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.
Perichondritis: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment
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.
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
What Does An Infected Ear Piercing Look Like?
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.
If bacteria get into a new piercing, it can lead to infection. You may expose your new piercing to harmful bacteria by:
Perichondritis: Not Just Simple Cellulitis
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).
If you see signs of an infected cartilage piercing, you should contact a healthcare provider. The provider can assess the severity of the infection.
Medical Complications Of Cartilage And Ear Piercing
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.Piercings will never go out of style. From earlobe and tongue piercings to belly button rings, there are many ways to express yourself by getting body jewelry. But as common and as popular as piercings are, it's important to take care of them properly to prevent infections.
The Helix Piercing: Everything You Need To Know
According to a November 2005 issue of American Family Physician, the earlobe is the most common site for piercings and is susceptible to minor infections, allergic reactions, and keloids — thick, raised scars. Cartilage piercings take a longer time to heal and are even more vulnerable to infection. Navel piercings are also at high risk for infection due to the rubbing from waistbands and tightly-fitted clothes.
Symptoms of an infected piercing include swelling, a burning sensation, and pus-like discharge, according to Healthline. If left untreated for an extended period of time, an infection can worsen. Here's how you can prevent and treat infected piercings.
The Mayo Clinic recommends never attempting to pierce your own skin or allowing someone who is not properly trained to give you a piercing; this minimizes the risks of getting an infection. If you have your piercing done at a facility like a tattoo shop, there are a few safety precautions to keep in mind. They include making sure the facility is licensed to perform piercings, asking if the staffers are trained, observing whether or not they wear disposable gloves for each piercing, and ensuring only sterile disposable equipment is used.
How To Treat An Infected Ear Piercing, According To Dermatologists
Once you have your piercing, there are good practices to adopt in order to take care of it, according to the Mayo Clinic: Be sure to clean the piercing site twice a day with soap and water, avoid touching it or playing with it excessively, and refrain from going into hot tubs, swimming pools, and other bodies of water until the piercing is fully healed. To prevent your piercing from closing, be sure to keep your jewelry in at all times.
If despite your best efforts you do end up with an infection, you may be able to treat it at home if it's minor. According to Healthline, wash your hands and clean the infected area with sterile saline, not alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Continue with this regimen twice a day until your infection improves.
Signs of a major infection include chills, swelling at the piercing site, and discharge. If you experience any of those, or symptoms worsen rather than improve after home treatment, seek help from a healthcare provider. Some types of infections require prescription antibiotics or more advanced treatment. If you're worried about your hole closing, don't be. While a study published in StatPearls recommends jewelry be taken out when an infection develops, a medical professional will likely use a technique called a loose loop suture in the piercing site to keep the hole open while the infection is being treated.
Cartilage Piercing Bump: Keloid, Infection, Treatment, And More
If you care for your piercing properly right from the start, infections are less likely to occur or will be minor enough to treat at home.
0 Komentar