Ear Piercing Infection

I put some old earrings in last night (my favourites!) and when they were in one of my ears started to get a bit sore and itchy. Stupidly, for some reason, I decided to swop them round and surprise surprise, the other ear started playing up too. I've had this before with these earrings, but usually when I take them out my ears are fine.
But today my ears are still itchy and sore and they're swollen up around the ear lobe and are very red. I'm not really sure what to do. My boyfriend is going to buy me some antibacterial ointment on his way home from Lab this afternoon, but what else can I do? I've also bathed them in hot salt water but this doesn't seemed to have helped.
Any suggestions?

Reply 1

norelle

5

Try swabbing them with TCP or Dettol, that always works for me if saltwater fails.

Reply 2

hugatree

11

Maybe you've become allergic to the material of the earrings? :smile:

Allergies can randomly come up, like some people only get allergic to certain trees when they're 30.

Reply 3

eleri

5

I'd keep trying with the saltwater and TCP etc. on a regular basis, and if there isn't any improvement by tomorrow, maybe go see a doctor.

Reply 4

Kate.

15

Well, have you had the piercings for a while without jewellery in? You might have torn or stretched it a bit when putting the jewellery in which would irritate it...or it could just be irritation from the material - do you know what they're made of? If you can, get some titanium or implant-grade steel studs or CBRs to put in, and see if that works.

Signs of infection are hot to touch, greeny-yellow discharge, throbbing/constant pain. If it IS infected, you should probably still put some good-quality jewellery in, and go to the doctor for antibiotics. Don't take them out.

Reply 5

Little Girl Red

OP

1

Should I not leave the earrings out and let the piercings get some air? Or should I put in some like gold/silver studs?

Reply 6

hugatree

11

Yes put golden ones in. :smile:

Clean them too, and your earlobe.

Reply 7

xXMessedUpXx

15

honey

put plasters over them with pure honey in, and leave over night. Cleared my infection up asap. If its really bad you may need anti-biotics, tho my advice would be go back yo your piercer ASAP as they can advise you better than we can :smile:

Reply 8

hugatree

11

xXMessedUpXx

put plasters over them with pure honey in, and leave over night.

Reply 9

xXMessedUpXx

15

hugatree

Advice my piercer gave me. Think it goes back as far as Roman times when they used it cos of its healing abilities

Reply 10

Juno

20

If there isn't any pus and they don't feel really hot (like you can hold your hand an inch away and feel the heat coming from them!) then you probably don't need to go to the doctors yet. But if it gets worse then do so!

It does sound more like an allergy (but strange for just the one earring to be affecting you) or maybe there was something on it that wasn't clean. Switch to a nice pair and try not to fiddle! Every time you get the urge to play with them then bathe it in salt water. You'll look crazy, but it would be best if you got a mug or something and tried to soak them.

Reply 11

oneeyedandgreen

1

that happened to me with my piercing at the top of my ear. i left my earring out for 3 days because it was too painful to wear it. keep washing your ear with saltwater or tcp. i would keep a gold earring in if its not too painful, but obviouly if it is leave it off.

Reply 12

brimstone

7

hugatree

Allergies can randomly come up, like some people only get allergic to certain trees when they're 30.

Oh, that's reassuring :wink:

Reply 13

Juno

20

xXMessedUpXx

honey

put plasters over them with pure honey in, and leave over night. Cleared my infection up asap. If its really bad you may need anti-biotics, tho my advice would be go back yo your piercer ASAP as they can advise you better than we can :smile:

Make sure your dad hasn't dipped his buttery toast knife in first though

Reply 14

pixiepeep

13

I had problems with mine a few months back. I found that if I dipped a decent pair of earrings (silver for me, as I'm allergic to gold) into Sudocrem and then put it in my ear, it cleared up really quickly. And it really cools your ear down too.
I also use it if i'm having trouble putting my earrings back in at any time as they just glide in nicely.

Reply 15

guitargirl03

13

Put clear nail varnish on them (obviously wait for it to dry, lol). That apparently works.

Reply 16

pumpkin7

13

this is why you don't put holes in your ears..

my boyfriends sister had her ears done, and because she didn't turn the earings every night, skin grew over the top and they got stuck... EW!
why would ANYONE want to risk having that happen to them!?

wow i have such great input.

Reply 17

IzzyWizzy

10

this is why you don't put holes in your ears..

my boyfriends sister had her ears done, and because she didn't turn the earings every night, skin grew over the top and they got stuck... EW!
why would ANYONE want to risk having that happen to them!?

About 95% of girls have their ears pierced and very few people have drastic problems. If you're too thick to look after them properly (which isn't hard) and fail to notice that skin is growing over them, then yes things will go wrong.

Reply 18

Ceri327

9

Put clear nail varnish on them (obviously wait for it to dry, lol). That apparently works.

oooooooo im definately not convinced about that one!! sounds a bit dodge. salt water is the best thing maybe make it a bit stronger if its not working or weak tcp. not sure about detol either could make it worse if its that strong sounds like your ears are sensitive anyway so might agravate it more

Reply 19

guitargirl03

13

Ceri327

oooooooo im definately not convinced about that one!! sounds a bit dodge. salt water is the best thing maybe make it a bit stronger if its not working or weak tcp. not sure about detol either could make it worse if its that strong sounds like your ears are sensitive anyway so might agravate it more

The nail varnish isn't meant to be an anti-septic, but apparently it cover the earring up, so it shouldn't cause an allergic reaction.

I agree with you about salt water. It's cheap and it works :smile:

Ear Piercing Infection

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