How To Clear Up An Infected Cartilage Piercing

This article was co-authored by Stephanie Anders. Stephanie Anders is the Owner and Head Piercer at Royal Heritage Tattoo and Piercing, a tattoo and piercing studio located in Los Angeles, California. Stephanie has over 10 years of piercing experience and her client list includes such stars as Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz, Nicole Richie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Sharon Osbourne.

If you recently got a new piercing, seeing a bump in your cartilage can be a bummer. But don’t worry. They’re actually called granulomas, or “healing bumps, ” and they’re pretty common. They’ll usually clear up on their own, but there are a few things you can do to help speed up the healing process. To help you do it, we’ve answered some of the most common questions you have about how you can heal your cartilage piercing bumps.

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This article was co-authored by Stephanie Anders. Stephanie Anders is the Owner and Head Piercer at Royal Heritage Tattoo and Piercing, a tattoo and piercing studio located in Los Angeles, California. Stephanie has over 10 years of piercing experience and her client list includes such stars as Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz, Nicole Richie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Sharon Osbourne. This article has been viewed 4, 354, 024 times.

How To Treat An Infected Ear Piercing? Symptoms And Prevention

If you want to heal a bump on a cartilage piercing, hold a cotton ball soaked in hot salt water over the bump for about 2 minutes twice a day until the bump heals. You can also add chamomile tea to the salt water to soothe the skin around the piercing. If that doesn’t work and your piercing is fully healed, you can make a compress by pressing down on the bump with breathable medical tape. Regardless of the method you choose, it may take up to 2-3 months for the bump to heal, so be patient! Keep reading for home remedies that may help treat your bump, like tea tree oil or aspirin!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.

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.

How To Treat An Infected Ear Piercing

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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How To Avoid An Infected Ear Piercing, According To A Doctor

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.

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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.

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

It's Easy For Piercings To Become Infected

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).

Ways

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

Local Infection Without Granuloma After Helix Piercing. Result One Week...

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.

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.This article was co-authored by Sasha Blue. Sasha Blue is a Professional Body Piercer and the Owner of 13 Bats Tattoo and Piercing Studio in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sasha has over 20 years of professional body piercing experience, starting with her apprenticeship in 1997. She is licensed with the County of San Francisco in California.

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

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Cartilage piercings are a fun fashion statement but they require a lot of care while they heal. Be gentle with your piercing and always wash your hands before touching it. Clean the area twice a day with a salt water solution and remove loosened crust formations. Check the piercing for signs of infection and avoid the temptation to twist or play with it!

This article was co-authored by Sasha Blue. Sasha Blue is a Professional Body Piercer and the Owner of 13 Bats Tattoo and Piercing Studio in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sasha has over 20 years of professional body piercing experience, starting with her apprenticeship in 1997. She is licensed with the County of San Francisco in California. This article has been viewed 659, 460 times.

How Should You Wash Your Hair With A New Cartilage Piercing?

Before cleaning a cartilage piercing, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. For daily cleaning, dissolve ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) of sea salt in a small cup of warm water and soak your piercing in it for 2 to 3 minutes. Gently dab the area with a piece of gauze when you’re done to wipe away built-up discharge around the piercing. Finally, pat the area dry with a clean paper towel. Avoid handling the piercing when you’re not cleaning it. Never wash your piercing with irritating cleansers such as alcohol or peroxide. If you see signs of an infection, like increasing redness, green or yellow pus, or worsening pain, bleeding, or swelling, see a doctor. Keep reading if you want to learn how to tell if your piercing is infected!

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