Treating an Infected Ear Piercing (2024)

An infected ear piercing is unlikely, as long as you get your piercing at a licensed salon and follow the recommended aftercare instructions. Even so, a new ear piercing can get infected if you or someone else touches it with dirty hands or you don't clean it every day.

If bacteria get into the wound, the infection may cause mild swelling and redness that you can treat at home. Serious infections can lead to pain, heat, and a smelly, pus-like discharge that requires treatment from a healthcare provider, including the use of antibiotics.

This article explains how piercings get infected, including how to treat infections and when it is time to seek medical care. It also offers tips on how to prevent infected ear piercings.

How Piercings Get Infected

Most new piercings take several weeks to heal. If the piercing is in the earlobe, you can expect the healing to take around six weeks. A cartilage piercing takes longer to heal because there is less blood flow in the area.

New piercings get infected because bacteria get transmitted (passed) to the wound before it has had the chance to heal. The bacteria most commonly associated with this is Staphylococcus aureus, commonly found in the nostrils, armpits, groin, and head.

Simply swiping your hand across your face and ear can sometimes transmit the bacteria to exposed tissues in the wound. Other bacterial causes include Streptococcus pyogenes and coryneform bacteria.

Common causes of infected ear piercings include:

• Getting pierced with non-sterilized equipment or in a non-sterile environment, such as a kitchen or bathroom
• Handling the piercing with unwashed hands
• Not washing the piercing at least once daily
• Taking on and off the new earring before the wound has fully healed
• Putting a dirty cell phone against your ear
• Sleeping on unclean pillows and pillowcases
• Applying petroleum jelly from a jar (which may be contaminated with germs)
  

Symptoms of an Infected Ear Piercing

It is normal to experience itching and tenderness when you get a newear piercing. But when an infection occurs, the symptoms are more pronounced and may include:

• Redness, swelling, and warmth at the piercing
• Tenderness or pain
• A clear discharge that may eventually turn cloudy or creamy
• Crusting at the piercing site
• Bleeding
• A stuck earring that you cannot remove

An infection of ear cartilage—referred to as perichondritis—can be more severe, in part because the reduced blood flow impedes healing and makes infections harder to fight.

With perichondritis, symptoms may progress far faster than an infection of the earlobe. There may also be more serious signs, like fever and chills.

At-Home Treatment

If an ear piercing becomes infected and the symptoms are mild, you can often treat it at home. This may involve:

• Saline wash: Prepare a saline solution with 1/2 teaspoon of salt to one cup of water. Soak a cotton ball in the solution and dab the piercing gently with the earring still in.
• Antibiotic ointment: After cleaning the piercing, apply a light layer of an over-the-counter antibiotic cream like Neosporin or Bacitracin.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): You can treat occasional pain and swelling with over-the-counter NSAIDs like Advil (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen).

If the infection is mild, it is best to leave the earring in rather than taking it in and out. Doing so only increases the odds of introducing new bacteria into the wound. It may also allow the hole to close up tightly, making it harder to replace the jewelry.

Instead, keep the earring in until healing is complete, and turn it occasionally to prevent it from sticking.

When to Seek Medical Care

There are times when an infected ear piercing can't be treated at home and needs to be seen by a healthcare provider.

Seek immediate medical care when:

• The pain is severe enough that you want to take the earring out.
• There is increasing redness, swelling, tenderness, and heat despite at-home treatment.
• The discharge from the piercing is profuse and foul-smelling
• You have a high fever with chills or muscle aches.
• You develop an ear infection.

In such cases, a seven- to 10-day course of oral antibiotics may be prescribed to resolve the infection.

Prevention of Piercing Infections

Ear piercings are generally safe. Piercing infections can be avoided by ensuring the appropriate aftercare routine outlined by the American Academy of Dermatology Association:

• Leave the earrings for six weeks or more, even at night, until fully healed.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before touching newly pierced ears.
• Gently wash the piercing with mild, fragrance-free soap and water at least once daily.
• Rinse the piercings thoroughly after washing.
• Apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to the front and back of the ear to keep the tissues moist.
• Only use petroleum jelly from a squeeze tube, which is less likely to become contaminated.

Summary

Ear piercings are generally safe but can become infected if they are touched with dirty hands or not cleaned every day. If an infection does occur, there may be swelling, redness, pain, warmth, and a pus-like discharge from the piercing.

Mildly infected ear piercings can be treated at home with a saline wash and an over-the-counter antibiotic cream. Serious infections may require oral antibiotics prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Infected piercings can be avoided by always washing your hands before touching your ear, washing the piercing with soap and water at least once daily, and leaving the earrings in until the wound is fully healed.