Ear Piercing Infection Swollen Ear Lobe

But more often than not, any discomfort is down to irritation or an allergic reaction rather than an infection. And it’s important you know the difference so you can get the treatment you need. So, with that in mind, here’s how to identify what’s wrong with your piercing and how you treat each one.  

Infections are caused by bacteria and other contaminating substances getting into the wound. This can mostly be avoided by following basic hygiene rules and using a trusted piercer. The tissue surrounding an infected piercing will become swollen, red, painful and hot when you touch it. It’s likely it will also have a discharge that’s dark yellow or green in colour. It may also appear slightly bloody or smell unpleasant. In short, it will look pretty gross.  

Infected

If you experience any discharge that is light in colour without any of the pain, swelling or redness, don’t worry. This is just natural sebum which is normal and healthy.  

Common Piercing Problems

If you do think your piercing is infected, you should go and see a doctor as a precaution as they may wish to prescribe you antibiotics depending on how serious the infection is. They may also suggest that you bathe your ear in hot, salty water as it can soothe the pain and encourage it to heal faster. 

Just like infections, an irritated piercing can cause pain, swelling and redness. But it shouldn’t cause the horrible discharge that comes with an infection. Other symptoms of irritation include a solid (non-fluid filled) lump around the hole or some slight peeling. 

There are countless ways that a piercing can become irritated but they more or less have one thing in common: physical trauma. This could be anything from accidentally knocking it with your hairbrush, overcleaning it, playing with it, sleeping on it or anything else that would put pressure on your piercing.

Swollen Earlobe: Pictures, Causes, And Treatment

If you can find out what’s caused the irritation and stop doing it, chances are the symptoms will disappear on their own. Although again a warm salt water soak will help soothe the pain. Just don't over do it! 

Allergic reactions are caused when your body rejects something. In this case it could be the metal used in your piercing or something in the cleaning solution you’re using. You can identify an allergic reaction by a rash, itchiness and redness. And if it’s an allergic reaction to the metal, the skin might pull away from the jewellery. The symptoms will also appear very soon after being pierced rather than a few days later.  

You are more likely to experience an allergic reaction to metals like gold and silver than you are with hypoallergenic materials like surgical steel. Which is why we recommend always getting pierced with implant grade titanium studs, then moving to a stainless steel stud as an everyday wear.

Irritation Vs. Infection

We have a 100% happiness guarantee, in the unlikely event you have a reaction, or simply don't like the earrings after trying on you can send back for a refund.

If you are ever in doubt about what is causing your piercing to flare up, you should see a doctor for a full diagnosis. 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.

What Does An Infected Ear Piercing Look Like?

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 no serious complications. Mild irritation and infections are common, however, for new piercings. In most cases, infections aren’t serious and clear up quickly.

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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.

Pierced Ear Infections: Symptoms, Causes And Treatments

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).

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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:

Earlobe

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.

Perichondritis: Not Just Simple Cellulitis

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.We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:

Several things can cause swollen earlobes, including infections and injuries. While some cases my resolve with home treatments, others may require medical attention.

Red, Swollen, Tender Ear

A swollen earlobe can be red, uncomfortable, and painful. The typical causes of earlobe swelling are infection, allergies, and trauma. While most earlobe injuries can be treated with over-the-counter medications and home remedies, you might want to see your doctor if your symptoms are really severe.

This is the most common cause of a swollen earlobe for most people. A certain amount of pain and swelling is normal at the time of piercing, which should go away in a matter of days.

Swelling may also be due to piercing rejection or an infected piercing. If the swelling and pain persist, it may be necessary to go see your doctor.

Perichondritis:

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Allergic reactions, especially to certain kinds of jewelry, can cause one or both earlobes to swell. In most allergic reactions, the nickel in earrings can cause inflammation and swelling. Removing the earrings and choosing to wear those that don’t contain nickel can help with any remaining symptoms.

Any injury to the earlobe can cause swelling — even an injury as minor as wearing earrings that are too tight. Along with swelling, injured earlobes may be painful and sore.

Hematoma auris, also known as cauliflower ear, is an external deformation of the ear. It can occur after an injury to the ear. It’s most commonly developed in contact sports such as wrestling, boxing, and martial arts.

How To Clean New Ear Piercings

Hematoma auris occurs when blood collects in the outer ear. When the injury isn’t drained properly, it can result in infection and deformity. In addition to swelling, there may be bruising and pain.

Mastoiditis is an infection of the mastoid bone, located in the inner ear. The mastoid bone is structurally unlike other bones in the body. It’s made of air sacs and looks like a sponge.

It’s also possible to get an outer ear infection, known as otitis externa or swimmer’s ear. These infections are most common in children ages 7 to 12 and people who swim often. The main symptoms of an outer ear infection other than swelling are:

My Ear Piercing Is Swollen What Should I Do ??? I Can Feel Like A Little Ball Inside, And When I Pressed White Puss Came Out. My Ear Feels Hot And It

An insect bite on the earlobe can result in both swelling and itchiness. If you wake up with a swollen and itchy earlobe, it’s possible you’re being bitten at night by bed bugs or other insects. First aid will depend on the type of insect that bit you.

How

An abscess is a bump that occurs under or on the skin’s surface, signaling a collection of pus or fluid in a concentrated area. Typically, this is the result of a bacterial infection.

Because skin abscesses can appear on any part of the body, it’s possible to develop an abscess on the earlobe as well. The swelling that results from an abscess can increase over time, so it’s possible your earlobe

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