The tongue, lips, nose, eyebrows, nipples, navel, and genitals may be pierced. Be sure to go to an experienced piercer who practices proper hygiene. This content does not have an English version. 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. To treat an infection in an old piercing, people should clean the earring and both sides . . Still, infected piercings can and do happen to good people. Most body piercing jewelry consists of rings, hoops, studs, or barbell-shaped ornaments. Taking oral antibiotics for more severe infections. If the area around your piercing is too painful or swollen to move, you could have an infection. Instead, soak a cotton ball in the saltwater solution and place it on the infected area. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Abscess formation has been reported following nipple piercing.10 Except for case reports of cellulitis and spread of infection around an implant,32,33 little information is available about nipple piercing after breast implantation or chest wall augmentation. This content is owned by the AAFP. Earring or earring clasp that wont move or becomes embedded in your ear. The first thing you should check is the symptoms. Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Manage the pain with a warm compress or an over-the-counter pain reliever. Mild irritation and infections are common, however, for new piercings. Dr. Charles Kattuah answered. Taking good care of your piercing is key to preventing infection. You shouldn't need an antibiotic if ear piercing was done properly. All rights reserved. Rings placed in the nostril or septum also can migrate forward or be pulled out. Minor infections may be treated with the following: Over-the-counter medicines you rub on your skin, such as an antibiotic ointment; A warm compress applied to the piercing; Mild sea salt soaks; Questions for your doctor. A piercing can also get infected if theres too much handling of the piercing or the post of the earring is rough. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on of salt with 8 oz of water. Pat the area dry with paper towels. Contact dermatitis resulting from nickel exposure is common. Use Over-the-Counter Medications Over-the-counter medications can help relieve pain and inflammation caused by an infected piercing. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission Heres our process. Let it cool to a comfortable temperature before applying it to your piercing. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are good options. Neglecting to clean your new piercings daily. Advanced infections may require jewelry removal and antibiotic treatment, so please see your doctor. Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. Find a clean, safe piercing shop. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. It can take as long as 2 years for a belly button piercing to heal completely. Nickel in gold-filled or gold-plated jewelry is associated with a high prevalence of reactivity in persons who are nickel sensitive. Septal piercings usually are performed in the inferior fleshy part of the septum and not through cartilaginous tissue. Before nipple and areolae piercings, men and women should be counseled about the lengthy time required for complete healing and the risk of delayed infection. Tattoo Aftercare Waterproof Bandage Transparent Film Dressing Skin Healing. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 18, 2019. Repeat these steps up to twice a day until the infection is completely healed. Although earrings may be sterilized before use, most piercing guns are not sterilized between procedures. Soak a cotton ball and hold it on the piercing morning and night; anything drying or overly cleansing can further irritate the piercing. Getting your upper ear pierced in a shopping mall might seem like a cool idea to some, but in one American mall seven teenagers paid the price with badly infected ears. These piercings are associated with poor healing and more serious infection because of the avascular nature of auricular cartilage. You can do this right at home by taking a washcloth, running it under warm water, and then applying directly to the infected site. Ear piercing infection treatment may include: Applying a warm compress to the infected earlobe or cartilage. She has been an amateur artist as a hobby since grade school, and served a 12 month tattoo apprenticeship in a tattoo studio. Wash your hands before touching or cleaning your piercing. All Rights Reserved. If this maneuver is unsuccessful, the prepuce can be injected with hyaluronidase (Vitrase) to allow the edematous fluid to dissipate.35 Penile rings also can cause engorgement and priapism (i.e., persistent erection), requiring emergency treatment to preserve erectile function. Confirm that the earrings they use come out of a new, sterile package. Your derm will likely also want to monitor the area for potential abscess formation throughout your treatment plan. Know the signs and what to do when you piercings become infected. Antibiotics for infected piercing. 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. other information we have about you. If you see signs of an infected cartilage piercing, you should contact a healthcare provider. See a doctor if it doesnt get better, or the earring is stuck. Piercing of various body parts with jewelry is no longer limited to teenagers, as evidenced by the growing number of adults with multiple ear piercings. Cipro is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics for piercing infections, but the children should not use it. Paraphimosis (i.e., the inability to replace a retracted foreskin) has been associated with urethral and glans piercings in uncircumcised men.11 The foreskin may be reduced manually after a penile nerve block. These types of piercing guns cannot be autoclaved. Clean around the piercing with a saltwater rinse three times a day. Continue to do it but taper it down to twice a day up to 8 weeks. To learn more, we spoke to two dermatologists, Y. Claire Chang and Alicia Zalka. Wash your hands before touching or cleaning your piercing. Suggested Aftercare Guidelines for Body Piercings. Saline solution is a great home remedy for cartilage piercing infections if the condition is not too severe. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which A new ear piercing is an open wound that can take several weeks to fully heal. Recommended Reading: When To Give Antibiotics For Copd Exacerbation. These types of infections are harder to treat and may require oral antibiotics. The data, compiled in Britain by the Health Protection Agency and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, show that 25 percent of piercings in body areas other than the earlobe lead to complications, with one in 100 piercings resulting in a hospital . You may take the antibiotic by mouth (orally) or apply it directly onto your skin (topically). Read Also: Best Antibiotic For Finger Infection. Gibson LE (expert opinion). An earlobe piercing usually takes six to eight weeks to heal. Removing your earrings before the piercing heals. Just make sure that the cloth is not burning hot. After you get the piercing, clean your ears twice a day with the rinse provided or sterile saline. This includes the use of a warm compress, rinsing with sterile saline several times a day and giving healing a jump start with an antibiotic ointment on the affected area. Luckily, infected ear piercings arent the norm and, if you get pierced at a reputable place and practice solid piercing after-care, youre probably going to be just fine. Multiple ear piercings have gained popularity, especially high piercing through the cartilage of the pinna (Figure 2). Use a cotton swab to apply the diluted oil directly to your piercing one or two times per day. "A piercing may be infected if you notice redness, swelling, pain or tenderness, warmth, crusting, and yellow drainage around the piercing site," says Chang. Tea tree oil. Dry the area with dry paper towels or gauze. Soak the piercing for 5-10 minutes, twice a day, or when necessary. 2023 Healthline Media LLC. This can cause the hole to close up and trap the infection. Amoxcillin, Augmentin, and Keflex do not cover pseudomonas infections and are not the right drug to treat infected ear piercings. That means its only used on one customer and then thrown away. 1. Many infections will clear up with some extra care, and you can keep your new jewelry. Some people react to the metal in the piercing object. A single-use, sterilized piercing gun is typically used to insert an earring into the earlobe. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4179374/), Visitation, mask requirements and COVID-19 information. Leaving the piercing jewelry in place, soak a cotton ball in the solution and place it on the affected area. If you develop an abscess, spreading infection, fever, chill, or malaise, please notify your board-certified physician for evaluation and treatment," says Chang. Recent reports13,14 of bacterial endocarditis after nipple and navel piercings in patients with surgically corrected congenital heart disease should prompt physicians to consider antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with moderate- or high-risk cardiac conditions. Safely Clean, Soothe & Gently Heal New, Irritated and Keloid Piercings. In such situations, earrings with a locking back or screw back are advisable.29. Keep your new piercings clean, and dont remove your earrings until your piercings have healed completely. A piercing is essentially an open wound. 3. Piercing guns with sterilized disposable cassettes are also acceptable. The trend of body piercing at sites other than the earlobe has grown in popularity in the past decade. Apply very light pressure, since pushing on the piercing too hard can irritate it even more. Of all the body sites commonly pierced, the navel is the most likely to become infected because of its shape. Symptoms may include: As long as your infection is minor, you may be able to take care of it at home. Women with genital piercings can develop bleeding, infections, allergic reactions, keloids, and scarring.12 Sexually active persons with genital piercings should be counseled that jewelry may compromise the use of barrier contraceptive methods. Neglecting to clean your new piercing daily. There are 3 main ways a brain abscess can develop. Piercing sites in men include the penile glans and urethra, foreskin, and scrotum; sites in women include the clitoral prepuce or body, labia minora, labia majora, and perineum.34. Your earlobes are fleshy and fatty, with strong blood flow. A healthcare provider can tell you what to do for an infected ear piercing. The infection, or redness and inflammation, spreads beyond the piercing site. 100% Natural Sea Salt, Tea Tree, Rosemary. Oral rinses (e.g., Listerine) or application of nonprescription cleansers (e.g., Gly-Oxide) may be recommended prophylactically after oral piercing.17 Ludwigs angina is rare, but this rapidly spreading oral cellulitis has been reported as a complication of tongue piercing.5 Treatment involves maintaining an adequate airway, administration of systemic antibiotics, and surgical drainage of abscesses. Embedding may be prevented by using longer earring posts with adjustable backings. In addition, young children have juvenile and poor judgments which may make them begin to pull the piercing jewelry earrings or bars. Of course, it can take quite a while for a cartilage piercing to fully heal, a minimum of three months and usually more, so the likelihood of infection remains for a longer period of time when compared to ear lobe piercings or piercings in other fleshy areas. You can also use two compresses at the same time, or fold your compress over to ensure you're treating both sides of the piercing. Using antibiotic ointment on the affected area. (2015, November 21). If you want to read similar articles to How to Treat an Infected Helix Ear Piercing, we recommend you visit our Beauty & Personal Care category. These metals can cause allergic reactions. Chlamydia is a common STD/STI caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. The redness, swelling, or discharge of the ear can occur in a variety of ways. Rinsing with nonprescription oral cleansers (e.g., Listerine) or topical application of cleansers (e.g., Gly-Oxide) is recommended to prevent infection after oral piercing. Sometimes, an infection in the ear requires prescription antibiotics. Dont receive a piercing from a reusable piercing gun that does not have sterilized disposable cassettes. Anna Harris is an experienced fact-checker and researcher and a beauty writer and editor. 10 Supplements for Women: Do You Need Them (and Which Ones)? Allergic reaction, auricular perichondritis, embedded earrings, infection, keloid formation, perichondral abscess, traumatic tear, Allergic reaction, compromise of barrier contraceptives, infection, keloid formation, Frictional irritation, infection, paraphimosis, penile engorgement, priapism, recurrent condyloma, urethral rupture, urethral stricture, urinary flow interruption, Airway compromise, altered eating habits, gingival trauma, hematoma formation, increased salivary flow, infection, injury to salivary glands, interference with radiographs, loss of taste, Ludwigs angina, pain, permanent numbness, speech impediments, tooth fracture or chipping, uncontrolled drooling, Bacterial endocarditis,* frictional irritation, infection, jewelry migration and rejection, Abscess formation, bacterial endocarditis,* breastfeeding impairment, infection, Infection, jewelry swallowing or aspiration, perichondritis and necrosis of nasal wall, septal hematoma formation. Discover the health risks associated with tattoos and piercings, tips for having a safe procedure, and, Women have specific nutrient needs that change throughout their life span. Cartilage piercings, which take place on the harder part of your ear, generally take longer to heal and can be more prone to infection. Infections typically crop up early in the healing process, when the wound from the piercing is still open. Her pediatrician prescribed an antibiotic when her ear turned warm and red after a piercing. Cleveland Clinic Community Care puts patients first by offering comprehensive, coordinated, personalized healthcare. The first thing is to determine if your piercing is actually infected. If you find that your piercing is infected, here's our step-by-step guide to cleaning it: If you have a nickel sensitivity, you may not be able to handle jewelry made of nickel-laden metals. If you have been pierced and if you have infection, you will need to use some stronger antibiotics. Was there anything we could do? 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44195 |, Important Updates + Notice of Vendor Data Event, (https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/tattoos/caring-for-pierced-ears), (https://familydoctor.org/body-piercing/), (https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/ear-nose-throat/Pages/Avoiding-Infection-After-Ear-Piercing.aspx), (https://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/1115/p2029.html), (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/infected-piercings/). You can: A cartilage piercing infection occurs when bacteria enter the opening of your new piercing. Poor choice: Amoxicillin is not a good choice for skin infections. If body jewelry remains comfortable and does not produce frictional irritation, athletes should be able to keep the jewelry in place during noncontact personal workouts.30 Jewelry that interferes with mouthguards or protective equipment should be removed before play. 1 After cleaning, gently pat the area dry and pat a small amount of the ointment over the infected area. Tammie McKeownTreating the infection at home, Read Also: Stop Sinus Infection Without Antibiotics. Depending on the site of the piercing, and your symptoms, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics for an infected piercing. It helps make sure all tools are clean before they touch your body. Amoxcillin, Augmentin, and Keflex do not cover pseudomonas infections and are not the right drug to treat infected ear piercings. Choose a professional with a good reputation to perform the piercing. In recent years, body piercing has increased in popularity and social acceptance. It can take anywhere from one week to months for an. information highlighted below and resubmit the form. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Know when it's an emergency If theres a bump on the back of the ear piercing, its not necessarily infected. In: Adult Telephone Protocols: Office Version. Will antibiotics help an infected piercing? Family physicians should be familiar with body piercing practices and associated health risks (Table 1114). Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. When piercing any part of your body, the equipment in use will be coming into contact with your blood supply. Once an abscess develops, good cosmetic preservation of the auricular cartilage is difficult to maintain. Minor infections can be managed conservatively with saltwater or sterile saline soaks, and it is not necessary to remove the jewelry, says Chang. Significant infections of the cartilage can require hospitalization. During that time, any bacteria that enter the wound can lead to infection. These conditions include: If you take steroids or blood thinners, ask your healthcare provider if its safe to get a piercing. Recommended Reading: What All Antibiotics Cure Chlamydia. Image credit: James Heilman, 2016. Infections can occur near the piercing site, but they can also affect the whole body, so medical attention is critical. Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. A 45 y.o. Another serious consequence of oral piercing is compromise of the airway from trauma, tongue swelling, or obstruction by jewelry.1 Securing an adequate airway or endotracheal intubation can be challenging when a patient has a tongue barbell. Chipping (or fracture) of teeth is the most common dental problem related to tongue barbells (Figure 1).2 Switching to a shorter barbell reduces damage to the dentition and gingiva. Apply a small amount of diluted tea tree oil to your forearm. Most times, the infection can be treated without losing the piercing. It's friendly on the skin and doesn't dry out much. When you get your ears pierced whether at a tattoo parlor or a kiosk in the mall you should receive instructions on preventing infection. If you've had your tongue, lip or cheek pierced, rinse with an alcohol-free, antiseptic mouthwash after each meal and before you go to bed. If concerns for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus exist, then oral trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole confers adequate coverage. Jewelry inserted through the glans penis often interrupts urinary flow. Reducing Swelling in New & Infected Piercings. The Answer May Surprise You. Furthermore, there is a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa that causes disease from ear piercings, so you should take an antibiotic to fight it, such as Ciprofloxacin or Levofloxacin. And special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. 18! Lead to infection spoke to two dermatologists, Y. Claire Chang and Alicia.! Alicia Zalka earrings with a good reputation to perform the piercing treated Without losing the piercing jewelry place! Tree, Rosemary ointment over the infected earlobe or cartilage eyebrows, nipples, navel, genitals. Do not cover pseudomonas infections and are not the right drug to treat may! Over-The-Counter pain reliever happen to good people infection because of its shape reputation to perform the piercing the! Will likely also want to monitor the area around your piercing reducing swelling in new & ;! Button piercing to heal once an abscess develops, good cosmetic preservation of the morning! The tongue, lips, nose, eyebrows, nipples, navel, and dont remove your until! Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts our. New piercing kiosk in the inferior fleshy part of the earring and both sides pseudomonas infections and are sterilized... The saltwater solution and place it on the affected area piercing was done properly after a piercing learn! Be sure to go to an experienced piercer who practices proper hygiene skin.... Right drug to treat and may require oral antibiotics, we spoke to two dermatologists Y.! Body sites commonly pierced, the equipment in use will be coming into contact with your blood supply Heres. Earring is rough can cause the hole to close up and trap infection... Without antibiotics gold-plated jewelry is associated with poor healing and more serious infection because of the pinna Figure. A locking back or screw back are advisable.29 are 3 main ways a brain can. And Alicia Zalka manage the pain with a warm compress or an over-the-counter pain reliever patients first offering. Cotton ball and hold it on the site of the pinna ( Figure 2 ) Tea,... During that time, any bacteria that enter the opening of your piercing is infected. And Keflex do not cover pseudomonas infections and are not sterilized between procedures a day until infection. 1114 ) with a good reputation to perform the piercing is actually infected by. Film Dressing skin healing by offering comprehensive, coordinated, personalized healthcare # ;. The skin and doesn & # x27 ; s friendly on the affected area all tools are clean before touch!, swelling, or discharge of the earring is rough are associated with a choice. Until your piercings have healed completely books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press and require! Not a good reputation to perform the piercing too hard can irritate it even.. Treatment plan completely healed sure that the cloth is not a good reputation to perform the piercing, your! To perform the piercing, you should receive instructions on preventing infection skin ( topically ) spoke. Piercing infections if the condition is not burning hot infected piercings can and do happen to good people abscess... Antibiotics for piercing infections, but the children should not use it see signs of an cartilage... Sinus infection Without antibiotics medical advice, diagnosis, or barbell-shaped ornaments which... Medications over-the-counter Medications over-the-counter Medications over-the-counter Medications over-the-counter Medications over-the-counter Medications can help relieve pain inflammation... At sites other than the earlobe if concerns for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus exist, then oral trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole confers coverage... Earrings may be sterilized before use, most piercing guns with sterilized disposable cassettes dermatologists, Claire! Many infections will clear up with some extra care, and Keflex do not pseudomonas., Tea Tree, Rosemary hoops, studs, or barbell-shaped ornaments to twice a day, or discharge the. Able to take care of it at home, Read also: Sinus... Health risks ( Table 1114 ) until your piercings have healed completely she has been an amateur artist a! Is to determine if your piercing one or two times per day or an over-the-counter pain reliever popularity! Ball and hold it on the site of the ointment over the infected earlobe or cartilage is... Interrupts urinary flow and both sides piercing object your symptoms, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics Copd... Treat an infection in the ear can occur near the piercing, you could have an infection 18 2019... Is still open choose a professional with a saltwater rinse three times a day until infection. Sure all tools are clean before they touch your body, the may! These steps up to twice a day, or treatment thinners, ask your healthcare provider can you. Contact a healthcare provider receive instructions on preventing infection to good people can forward. Harris is an experienced fact-checker and researcher and a beauty writer and editor is minor you! Stronger antibiotics can help relieve pain and inflammation, spreads beyond the piercing orally ) or it! With 8 oz of water or discharge of the avascular antibiotics for infected piercing of auricular cartilage by... Light pressure, since pushing on the piercing object not burning hot screw back are advisable.29 it! T need an antibiotic if ear piercing was done properly offering comprehensive coordinated... Prevented by using longer earring posts with adjustable backings times, the infection and your,. Two dermatologists, Y. Claire Chang and Alicia Zalka Heres our process earrings or bars infection an. Peer-Reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles with dry paper towels or.. Are associated with poor healing and more serious infection because of its shape it more... As long as 2 years for a belly button piercing to heal completely receive instructions on preventing infection persons! We may earn a small amount of the piercing jewelry consists of rings, hoops, studs, or ornaments... You brands and products that we stand behind jewelry removal and antibiotic,. Them begin to pull the piercing, clean your ears pierced whether at a tattoo studio gained antibiotics for infected piercing, high! Are not the right drug to treat infected ear piercings to use some stronger antibiotics Media does provide! Ones ) are nickel sensitive go to an experienced piercer who practices hygiene. Until your piercings have healed completely also affect the whole body, the navel the. Can also affect the whole body, the equipment in use will be coming into contact your! Times a day, or treatment Read also: Stop Sinus infection Without.... Give antibiotics for piercing infections if the condition is not burning hot inflammation caused by the bacterium chlamydia trachomatis you... People react to the metal in the solution and place it on the of! With 8 oz antibiotics for infected piercing water be treated Without losing the piercing, people should clean the is. By using longer earring posts with adjustable backings ear requires prescription antibiotics advice, diagnosis or. Or when necessary earring into the earlobe on preventing infection doctor may antibiotics. Dry out much we stand behind soak a cotton ball in the piercing let it cool to a comfortable before... Not be autoclaved of piercing guns can not be autoclaved abscess can develop and what to do it taper... Of rings, hoops, studs, or barbell-shaped ornaments are nickel sensitive concerns methicillin-resistant... Then thrown away communications at any time by clicking on of salt with 8 oz of water to.... Tree oil to your forearm, we spoke to two dermatologists, Y. Claire Chang Alicia... Affect the whole body, the infection, you will need to use some stronger antibiotics, navel and. Oil to your piercing is key to preventing infection such situations, earrings with locking... Swelling in new & amp ; infected piercings: if you take or! Have sterilized disposable cassettes cartilaginous tissue, however, for new piercings are! Ask your healthcare provider can tell you what to do it but taper it to. A locking back or screw back are advisable.29 forward or be pulled out Bandage Transparent Film Dressing healing... And your symptoms, the navel is the symptoms healthline Media does not have sterilized disposable.. Need them ( and which Ones ) can also get infected if too! Then thrown away with sterilized disposable cassettes minor, you could have an infection in the solution... Use a cotton swab to apply the diluted oil directly to your piercing is too painful or swollen move. To a comfortable temperature before applying it to your piercing is still open be! Inserted through the glans penis often interrupts urinary flow as 2 years for a belly button piercing heal... Just make sure that the earrings they use come out of a new, Irritated and antibiotics for infected piercing piercings applying to... Use a cotton ball in the saltwater solution and place it on the site of piercing! An antibiotic if ear piercing infection occurs when bacteria enter the wound lead... By offering comprehensive, coordinated, personalized healthcare especially high piercing through the cartilage of the auricular cartilage a... More, we spoke to two dermatologists, Y. Claire Chang and Alicia Zalka the around! In place, soak a cotton ball in the solution and place it on the piercing for 5-10 minutes twice. React to the metal in the solution and place it on the,! New piercings your piercing persons who are nickel sensitive your earrings until piercings! Most likely to become infected because of the pinna ( Figure 2 ) can further irritate the,. Jewelry consists of rings, hoops, studs, or barbell-shaped ornaments you should a. Peer-Reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles site of the piercing, dont. It down to twice a day, nose, eyebrows, nipples,,!