Caring For Childrens Ear Piercings
Getting your childâs ears pierced is pretty common, even for babies less than a year old. Some doctors suggest waiting until your child is 8 or older to keep the risk of infection down. Younger children are more likely to touch their earrings and less likely to always have clean hands. â
Concerns. Aside from infection, thereâs little risk in piercing your childâs ears. Youâll just need to keep them clean and take good care of them. Common complications you should look for include:
- Allergy to metals or piercing material
- Accidentally swallowing the piercing
- Rejection of the piercingâ
When your child gets their ears pierced, youâll want to choose a gold post if possible. This lessens the chance of an allergic reaction. Other metals can cause irritation and itchiness. This can cause your child to touch their ears more frequently.
Pierced Belly Buttons Or Nipples
- Pierced belly buttons heal in 6-12 months, pierced nipples heal in 6-8 weeks.
- Options for cleaning area with salt water soaks: Make a suction seal between cup and belly button by leaning over cup, then lie down on a towel, lie on your back, cup should be sealed to abdomen. Soak the area for at least 10 minutes. Rinse with plain water. Dry the area thoroughly after soaks.
- OR, Clean the area with salt water soaked cotton swabs or Q-tips. Soak the area for at least 10 minutes. Rinse with plain water. Dry the area thoroughly after soaks.
- Wear loose fitting clothing .
Avoiding Injury And Infection
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What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor
You may want to ask your healthcare provider:
- How will I know when the infection has cleared?
- When is it safe to remove my earrings?
- Do I need to clean my earrings?
- Can my ears get infected even after the piercing heals?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Getting your ears pierced is most often a safe, simple procedure. Be sure to go to an experienced piercer who practices proper hygiene procedures. Keep your new piercings clean, and dont remove the earrings until the piercing has healed completely. Be patient by preventing an infection now, you can enjoy your healthy piercing for years to come.
Reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional.
References
How Long For Pierced Ears To Heal
- Total464
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What Is Ear Piercing Aftercare When Does It Start
Because ears will be swollen and tender immediately after piercing, it is best to wait 24 hours before touching them. Piercing aftercare begins 24 hours after you have gotten your ears pierced, and will occur 2-3 times per day and continue for a full 6 weeks. It is a good idea to get into an aftercare routine early on, so caring for your ear piercing is incorporated into your everyday routine. For example, clean your ear piercings when you brush your teeth in the morning and in the evening. This is one way to remember to do it!
And Help Things Along As Best You Can
“It takes a patient mentality to help piercings heal 100 percent. Your body’s job is to get rid of foreign objects, so it’s a little bit of a dance you have to do,” Smith says, “You must be patient and nurse it to health. Sometimes the simple things are the best: Soap and water to clean, and ice for the swelling. If you take your aftercare seriously, you’ll avoid any problems.”
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Caring For Pierced Ears
How to care for pierced ears
Although ear piercings are more common and can be less risky than other body piercings, they can still cause complications if not handled safely. For anyone thinking about getting their ears pierced, dermatologists urge people to follow these steps to avoid infection.
Although ear piercings are more common and can be less risky than other body piercings, they can still cause complications if not handled safely. For anyone thinking about getting their ears pierced, dermatologists urge people to follow these steps to avoid infection:
Always wash your hands before touching newly pierced ears.
Leave the earrings in your ears for six weeks or more, even at night. Removing the starter earrings too early may cause the piercings to close.
Regularly wash your ears with soap and water. Carefully do this at least once a day to avoid infection.
Twist the earrings a few times daily. This will help keep the pierced holes open.
Put rubbing alcohol on your ears. Using a cotton ball or pad dipped in rubbing alcohol, gently clean the skin around the piercings twice a day to keep away germs and prevent scabbing. You may also apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly around the opening.
After piercing your ears, keep an eye on them to make sure they dont get sore, red or puffy and that the holes dont ooze yellowish liquid. If any of this occurs and doesnt go away quickly, see a board-certified dermatologist, as you may have an infection.
Related AAD resources
How To Heal Newly Pierced Ears
The ear piercing process takes only seconds, but newly pierced ears require six to eight weeks of healing time, according to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation 12. Taking proper care of the pierced ears and keeping them clean will speed healing, reduce pain and prevent infection. It is essential that a trained professional pierce your ears in a sterile environment to prevent complications.
Leave the earring in your ear. Removing an earring from a newly pierced ear may cause the hole to close. You can promote healing and prevent or treat an infection while the earring is in your ear.
Replace the earring if it is made of nickel or another cheaper metal. The Nemours Foundation states that these metals are a common source of allergic reaction, and can slow healing in newly pierced ears 2. If you believe this could be an issue, change the earring to one with a gold or hypoallergenic stud. Put the new earring in the hole immediately to prevent it from closing.
Wash your hands with warm water and soap before handling your newly pierced ears or your earrings. Touching your ears with dirty hands can introduce potentially harmful bacteria.
Rotate the earring several times each day for the first few weeks after having your ear pierced. This will prevent your ear from healing tightly closed around the earring.
Tips
Taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication for the first few days after the piercing can reduce discomfort and swelling.
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Maintaining Healthy Ear Piercings
Go Easy With The Sprays And Cosmetics
Your new piercing likes to breathe fresh air. So, if you can, try and keep your piercing away from hair care and cosmetic products, such as hairspray, shampoo, perfume and make-up.
You have to remember that your ear piercing is essentially an open wound that must be kept as clean as possible during the healing process. If you do get a little bit of product on your ears, clean them straight away with the saline solution.
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Make Sure Your Earrings Are The Right Material
New piercings should be made of surgical stainless steel, titanium, or nickel-free 14kt gold and platinum.
Make sure jewelry is made with the right material. Surgical stainless steel, titanium, and nickel-free 14kt gold and platinum are typically good. Avoid metal with traces of lead, such as sterling silver.
General Care For Body Piercings
- Always wash hands thoroughly before contact with piercing.
- Do not use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.
- Do not use bacitracin or other ointments. .
- Use salt soaks for best care/cleaning of ring or stud and loosening dry material on the skin .
- To clean the surrounding skin, use mild antiseptic products such as benzalkonium chloride, . Dilute 50/50 with water, if soap is too harsh.
- Twice a day saturate a cotton swab or Q-Tip with the cleaning solution, apply to the pierced area, let soak for a few minutes.
- Remove any dried matter.
- Rotate the jewelry while the area is wet.
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How Often Should You Clean An Ear Piercing
While some piercers may advise you to clean your piercing twice, others may advise you to do so as many as three or four times per day.
It is worth saying that you can clean a piercing too often. In fact, this is sometimes a problem that people encounter when they get their first-ever ear piercing. In the effort to keep the piercing as clean as possible, many well-intentioned people will actually clean their piercing too much and irritate/inflame the area.
Avoid Knocking Or Bumping Your Piercing
When it comes to how to care for newly pierced ears, avoiding knocks and bumps goes without saying. Simply go easy when doing daily activities, such as brushing your hair and getting dressed. Perhaps swap polo necks for other jumpers so you dont catch your earrings in your clothes.
Feeling sporty? Maybe give team games a miss for a while or wear a protective sports tape or plaster over your piercing to keep things nice and safe.
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What Earrings Should You Wear After A Piercing
When you first have your ears pierced, you will be given piercing earrings, which will have to be kept in for a minimum of six weeks . Whilst it may be tempting to wear the earrings youve been promising yourself for ages, its not advisable to wear anything but your piercing earrings until things have healed nicely.
Once the time is up and all is well, you can swap to some gorgeous light stud earrings for around six to twelve months. Keep those stunning drop earrings for a little bit longer if you can.
Are you ready to get your ears pierced, or know someone who is? Why not book an appointment at H.Samuel today? Recently purchased some earrings and want to find out more about how to clean them? Take a look at our earring cleaning guide.
Looking After Your Piercing
After having a piercing, it is important to keep the area clean and dry. You may be advised to gently clean the area with a warm saline or salt water solution.
However, the piercing should be cleaned no more than is necessary to keep it clean, as over-cleaning can irritate the skin and delay healing. It’s not normally necessary to rotate or remove a piece of jewellery.
To clean the piercing, submerge the area in a warm saline or salt water solution for 5 to 10 minutes. Alternatively, soak a clean cloth in the solution and apply to the area. Once any discharge has softened, you can clean it with a cotton bud or piece of gauze.
Wash your hands with warm water and antibacterial soap, and dry them with a disposable towel before touching or washing your piercing.
Ensure any clothing and bedding that may come into contact with the area around the piercing is clean.
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Don’t Use A Piercing Gun
Avoid getting your ears pierced with a piercing gun.
Don’t get your ear pierced with a gun. By doing so, you are quickly forcing a blunt post through your flesh, and this could result in scarring. Make sure your piercer uses a very sharp, hollow needle that is discarded after use. Cartilage piercings should NEVER be pierced with a gun.
Acceptable Healing Aids And Products
If standard soap and water isn’t your thing and you’d rather turn the healing up a notch, these products can help keep your piercing nice and clean.
- Emu Oil: This oil is full of fatty acids meant to help reduce inflammation and pain. It’s known by piercers as a universal healing product that produces exceptional results when healing a piercing.
- H2Ocean: This sea salt saline solution is often used by piercers to help clean the piercing area.
- Saline Solution: Less expensive and more readily available than most other products, saline solution is very effective in soothing and healing a new piercing. It’s also an acceptable substitute for sea salt soaks which is when you submerge your piercing into salt water to help clean it.
- Ointments: Ointments are usually the number one most-recommended therapy post-injury and piercing to stimulate wound healing. Just avoid antibacterial products, which are typically unnecessary unless the piercing is infected.
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New Ear Piercing Care:
This video has some great tips for piercing after care as far as what to avoid and the best after care products.
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Clean Your Ears With Antibacterial Soap
Clean newly-pierced ears regularly with antibacterial soap.
Clean your ears with an antibacterial soap. I recommend Provon Medicated Lotion Soap with chloroxylenol. Make sure you wash your hands before applying the soap, and pre-rinse your ears so it’s easier for the soap to lather. Do this twice a day.
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How Long Should I Use My Ear Piercing Cleaning Solution
As celebrities like Meghan Markle, Lady Gaga, & Anne Hathaway can illustrate, showing off personality with piercings is more popular than ever before. While this is a great way for anyone to add a bit of edge to their look, with beautiful earrings comes great responsibility. Before you can start thinking about swapping out earrings and having a variety of styles to choose from, a new piercing requires aftercare. Follow along to learn more!
First, lets talk about the basics of Ear Piercing Aftercare.
Recommended Ear Piercing Aftercare
Note: you will also want to clean your piercing after exercise, swimming, or any exposure to perfumes or hair products.
Inverness Ear Care Solution is specially-formulated to keep your new piercing clean and comfortable during the aftercare healing period. Our ear care solution contains only purified water and Benzalkonium Chloride, an antiseptic that cleans and soothes a new piercing.
Still have questions about our ear care solution or aftercare? Contact us directly to learn more.
As A Preventative Measure Ask Your Piercer To Use A Needle Not A Gun
“The ‘gun’ forces the earring through with pressure, so it causes a lot of unnecessary damage to the tissue. It’s also hard to manage the sterilization of a tool with plastic parts,” Smith says, “With a needle, we have more control of accuracy, and it’s totally sterile. It works like a scalpel, making a small incision into the tissue, leaving minimal damage to the area. It’s also a myth that the gun hurts lessif a needle piercing is done properly, the pain is very minor.”
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