has the normal “ear cheese” smell, more recently it has smelled much more foul, which has me worried it could be infected.

I’m wondering if there’s a solution that doesn’t involve reinserting the jewelry. I’m worried this piercing is just going to ooze smelly fluid and stay irritated forever, or, even worse, become infected and lead to a breast abscess or mastitis. As you can probably tell, I’m a bit of a catastrophizer.

Anyway, has anyone experienced something similar or have any tips for helping a long-healed nipple piercing adjust after removing the jewelry?

Does anyone know what time he’s coming on tonight? Does he have an opener?