How To Get Rid Of A Infected Piercing

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Karen L. Hudson is a tattoo artist and contributing writer for . She has been an amateur artist as a hobby since grade school, and served a 12 month tattoo apprenticeship in a tattoo studio.

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Blair Murphy-Rose, MD is a board-certified dermatologist in New York who specializes in leading-edge facial rejuvenation techniques. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery and the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. She is a Castle + Connolly Top Doctor and Super Doctor of NY 2021-2023.

Piercings are a fun way to express yourself, but they aren't without added stress. From the cleaning and upkeep associated with a fresh one to the fear that you've let a hole close, with cute jewelry comes not-so-cute problems.

One of the most dreaded piercing woes is the infection. With symptoms like pain and drainage, an infected piercing isn't just annoying—it can potentially pose a real health risk. But fortunately, things don't have to escalate to that level. To get the 411 on infected piercings, we spoke to board-certified dermatologists Y. Claire Chang, MD, and Alicia Zalka, MD.

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The first order of business is determining if your piercing is actually infected. According to Chang, signs of an infected piercing include:

It's worth noting that some piercing sites are more prone to infections than others. My experience is that bellybutton piercings are most at risk for infections. The second most common would be nose piercings, says Zalka.

Additionally, sometimes a jewelry allergy can be mistaken for an infection. If you have a nickel sensitivity, you may not be able to handle jewelry made of nickel-laden metals. It's best to see your dermatologist or other health care provider, as an infection can be mistaken for an allergic reaction and vice versa, says Zalka. Some people react to the metal in the piercing object. This can happen to those with a nickel allergy.

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Silver, gold, and steel may still contain small amounts of nickel, enough to bother someone very sensitive. In this case, niobium or titanium jewelry may be necessary. You may also have allergic reactions to other kinds of metals, even if they don't contain nickel. Always consider the jewelry first if you're having a problem, and have it changed to a high-quality metal if you think that could be the cause.

An infection does not necessarily mean you need to remove the jewelry and jump ship from your new piercing. Many infections will clear up with extra care, and you can keep your new jewelry. Minor infections can be managed conservatively with saltwater or sterile saline soaks, and it is not necessary to remove the jewelry, says Chang.

It can be tempting to want to turn, twist, and touch the infected piercing to keep the hole from closing up—but you must refrain. Avoid excessively touching or manipulating the infected site as this can worsen the irritation and inflammation, warns Chang. Only manipulate the piercing site when cleaning it; otherwise, leave it alone to heal.

How

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You'll need to touch your piercing to make sure you do not have a fever or swollen lymph nodes, which suggests you should seek a doctor for further evaluation, notes Chang. But you must do so with clean hands: If touching the area, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly beforehand, she adds.

If you don't think the jewelry is the culprit, then the source of the infection is probably bacterial. The way to fix that is to kill and clear the bacteria. Try cleaning the area twice a day and doing sea salt soaks twice a day—basically, treat it like a brand-new piercing.

Avoid alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to the affected area, as these can further irritate the skin and slow the healing process, says Chang.

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Applying a topical antibiotic ointment recommended by a dermatologist can be a great way to help heal the infected area. After cleaning, gently pat the area dry and dot a small amount of the ointment over the infected area.

If the piercing is hot to the touch and painful, consider applying a warm-water compress. You can do this right at home by taking a washcloth, running it under warm water, and then applying directly to the infected site. Just make sure that the cloth is not burning hot. Keep the compress on for 20-30 minutes and repeat as necessary. It's healed when the skin returns to normal color and is no longer painful or swollen, and there is no longer any yellow discharge, says Zalka.

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More serious infections can lead to other serious problems, so if you are oozing thick or green pus or if the area is seriously swollen and hot to the touch, you should not attempt to clear the infection yourself. Improvement in redness, warmth, pain, and drainage suggests that the infected site is healed. If you develop an abscess, spreading infection, fever, chill, or malaise, please notify your board-certified physician for evaluation and treatment, says Chang. Advanced infections may require jewelry removal and antibiotic treatment, so please see your doctor.

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Skin infections should be evaluated and treated professionally (usually with something bacterial, bacteriostatic, or bactericidal). Remember, only your doctor can assess the severity of your infection and determine the best course of treatment.

Takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.This article was co-authored by Karissa Sanford and by staff writer, Dan Hickey. Karissa Sanford is the Co-owner of Make Me Holey Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area that specializes in safe and friendly body piercing. Karissa has over 10 years of piercing experience and is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP).

You’re loving the look of your new piercing, but your excitement turns to concern when you notice the initial redness and swelling aren’t going away. An infected piercing is no fun, but in most cases, you can treat them yourself at home in just a week or two with some sterile saline and an antibiotic ointment. In this article, we’ll show you how to treat and prevent piercing infections yourself, plus share ways to reduce swelling and pain while it clears up. You’ve probably got everything you need in your medicine cabinet or first aid kit already!

How To Treat An Infected Ear Piercing, According To Dermatologists

This article was co-authored by Karissa Sanford and by staff writer, Dan Hickey. Karissa Sanford is the Co-owner of Make Me Holey Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area that specializes in safe and friendly body piercing. Karissa has over 10 years of piercing experience and is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). This article has been viewed 1, 345, 860 times.

Infected

To treat an infected piercing, create a saline solution by mixing ⅛ tablespoon (1.77 g) of sea salt with a cup of water, and stirring until it dissolves. Use a clean cotton swab to dab the solution onto your piercing for 20 minutes twice a day until the infection has healed. You can also apply a cold pack to the area to reduce swelling and fight off infection. However, if the infection persists for more than 48 hours, or if you develop a fever, you should see a doctor. For help preventing an infection, keep reading!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.

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.

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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.

Millions of people get their ears pierced every year, and most of them have

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Effective Home Remedies To Treat Infected Piercing