Signs of a pierced ear infection may include pain, swelling and yellow discharge from the piercing site. Clean your child’s piercing with warm water and antibacterial soap. Do not use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. See your child’s doctor if they develop a fever.
Similarly, how do I treat 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).
People also ask, what happens if you leave an ear piercing infection untreated?
“Untreated infection could lead to more complicated infections that require drainage and oral antibiotics,” Fusco said.
What are signs of ear piercing infection?
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 (germs) that enter the wound can lead to infection.
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.
Will an infected ear piercing heal on its own?
Most infected ear piercings can be treated at home and will improve within a few days, although, in some cases, antibiotics may be necessary. If symptoms do not improve, the infection spreads, or there are other symptoms, a person should speak to a doctor.
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.
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.
Should I go to the doctor if my piercing is infected?
Call your doctor if you experience any of these infection symptoms: Fever. Red, swollen skin around the pierced area. Pain when touching the pierced area.
What is a good saline solution for piercings?
Make a soaking solution by mixing sea salt and distilled water. Use pure sea salt (non-iodized) and not table salt, which contains extra chemicals that can irritate your piercing and dextrose (sugar) that can cause yeast infections.
How can I make my piercing heal faster?
USE WARM SEA SALT WATER (SALINE) SOAKS – MORNING AND EVENING
Soaking your piercing with a warm, mild sea salt water solution will not only feel good, it will also help prevent infection, reduce the risk of scarring, and speed the healing of your piercing.
Can you get sick from infected piercing?
Tattoos and body piercings provide an opening in the skin that may allow germs to enter your body and cause infections. These infections could cause sepsis. It’s for this reason that anyone who receives a tattoo or piercing must take special care to reduce the risk of contracting an infection.
What ointment is good for infected ear piercing?
Gently pat dry the affected area with clean gauze or a tissue. Then apply a small amount of an over-the-counter antibiotic cream (Neosporin, bacitracin, others), as directed on the product label. Turn the piercing jewelry a few times to prevent it from sticking to the skin.
When should I go to the ER for an infected piercing?
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.
