Have an infected ear piercing? (2024)

FAQs

Have an infected ear piercing? ›

Management and Treatment

Don't take out the earring! Clean the infected area 3 times a day. Wash hands with soap and water before touching the ear or earring. Use cotton swab ("Q-Tip") dipped in pierced ear solution (see #3 below). Clean exposed earring (both sides).

As long as your infection is minor, you may be able to take care of it at home. If you've had a cartilage piercing and it seems infected, seek medical treatment. These types of infections are harder to treat and may require oral antibiotics. Significant infections of the cartilage can require hospitalization.

If your earring or the backing is stuck inside your earlobe, you should seek care from a doctor. You might also want to see a doctor if the redness and swelling continue to spread, or if the upper part of your ear is red. Without proper treatment, ear piercing infections can spread to the rest of your body.

A cold compress and/or ice will help reduce swelling and slow bleeding. Secrete a whiteish-yellow fluid which may dry on the piercing. This is normal and will stop when the piercing is healed. Do not pick this with your fingers!

DO NOTapply any ointment such as Bacitracin, Neosporin or any other “triple antibiotic” ointment on your piercing. These prevent oxygen from reaching the wound and form a sticky residue, which can cause complications. They are NOT designed for use on healing piercings.

Avoid picking or removing crusts or pus from the infected site. Change your jewelry. The inflammatory reaction may be occurring due to constant contact with metal jewelry, such as nickel, which causes continuous inflammatory reactions.

If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Or if your doctor prescribed an antibiotic ointment, apply it as directed. Leave the jewellery in place unless your doctor says to remove it. Soak the area in warm water for 20 minutes, 3 or 4 times a day.

Your piercing might be infected if: the area around it is swollen, painful, hot, very red or dark (depending on your skin colour) there's blood or pus coming out of it – pus can be white, green or yellow.

First wash your hands with soap and water. Then prepare a saltwater solution of 1 cup (0.24 liters) water with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir until the salt dissolves. Leaving the piercing jewelry in place, soak a cotton ball in the solution and place it on the affected area.

Do I need antibiotics for infected piercing? ›

Treatment / Management

Conservative treatment of minor local infections includes warm compress and over-the-counter or prescription topical antibiotics such as bacitracin or mupirocin. Oral antibiotics such as cephalexin or clindamycin provide coverage for streptococcus and staphylococcus.

Tips to Heal Ear Piercings Faster

Clean the piercing with saline solution for 5-10 minutes every day. Don't pull or pick at any scabs that form around the piercing site. Keep the piercing clean and dry throughout the day.

If the infection is mild, it is best to leave the earring in rather than taking it in and out. Doing so only increases the odds of introducing new bacteria into the wound. It may also allow the hole to close up tightly, making it harder to replace the jewelry.

One way to help your new piercing stay healthy is to soak it in a sea salt or saline mixture. Doing this can keep your wound clean and promote healing. Some piercing experts tell their customers to consider a sea salt soak to help your piercing heal.

* If you have any allergies or hypersensitivities to food, be extra careful with your new piercing. A new wound is more sensitive to these sensitivities. * Ibuprofen can help prevent pain and swelling in the first week.

Using an ear swab or a cotton ball, dip the applicator into the warm salty water. Apply the warm salty water all around where the backing and the stud or bar meet each other and hold for a few seconds. Next, carefully grab the back of the earring and the front of the earring in each hand and give it a twist and a tug.

If you catch this issue early enough a jewelry change with your piercer can be your solution; however if left alone for too long the piercing can close over the jewelry, which will need medical attention.

Wearing the same earrings for a long time without cleaning the piercing can cause bacteria to become trapped. This may lead to an infection. Signs of an infection include: redness.