I got my eyebrow done a little less then a week ago and it's getting bruised. Is that normal at all?? It was a little bruised when I first got it done and now it's more, like a yellow bruise. The piercing place told me it would bruise but I didn't know it would be this bad.

Bruises are like Polaroid photos... they often take a little while to develop. Don't panic, eyebrows often bruise. The piercing was a major punch through the tissues and being on the surface of the face, the internal bleeding is showing. Yellow isn't necessarily bad, often a slightly older bruise will have this color. If the brow is shrinking and does not have fresh tenderness or oozing, chances are the brow is ok.

If you put a cold pack on your eyebrow (hold it gently so you don't push on the new jewelry) it may help to shrink the swollen tissues. Don't put makeup over the bruise, as it is way too close to the open wound. Many body piercings show signs of bruising for the first week or two, with intensity depending on the individual. If the piercing doesn't show any signs of infection, hang in there and the bruise should fade. If you have increasing redness or tenderness, go see your piercer or medical professional.

It can also be really helpful to try and avoid sleeping on the fresh piercing as pressure and any tugging on the jewelry can irritate the healing wound. Taking care when getting dressed is also a good idea, as you can snag a shirt on the new piercing if you're not used to it.

To learn more about piercing, you might like Body Piercing: A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, And Annotated Research Guide To Internet References by Icon Health Publications.

For body piercing aftercare, you might like Tattoo Goo Deluxe Tattoo & Piercing Care Kit or X-Pression & Blue Wave Piercing Aftercare Kit