How to Treat an Infected Ear Piercing
Look for telltale signs., Make an appointment., Visit your doctor., Practice an ounce of prevention., Keep the pierced area clean.Wash your hands well before treating your piercing, then wash the piercing once or twice a day with antibacterial...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for telltale signs.
While it's normal to have some pain and redness around the piercing site for up to two days, any more than that should be cause for concern.
Keep your eye out for the following symptoms:
Red, inflamed streaks or marks on the skin that radiate out from the piercing site.
Increased pain, redness, swelling, heat, or tenderness around the piercing site.
A thick yellow-green pus-like discharge coming from the piercing site.
It's normal to see a bit of oozing or bleeding from the piercing which is a sign of healing, but be alert for pus combined with swelling and redness.
Swollen or tender lymph glands above or below the piercing.
With an ear piercing, you may feel sore and swollen glands in your neck around your jawline.
Fever.
If you're otherwise healthy (no cold or flu), and you develop a fever, this is cause for concern. -
Step 2: Make an appointment.
If the above symptoms occur, make a doctor’s appointment as quickly as possible, and avoid possibly serious complications.
Note that while most problems happen around the time of piercing, they can become infected months or even years after the initial pierce.Signs of an allergic reaction versus an infection include burning sensation on the skin, an expanding wound, and a clear yellow discharge. , They will provide specific advice on how to treat your particular infection.
While not everybody will get the same treatment, doctors often recommend following these steps while treating an infected piercing:
Do not remove your jewelry unless instructed by your doctor.
Keeping the jewelry in ensures proper drainage and helps to prevent an abscess from forming.
If you are having an allergic reaction to the metal, the doctor will have you remove the jewelry.
Use an antibiotic cream or antibiotic tablets.
You will have to either apply the cream topically or take pills as prescribed, usually for ten to fourteen days.
Most infections of this nature are caused by Staphylococcus, so be sure to follow the prescribed course of antibiotics so that you completely eradicate the staph bacteria. , Follow the instructions of your piercing studio regarding cleaning a new ear piercing. , Remove any developed crust with a cotton swab that has been moistened with antibacterial soap, saline solution or the solution you were given when your ears were pierced.
Avoid topical treatments such as alcohol or peroxide, which can dry your skin, or ointments, which can prevent fresh air from getting to the piercing. , Boil a cup of water and let it cool down.
Add a few spoons of sea salt.
Clean the infected/inflamed area for one week, plus. , This will increase blood flow to the earlobe and will help to prevent infection. , Only touch the ear if you’re cleaning the piercing, and keep clothing away from the site: it can cause excessive friction or rubbing, which can irritate the skin. , Avoid pools, rivers, lakes, hot tubs, and other places that may harbor infectious bacteria. , A professional piercer who follows local health department guidelines is the best way to prevent infection.
A professional will also use procedures to prevent against the transmission of blood-borne diseases, like tetanus or HIV. , Your state, county or city health department will have information on licensing requirements for piercing studios.
Avoid performing the piercing yourself or having an untrained friend perform the piercing. while the process itself is not difficult, having sterile tools and antiseptic procedures are required to minimize the chances of infection. , Piercers should wash their hands between piercings and wear a fresh pair of protective gloves for each piercing.
Ear-piercing guns should never be used as they cannot be sterilized properly (unless they use a disposable piercing gun) and the jewelry is relatively blunt which causes unnecessary damage to the piercing.
An actual professional piercer (with years of apprenticeship and experience) will never use a piercing-gun., An autoclave is a machine that piercers often use to sterilize equipment.
For equipment that will not fit into the autoclave, such as drawer handles, tables and sinks, piercers should sterilize the equipment with a commercial disinfectant or bleach solution after each use. , Surgical steel, titanium, niobium or 14 or 18-carat gold are appropriate for a new piercing.
Avoid nickel, which commonly causes allergic reactions. -
Step 3: Visit your doctor.
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Step 4: Practice an ounce of prevention.
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Step 5: Keep the pierced area clean.Wash your hands well before treating your piercing
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Step 6: then wash the piercing once or twice a day with antibacterial soap.
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Step 7: Clean with salt water.
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Step 8: Apply a warm
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Step 9: moist compress to the site for about 20 minutes per day to help drain any pus.
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Step 10: Avoid irritating the piercing.
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Step 11: Stay out of the pool.
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Step 12: Work with professionals.
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Step 13: Use a properly licensed piercing studio.
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Step 14: Make sure the piercer uses appropriate equipment.
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Step 15: Make sure that the piercer sterilizes all non-disposable equipment.
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Step 16: Expect your piercer to use hypoallergenic jewelry.
Detailed Guide
While it's normal to have some pain and redness around the piercing site for up to two days, any more than that should be cause for concern.
Keep your eye out for the following symptoms:
Red, inflamed streaks or marks on the skin that radiate out from the piercing site.
Increased pain, redness, swelling, heat, or tenderness around the piercing site.
A thick yellow-green pus-like discharge coming from the piercing site.
It's normal to see a bit of oozing or bleeding from the piercing which is a sign of healing, but be alert for pus combined with swelling and redness.
Swollen or tender lymph glands above or below the piercing.
With an ear piercing, you may feel sore and swollen glands in your neck around your jawline.
Fever.
If you're otherwise healthy (no cold or flu), and you develop a fever, this is cause for concern.
If the above symptoms occur, make a doctor’s appointment as quickly as possible, and avoid possibly serious complications.
Note that while most problems happen around the time of piercing, they can become infected months or even years after the initial pierce.Signs of an allergic reaction versus an infection include burning sensation on the skin, an expanding wound, and a clear yellow discharge. , They will provide specific advice on how to treat your particular infection.
While not everybody will get the same treatment, doctors often recommend following these steps while treating an infected piercing:
Do not remove your jewelry unless instructed by your doctor.
Keeping the jewelry in ensures proper drainage and helps to prevent an abscess from forming.
If you are having an allergic reaction to the metal, the doctor will have you remove the jewelry.
Use an antibiotic cream or antibiotic tablets.
You will have to either apply the cream topically or take pills as prescribed, usually for ten to fourteen days.
Most infections of this nature are caused by Staphylococcus, so be sure to follow the prescribed course of antibiotics so that you completely eradicate the staph bacteria. , Follow the instructions of your piercing studio regarding cleaning a new ear piercing. , Remove any developed crust with a cotton swab that has been moistened with antibacterial soap, saline solution or the solution you were given when your ears were pierced.
Avoid topical treatments such as alcohol or peroxide, which can dry your skin, or ointments, which can prevent fresh air from getting to the piercing. , Boil a cup of water and let it cool down.
Add a few spoons of sea salt.
Clean the infected/inflamed area for one week, plus. , This will increase blood flow to the earlobe and will help to prevent infection. , Only touch the ear if you’re cleaning the piercing, and keep clothing away from the site: it can cause excessive friction or rubbing, which can irritate the skin. , Avoid pools, rivers, lakes, hot tubs, and other places that may harbor infectious bacteria. , A professional piercer who follows local health department guidelines is the best way to prevent infection.
A professional will also use procedures to prevent against the transmission of blood-borne diseases, like tetanus or HIV. , Your state, county or city health department will have information on licensing requirements for piercing studios.
Avoid performing the piercing yourself or having an untrained friend perform the piercing. while the process itself is not difficult, having sterile tools and antiseptic procedures are required to minimize the chances of infection. , Piercers should wash their hands between piercings and wear a fresh pair of protective gloves for each piercing.
Ear-piercing guns should never be used as they cannot be sterilized properly (unless they use a disposable piercing gun) and the jewelry is relatively blunt which causes unnecessary damage to the piercing.
An actual professional piercer (with years of apprenticeship and experience) will never use a piercing-gun., An autoclave is a machine that piercers often use to sterilize equipment.
For equipment that will not fit into the autoclave, such as drawer handles, tables and sinks, piercers should sterilize the equipment with a commercial disinfectant or bleach solution after each use. , Surgical steel, titanium, niobium or 14 or 18-carat gold are appropriate for a new piercing.
Avoid nickel, which commonly causes allergic reactions.
About the Author
Marilyn Roberts
Specializes in breaking down complex practical skills topics into simple steps.
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