Helix Piercing Crusty

A piercing is an open wound that requires time and care to heal. Cartilage piercings typically take longer to heal and are more prone to infection than earlobe piercings. Even when a person follows the aftercare instructions, infections may still occur.

An infected ear piercing can also develop years after a person got the original piercing. Usually, the infections are minor, and people can treat them at home without complications.

What

Touching the piercing too often with dirty hands or not cleaning the area can lead to infections. Also, earrings that are too tight may not allow the wound to breathe and heal.

Aftercare Series Part 1 An Introduction To Piercing Aftercare

In this article, learn about the symptoms of an infected ear piercing, as well as the treatment options, and how to prevent infections in the future.

The first step to avoid infection is to go to a professional for a piercing rather than piercing the ear at home.

For piercings that are not on the earlobe, needles are safer than using a piercing gun. Hygiene is equally important for both piercing methods, and aftercare protocols are the same.

Help

How To Treat Infected Ear Piercings, From Dermatologist

It is vital to follow the piercer’s aftercare instructions carefully. Clean the ears twice a day with sterile saline water or the rinse provided by the piercer.

To treat an infection in an old piercing, people should clean the earring and both sides of the ear with saline solution, and handing it with clean hands.

Infected

If signs or symptoms of infection happen often, people should consider buying only hypoallergenic jewelry, as they may be reacting to the earrings.

What To Do If The Skin Around Your Piercing Turns Gray Or Black

If a new piercing is infected, it is best not to remove the earring. Removing the piercing can allow the wound to close, trapping the infection within the skin. For this reason, it is advisable not to remove an earring from an infected ear unless advised by a doctor or professional piercer.

Common

Once the wound has healed — usually after 2 to 3 months in the case of earlobe piercing or longer in cartilage piercings — a person can safely remove an earring.

When getting a new earring, it is crucial that people have this done by a professional piercer with excellent hygiene practices. Also, they must always follow the aftercare instructions carefully until the wound has healed.

The

Over Time, My Hair Got Caught At The Back Of My Helix Piercing. Is It Okay To Take It Out And Clean It?

Most infected ear piercings can be treated at home and will improve within a few days, although, in some cases, antibiotics may be necessary. If symptoms do not improve, the infection spreads, or there are other symptoms, a person should speak to a doctor.

Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

I

If a new piercing is infected, it is best not to remove the earring. Removing the piercing can allow the wound to close, trapping the infection within the skin. For this reason, it is advisable not to remove an earring from an infected ear unless advised by a doctor or professional piercer.

Common

Once the wound has healed — usually after 2 to 3 months in the case of earlobe piercing or longer in cartilage piercings — a person can safely remove an earring.

When getting a new earring, it is crucial that people have this done by a professional piercer with excellent hygiene practices. Also, they must always follow the aftercare instructions carefully until the wound has healed.

The

Over Time, My Hair Got Caught At The Back Of My Helix Piercing. Is It Okay To Take It Out And Clean It?

Most infected ear piercings can be treated at home and will improve within a few days, although, in some cases, antibiotics may be necessary. If symptoms do not improve, the infection spreads, or there are other symptoms, a person should speak to a doctor.

Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

I