As long as your infection is minor, you may be able to take care of it at home. If you’ve had a cartilage piercing and it seems infected, seek medical treatment. These types of infections are harder to treat and may require oral antibiotics. Significant infections of the cartilage can require hospitalization.
Keeping this in consideration, what’s the best thing to put on an infected 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.
- 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.
In this way, how long does an infected piercing take to heal?
Minor pierced ear infections can be treated at home. With proper care, most will clear up in 1 to 2 weeks. Here is some care advice that should help.
Should I go to the doctor for an infected cartilage piercing?
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.
Is my cartilage 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.
Can you put Neosporin on a piercing?
NEVER USE: Bacitracin or Neosporin. Petroleum based ointments CLOG the piercing and make it difficult for your body to heal. NEVER USE Rubbing Alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide, Claire’s ear care solution. These products are too strong and will irritate your skin and piercing.
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.
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.
How do you treat an infected piercing at home?
Once your hands are clean, mix one cup of water with half of a teaspoon of salt. Use a cotton ball or pad to apply the saltwater solution directly to the piercing site. Once clean, pat it dry with a clean cotton ball or gauze. After the piercing site is dry, you should apply an antibacterial ointment or cream.
How do you know if your body is rejecting a piercing?
Symptoms of piercing rejection
- more of the jewelry becoming visible on the outside of the piercing.
- the piercing remaining sore, red, irritated, or dry after the first few days.
- the jewelry becoming visible under the skin.
- the piercing hole appearing to be getting larger.
- the jewelry looking like it is hanging differently.
Why is my cartilage piercing swollen and throbbing?
As it heals, it may look swollen, lumpy, or like a bump. In the days immediately following a cartilage piercing, the body’s immune system triggers inflammation and swelling to heal the wound, sometimes leading to a cartilage bump. Over time, cartilage piercings may develop other bumps due to infections or scarring.
How do you reduce swelling from a piercing?
Caring for a piercing site
- Stop any bleeding by applying direct pressure to the piercing site.
- Apply a cold pack to help reduce swelling or bruising. …
- Wash the wound for 5 minutes, 3 or 4 times a day, with large amounts of warm water.
- Elevate the piercing area, if possible, to help reduce swelling.
How can I make my cartilage piercing heal faster?
If you aren’t experiencing severe symptoms, you may be able to use the following methods to treat your cartilage bump at home.
- You may need to change your jewelry. …
- Make sure you clean your piercing. …
- Cleanse with a saline or sea salt soak. …
- Use a chamomile compress. …
- Apply diluted tea tree oil.
