How Do You Get Rid Of An Ear Piercing Infection Fast
With proper care, most mild earlobe infections will clear up in 1 to 2 weeks. Infections keep coming back if you are not conscientious in ear and earring care. If the ear is infected, clean both sides of the earlobe with rubbing alcohol. Remove the earring and post 3 times a day and cleanse them with rubbing alcohol.
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
Taking Care Of Your Ears
As body parts go, your ears don’t ask for much. They don’t need to be brushed like your teeth or trimmed like your toenails. All your ears need is to be washed regularly, so wash them with soap and water while you’re sudsing up the rest of your body in the bath or shower.
Recommended Reading: Pairing Compilot
How You Can Get A Piercing Infection
A piercing is essentially an open wound. An earlobe piercing usually takes six to eight weeks to heal. Cartilage piercings, which take place on the harder part of your ear, generally take longer to heal and can be more prone to infection. There are several ways your ear piercing can get infected.
Any bacteria left to fester can quickly turn into an infection. If you touch your piercing with dirty hands or instruments, you can introduce an infection. If the earrings are on too tightly, not allowing room for the wound to breathe and heal, an infection can develop. A piercing can also get infected if theres too much handling of the piercing or the post of the earring is rough.
An infection can also occur if unsterile instruments were used, if the person piercing your ears didnt use gloves, or if the posts themselves werent sterile.
Its fairly easy to identify an infected ear piercing. Symptoms may include:
- yellow, pus-like discharge
When To See A Doctor About An Earache
Dr. Nguyen-Huynh recommends seeing a doctor if:
- Yoursymptoms remain after twoor three days, even if youve tried over-the-counter or home remedies.
- Yourear is very painful, oryou have other symptoms that bother you.
Other common conditions, such as temporomandibular joint dysfunction , can masquerade as earache infections. TMJ causes ear pain because the ear canal and the jaw joint share a nerve. If you have ear pain along with trouble chewing, talking or yawning, then you should see a dentist or TMJ expert to be sure youre treating the right condition, notes Dr. Nguyen-Huynh.
The good news? Hot and cold compresses and OTC pain relievers can also help relieve TMJ pain until you sort things out.
Recommended Reading: Which Composer Experienced Hearing Loss During His Lifetime
Sebaceous Cyst Inside Ear
Sebaceous cyst inside ear is the most common bump in most people. A sebaceous cyst is formed the hair follicle gets clogged with dirt and dead skin cells.
Like all the other part of the body, the ear too has hair follicle that can clog to form a sebaceous cyst. These bumps are non-cancerous growth that often arises beneath the skin.
Though they commonly develop on the head, neck, and torso, these bumps can develop anywhere on the body. Most cause no pain but can be uncomfortable and irritating depending on where on the body they develop.
Does This Mean No Earrings
If youre experiencing symptoms of an earring allergy, you might bewondering if this means you have to give up wearing earrings altogether.
Some people do choose to stick to ear cuffs and other, less invasive, jewelry options after they experience symptoms of earring allergy.
The good news is that you dont have to do this if you dont want to!You can still wear your favorite types of earrings. You just have to be morecautious about the specific metals theyre made from.
You May Like: How To Pair Compilot With Hearing Aids
Swollen Ear Lobe With Lump
A small lump or bump accompanying a swollen ear lobe is most likely to be an abscess or a pimple. A cyst or a pimple can be a non-cancerous lump that often arises beneath the skin. A sebaceous cyst or epidermoid cyst is one of these lumps. This lumps are painless and do not pose any health risk. These lumps, therefore, warrant no medical attention. If the lump becomes painful, infected or bothersome, you have the option of having it removed by your dermatologist through a cosmetic surgery.
The lump occurs when cells move deeper into the skin, they increase in number rather than sloughing off. The cell will produce keratin that drains into the cyst behind your ear.
What Is An Infected Ear Piercing
An ear piercing is a hole through your earlobe or the cartilage in your middle or upper ear. An infected ear piercing may be red, swollen, sore, warm, itchy or tender. Sometimes the piercing oozes blood or white, yellow or greenish 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.
Recommended Reading: How To Say Poop In Sign Language
When To Call The Doctor For An Ear Infection
Some symptoms of an inner ear infection can be the same as a stroke. If you have vomiting, headache, vision changes, fever, weakness in one side of your body, slurred speech or are unable to walk, seek medical care right away.
Infections involving high fever, discharge or bleeding from the ear canal, headache, vomiting, dizziness, loss of hearing, or severe pain should be seen by a doctor. A doctor should see most people with an inner ear infection.
Consider The Jewelry Material
If you have a nickel sensitivity, you may not be able to handle jewelry made of nickel-laden metals. “Its 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.” Silver, gold, and steel still have small amounts of nickel in them enough to bother someone who’s very sensitive. In this case, niobium or titanium jewelry may be necessary. You can 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 that you need to remove the jewelry and jump ship from your new piercing. Many infections will clear up with some 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.
Don’t Miss: Sign Language For Hungry
When To See A Doctor
It is recommended that you see an ENT doctor if the pain worsens or does not stop after two days of medication. Your doctor will probably recommend antibiotics to combat the infection.
Seek immediate medical care in case you notice any of the following:
- Stiff, painful neck
- Feeling faint or dizzy
- Pus, or blood oozing out of the ear
- High fever, even after taking ibuprofen in an effort of how to get rid of ear infection.
- Painful swelling around the ear
- Tinnitus or noise in the ear
For a child who is below six months, it is best to take him/her to a doctor immediately you notice signs of an ear infection. Do not try any home remedies on infants and small children.
Signs of an Ear Infection to Look Out for in Infants
Since they are young and are not able to express how they are feeling, always be alert for the following symptoms of ear infection:
- Child keeps tugging and pulling at the ear due to the pain and discomfort.
- The baby is crying endlessly.
- The baby has difficulty sleeping.
- The baby has fever.
- Fluid is coming out of the ear.
Seattle Children’s Urgent Care Locations
If your childs illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.
Minor Infection in Newly Pierced Ear in Last 6 Weeks
Minor Infection in Ear Pierced More Than 6 Weeks Ago and Healed
Recommended Reading: How To Pair Compilot With Hearing Aids
What’s Normal For A New Piercing
For the first few weeks a new piercing might:
- be tender, itchy, and the surrounding area may look slightly red on white skin, or a little darker than usual on dark skin
- produce a pale fluid that forms a crust
If you’ve had an ear or nose cartilage piercing, small lumps can sometimes form around the piercing.
The lumps, called granulomas, are trapped fluid. You can treat them by soaking a pad in warm water then holding the pad against them once a day.
How Do Ear Piercings Even Get Infected
Anyone can get an infected ear piercing, but it usually happens due to one of two major reasons. Either your piercing site wasnt adequately sterilized before you were pierced, or you kinda-sorta-definitely didnt take great care of it after you were pierced, explains Kenneth A. Kaplan, MD, an otolaryngologist with ENT and Allergy Associates in New Jersey.
Touching your piercing a lot, while it’s still a new, open wound, can also expose it to bacteria that can cause an infection.
Read Also: How To Treat Ear Infection During Pregnancy
Age For Piercing Ears
- Parents often wonder what a good age is to have ear piercing done. It is best to wait until a child can play an active role. Most often, this is past age 8.
- Children under 4 years may touch the earrings a lot. Playing with the earring with dirty hands can lead to infections.
- Younger children also can get the earrings out and put them in their mouth. This can lead to swallowing or choking on them.
How To Treat Infected Ear Piercings: A Dermatologist Explains
- EMAILSHARE
When you have an infected piercing, your first thought might be to take your jewelry out. While that might seem like the best thing to do, it’s best to leave this to your doctor. If your piercing is actually infected, and you remove the jewelry on your own, the bacteria and pus can get locked inside if the hole closes up. Instead, see a dermatologist, who will likely swab the area for a culture and start a course of topical and/or oral antibiotics to treat the infected skin piercing. Your derm will likely also want to monitor the area for potential abscess formation throughout your treatment plan. To learn more, we spoke to two dermatologists, Y. Claire Chang, and Alicia Zalka.
Meet the Expert
- Y. Claire Chang, MD, is a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in Manhattan.
- Alicia Zalka, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and an Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Yale. She also is the founder of Surface Deep.
Mild infections can be treated easily enough at home. If it’s just a little irritated, slightly red or warm, you can try a few things to clear it up on your own:
You May Like: What Is The Ivy League Formula For Tinnitus
What Causes A Pierced Ear Infection
Whether you just got your ears pierced or are a piercing veteran, there are a number of reasons you might end up with an earring hole infection. Fresh piercings, especially, are pretty vulnerable, and can actually take up to six weeks to heal. An earlobe piercing is essentially an open wound until it fully heals, so during this time, like any other wound, it is susceptible to infection, Shah said.
That means simple acts like handling your earrings with dirty hands or forgetting to clean them can accidentally introduce unwanted bacteria into your earring hole. When bacteria gets trapped in the piercing hole, it can have a hard time finding its way out. It can then multiply and create an infection, said dermatologist Marina Peredo.
Once your piercing heals fully, its less likely to get infected, but that doesnt mean youre totally in the clear. You still need to clean your earrings frequently to prevent an infection.
Earrings can accumulate buildup from soap and shampoo, and sometimes hair products. Its a good idea to clean your earrings once a week, Peredo said.
Taking your earrings out every night will give your ears a much-needed break, and you should also sanitize them before sharing them with friends or before trying on a new pair at the mall.
If you take good care of your earrings but still end up with an earring hole infection, the type of earrings youre wearing could be to blame.
What Does A Severe Ear Piercing Infection Look Like
Your infection is bad if you have these symptoms:
- Severe redness
- Abscess formation
- Fever
If the skin around your piercing becomes red and tender and you have a fever greater than 100.4 degrees, you may be dealing with cellulitis, a common and potentially serious bacterial skin infection, and you’ll want to get yourself to a doc right away.
Of course, you can also have an allergy to the hardware in your ear and that can look like an infection. But unfortunately, it can be tough for non-doctors to figure out the difference, Dr. Mankarious says. “Professionals often think of allergies based on a history of allergies to metals as well as a lack of response to antibiotic treatment,” she says. So if you’re unsure, it’s best to see a doc.
Recommended Reading: Are You Hungry In Sign Language
How To Treat A Minor Ear Piercing Infection
You may be able to take care of it at home with minor infections. However, seek medical treatment if youve had a cartilage piercing and it seems infected. Oral antibiotics may be required as these infections can be difficult to treat. In severe infections, hospitalization may be necessary. To treat a minor infection, follow the steps below.1) Before treating your infection, wash your hands well.2) With a saltwater rinse, clean around the piercing 3 times a day. Be sure use a sterile saline or make it by mixing /4 tsp. of salt with 8 oz. of distilled water.3) Avoid using hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, or antibiotic ointments as they can impede the healing process and cause further skin irritation.4) Do not take out the piercing, otherwise, you risk letting the hole close and trap infection.5) On both sides of your earlobe, do not remove the piercing. With paper towels, pat the area dry. Do not use other materials or fibers can remain behind.6) Continue this cleaning regimen twice a day until the piercing is totally healed once the infection appears to have cleared. Routine care is vital during the 6-8 weeks of healing for an initial piercing.
Who Should Perform My Body Piercing
Before getting a piercing, do some research. Find a clean, safe piercing shop. Choose a professional with a good reputation to perform the piercing.
Do not pierce yourself or let anyone pierce you who is not a professional. Select the body site and jewelry carefully. Avoid jewelry made of nickel or brass. These metals can cause allergic reactions. Look for jewelry made of titanium, 14-carat gold, or surgical-grade steel.
The person doing the piercing should:
- Wash his or her hands well with a germicidal soap before doing the piercing.
- Wear disposable gloves.
Don’t Miss: How Did Beethoven’s Deafness Affect His Music