How To Clean Piercing Infection

This article was medically reviewed by Navid Malakouti, MD, FAAD and by staff writer, Hannah Madden. Dr. Navid Malakouti is a Board Certified Dermatologist specializing in cosmetic dermatology, dermatologic surgery, and medical dermatology. He treats patients of all ages for conditions like acne, rosacea, psoriasis, skin cancer, botox, fillers, lasers, and chemical peel. Dr. Malakouti is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology, Fellow of American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, and American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, and a member of the Skin of Color Society. He holds a BS in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from The University of California, San Diego and an MD from The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. He completed his Dermatology residency in Washington D.C. at Howard University, VA Medical Center, Children's National Hospital, and the National Institutes of Health.

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Those new earrings sure look cute—but why is your ear feeling swollen, red, or irritated? The likely cause is an infection, which is pretty common, especially in new ear piercings. Fortunately, with the right home care and cleaning, you can typically clear up an infection on your own. Read on to learn how to take care of an infected ear piercing, as well as when it’s time to see your doctor.

Help! What Do I Do With My Irritated/infected Nose Piercing? Ive Had It For 6,5 Months Now And I Have A Surgical Steel Ring And I Clean It Regularly. This Is The

This article was medically reviewed by Navid Malakouti, MD, FAAD and by staff writer, Hannah Madden. Dr. Navid Malakouti is a Board Certified Dermatologist specializing in cosmetic dermatology, dermatologic surgery, and medical dermatology. He treats patients of all ages for conditions like acne, rosacea, psoriasis, skin cancer, botox, fillers, lasers, and chemical peel. Dr. Malakouti is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology, Fellow of American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, and American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, and a member of the Skin of Color Society. He holds a BS in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from The University of California, San Diego and an MD from The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. He completed his Dermatology residency in Washington D.C. at Howard University, VA Medical Center, Children's National Hospital, and the National Institutes of Health. This article has been viewed 4, 339, 955 times.

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

The first thing you should do if your ear piercing is infected is remove any crustiness with a cotton swab soaked in antibacterial soap or saline solution. Then, mix 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water and 3 spoonfuls of salt and apply the mixture to your infected piercing with a cotton swab. Hold a warm, moist compress against your ear for 20 minutes every day to help clear out the pus. Stay out of pools, lakes, rivers, or hot tubs until your infection is gone, and see your doctor if your infection persists. To learn more from our Medical Expert co-author, like how to prevent infections when you get your ears pierced, keep reading the article!A new ear piercing is an open wound that can take several weeks to fully heal. During that time, any bacteria that enter the wound can lead to infection. Taking good care of your piercing is key to preventing infection.

How Long Does An Ear Piercing Take To Heal? Expert Tips For Aftercare

An ear piercing is a hole through your earlobe or the cartilage in your middle or upper ear. Ear piercing infections may be red, swollen, sore, warm, itchy or tender. Sometimes, piercings ooze blood or white, yellow or green pus.

A new piercing is an open wound that can take several weeks to fully heal. During that time, any bacteria that enter the wound can lead to infection.

Your upper ear is cartilage, a thick, stiff tissue with less blood flow. Piercings in your upper ear are more likely to become infected, and infections in your upper ear are sometimes serious.

Ear Piercing Aftercare: How To Clean New Ear Piercings

Millions of people get their ears pierced every year, and most of them have no serious complications. Mild irritation and infections are common, however, for new piercings. In most cases, infections aren’t serious and clear up quickly.

Some pain and redness are part of the normal healing process for pierced ears. It can be easy to confuse those with signs of infection.

If there’s a bump on the back of the ear piercing, it’s not necessarily infected. Small bumps called granulomas can sometimes form around the piercing. These bumps are trapped fluid that you can treat by compressing them with warm water.

How Should I Clean An Infected Double Tragus Piercing?

If bacteria get into a new piercing, it can lead to infection. You may expose your new piercing to harmful bacteria by:

Many things can increase your risk of getting an infection from an ear piercing. Certain health conditions can affect your body’s immune system and your ability to fight infection. These conditions include:

Upper ear piercings are more likely to get infected. Left untreated, these infections can lead to a condition known as perichondritis. An infection can also spread into your body (systemic infection).

How To Treat An Infected Ear Piercing At Home

If you see signs of an infected cartilage piercing, you should contact a healthcare provider. The provider can assess the severity of the infection.

A healthcare provider can tell you what to do for an infected ear piercing. They may recommend a variety of treatments to help heal an infected ear piercing. Ear piercing infection treatment may include:

With good care, most infections clear up within a few days. If your infected ear piercing isn’t improving, you should see a healthcare provider.

Infected Nose Piercing: How To Spot And Treat An Infection

Getting your ears pierced is most often a safe, simple procedure. Be sure to go to an experienced piercer who practices proper hygiene. Keep your new piercings clean, and don’t remove your earrings until your piercings have healed completely. Be patient — by preventing an infection now, you can enjoy your healthy piercings for years to come.

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How To Treat An Infected Ear Piercing

You can clean your infected ear piercing with a saltwater rinse. Don’t remove the piercing or use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or antibiotic ointments. See a doctor if it doesn’t get better, or the earring is stuck.

When you get your ears pierced — whether at a tattoo parlor or a kiosk in the mall — you should receive instructions on preventing infection. The vendor should also assure you they only use sterile tools and hygienic practices.

But if the protocol isn’t followed, or if you don’t carefully follow the post-piercing care instructions, an infection can occur. You can usually treat a minor piercing infection of the earlobe fairly easily and without complications.

How To Treat Infected Ear Piercings, From Dermatologist

A piercing is essentially an open wound. An earlobe piercing usually takes six to eight weeks to heal. Cartilage piercings, which take place on the harder part of your ear, generally take longer to heal and can be more prone to infection. There are several ways your ear piercing can get infected.

Any bacteria left to fester can quickly turn into an infection. If you touch your piercing with dirty hands or instruments, you can introduce an infection. If the earrings are on too tightly, not allowing room for the wound to breathe and heal, an infection can develop. A piercing can also get infected if there’s too much handling of the piercing or the post of the earring is rough.

An infection can also occur if unsterile instruments were used, if the person piercing your ears didn’t use gloves, or if the posts themselves weren’t sterile.

Aftercare — Piercerjack

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.

After the infection appears to have cleared, continue this cleaning regimen twice a day until the piercing is totally healed. Remember, an earlobe piercing can take six to eight weeks to heal. Routine care is important during that time.

Usually, a minor infection of an ear piercing can be treated successfully at home. But if any of the following symptoms occur, seek medical attention:

Pierced Ear Infection

To avoid infection, have your ears pierced by a professional. Don’t do it at home. Be sure to ask about their infection prevention protocol. Also ask if their tools are sterile. Confirm that the earrings they use come out of a new, sterile package.

After you get the piercing, clean your ears twice a day with the rinse provided