How to Clean an Infected Ear Piercing
Wash your hands before touching the piercing., Do not remove a new ear piercing., Clean the piercing with a cotton ball dipped in saline or soap., Apply an antibiotic ointment., Avoid rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wash your hands before touching the piercing.
Always wash your hands well before touching a piercing, especially if it’s new or infected.
Use an antimicrobial soap and warm water.
Avoid fiddling with your earrings and only touch them when you have to clean them., If your piercing is new, keep it in place for at least six weeks, even if it becomes infected.
While you should rotate a new lobe piercing, stop rotating it if it becomes infected for one to two weeks.If your infected piercing is permanent, or more than six months old, remove the earring while you deal with the infection. , Soak a cotton ball or swab in saline solution or a mild antimicrobial soap.
Dab the soaked ball or swab around the infected area.
Then dry the area with disposable paper towels.If the shop where you got your ear pierced provided a saline solution, use it to clean your ears.
You can also purchase a pre-made product or make a saline solution by mixing 2 teaspoons of salt with a quart (about a liter) of warm water.
If you use a soap, go with a fragrance free brand that doesn’t contain alcohol.
Clean an infected ear piercing twice a day.
You can rotate the earrings during this time while they are still wet from the saline solution or soap. , After cleaning and drying the piercing, you can apply an antibacterial ointment to encourage healing.
Dab a small amount of the ointment onto a cotton swab and paint a thin coating over the infected area.If the infection is weeping or emitting a discharge, avoid using ointment., Rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide will dry out the infected area and kill cells that are needed for healing.
Killing white blood cells around the infected site could make the infection even worse.
Don’t apply alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to the infection, and make sure any cleaning products you use are alcohol free. -
Step 2: Do not remove a new ear piercing.
-
Step 3: Clean the piercing with a cotton ball dipped in saline or soap.
-
Step 4: Apply an antibiotic ointment.
-
Step 5: Avoid rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.
Detailed Guide
Always wash your hands well before touching a piercing, especially if it’s new or infected.
Use an antimicrobial soap and warm water.
Avoid fiddling with your earrings and only touch them when you have to clean them., If your piercing is new, keep it in place for at least six weeks, even if it becomes infected.
While you should rotate a new lobe piercing, stop rotating it if it becomes infected for one to two weeks.If your infected piercing is permanent, or more than six months old, remove the earring while you deal with the infection. , Soak a cotton ball or swab in saline solution or a mild antimicrobial soap.
Dab the soaked ball or swab around the infected area.
Then dry the area with disposable paper towels.If the shop where you got your ear pierced provided a saline solution, use it to clean your ears.
You can also purchase a pre-made product or make a saline solution by mixing 2 teaspoons of salt with a quart (about a liter) of warm water.
If you use a soap, go with a fragrance free brand that doesn’t contain alcohol.
Clean an infected ear piercing twice a day.
You can rotate the earrings during this time while they are still wet from the saline solution or soap. , After cleaning and drying the piercing, you can apply an antibacterial ointment to encourage healing.
Dab a small amount of the ointment onto a cotton swab and paint a thin coating over the infected area.If the infection is weeping or emitting a discharge, avoid using ointment., Rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide will dry out the infected area and kill cells that are needed for healing.
Killing white blood cells around the infected site could make the infection even worse.
Don’t apply alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to the infection, and make sure any cleaning products you use are alcohol free.
About the Author
Amanda Bishop
Enthusiastic about teaching organization techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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