So, just as you’d care for an accidental wound to prevent an infection from developing, you must take care of a piercing too. One way to help your new piercing stay healthy is to soak it in a sea salt or saline mixture. Doing this can keep your wound clean and promote healing.
Similarly one may ask, what do you put on an infected ear piercing?
How are infected ear piercings treated?
- Applying a warm compress to the infected earlobe or cartilage.
- Rinsing the infected earlobe with sterile saline.
- Using antibiotic ointment on the affected area.
- Taking oral antibiotics for more severe infections.
Moreover, how do I clean an infected ear piercing?
Treating New Pierced Ear Infections (during first 6 weeks):
Don’t take out the earring! Clean the infected area 3 times a day. Wash hands with soap and water before touching the ear or earring. Use cotton swab (“Q-Tip”) dipped in pierced ear solution (see #3 below). Clean exposed earring (both sides).
Is saline solution bad for piercings?
Cleaning too often with an overly harsh cleaning solution, or with too many different types of cleaning solutions, can irritate your piercing. … Salt water and/or saline solutions should be used to irrigate your piercing, but it is the action of flushing out the wound that helps healing, not the saline itself.
Should I remove piercing if infected?
If a new piercing is infected, it is best not to remove the earring. Removing the piercing can allow the wound to close, trapping the infection within the skin. For this reason, it is advisable not to remove an earring from an infected ear unless advised by a doctor or professional piercer.
How do you treat an infected ear piercing at home?
Treating the infection at home
- Wash your hands before touching or cleaning your piercing.
- Clean around the piercing with a saltwater rinse three times a day. …
- Don’t use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or antibiotic ointments. …
- Don’t remove the piercing. …
- Clean the piercing on both sides of your earlobe.
What does an infected piercing look like?
Your piercing might be infected if: the area around it is swollen, painful, hot, very red or dark (depending on your skin colour) there’s blood or pus coming out of it – pus can be white, green or yellow. you feel hot or shivery or generally unwell.
Should you squeeze the pus out of an infected piercing?
You should never try to drain pus or fluid from the infected area. This can make the infection worse. If your symptoms are severe, see your doctor. They may prescribe antibiotics to help clear the infection.
What do saline soaks do for piercings?
A sea salt soak is effective at softening up and gently removing debris that can accumulate, says Faris. It may also relieve inflammation, rinse the area, and flush out the wound as the piercing heals.
What is the best cleaning solution for piercings?
Clean with a clean cotton pad or swab dipped in salt solution. You can make this solution by mixing 1 teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water. Use this around the pierced area a few times a day to remove any bacteria. Dab (don’t wipe) the piercing.
How long should I use saline on my piercing?
On saline soaks
You conduct a saline soak in a few easy steps: Fill a small cup with saline solution. The cup should be big enough to accommodate your piercing, and it should be filled with enough solution to completely submerge the jewelry. Let the piercing soak for 2 – 3 minutes.
What antibiotics treat ear piercing infection?
Most infected ear piercings are caused by a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and so you need an antibiotic that covers this bacteria, such as ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin.
Is my piercing infected or irritated?
According to Thompson, the telltale signs of an infection are simple: “The area around the piercing is warm to the touch, you notice extreme redness or red streaks protruding from it, and it has discolored pus, normally with a green or brown tint,” Thompson says.
When should I go to the doctor for an ear piercing infection?
If you get an infection that’s spreading up beyond just the site of the piercing, where the full ear appears red and swollen or just even the lower half of it, then I would be a lot more concerned about an infection in the cartilage itself, and that would definitely be a reason to go to the ER.
