How to Identify and Treat an Industrial Piercing Infection

How to identify an infection

It’s normal to experience some irritation after the initial piercing. Your skin’s still adjusting to the two new holes.

During the first two weeks, you may experience:

• 温和的swelling
• redness
• slight heat or warmth
• occasional throbbing
• clear or white discharge

In some cases, the redness and swelling can spread and enlarge. These could be early signs of an infection around the piercing.

Other signs of infection include:

• uncomfortable swelling
• persistent heat or warmth
• severe pain
• excessive bleeding
• pus
• bump at the front or back of the piercing
• fever

Your piercer is the best person to diagnose an infection.

In some cases, you may be able to treat the infection at home. But if your symptoms are severe — or if this is your first time dealing with infection — you should see your piercer right away.

1. Don’t play with or remove the jewelry

如果你穿是新的,你的第一个冲动s might be to play with the jewelry by twisting it back and forth. You should resist this urge, especially if you’re already experiencing unwanted side effects.

Moving the jewelry around can increase swelling and irritation, as well as introduce new bacteria into the holes. The barbell should be completely off-limits except during cleansing.

It might also be tempting to take the barbell out to check out the jewelry or as a way to better cleanse the area.

Not only can this cause further irritation, removing the jewelry may allow a newer piercing to close. This can trap bacteria inside your body and allow the infection to spread beyond the piercing site.

2.清洁区域每天两到三次

Most piercers recommend a daily cleansing routine for the first several months after you get your piercing. You should clean two to three times a day with a saline or salt solution.

If you’re experiencing signs of infection, regular cleansing is the best way to flush out bacteria and prevent further irritation.

With a pre-made saline solution

A pre-made saline solution is often the easiest way to clean your piercing. You can purchase these over the counter (OTC) at your piercer’s shop or your local pharmacy.

To clean your piercing:

1. Soak a cloth or sturdy paper towel with saline. Don’t use cotton balls, tissues, or thin towels — these can get caught in the jewelry and irritate your piercing.
2. Gently wipe around each side of the barbell.
3. Make sure you clean the outside and inside of your ear on each end of the piercing.
4. Repeat this process several times until the holes are completely clean. You don’t want to leave any “crust.”
5. Avoid harsh scrubbing or prodding, as this will cause irritation.

Since you won’t be facing this piercing in the mirror, it may be helpful to use a handheld mirror to get a better view while cleaning.

With a DIY sea salt solution

Some people prefer to make their own saline solution with sea salt instead of purchasing something OTC.

To make a sea salt solution:

1. Mix 1 teaspoon of sea salt with 8 ounces of warm water.
2. Make sure the salt completely dissolves before you begin to use the solution.
3. When it’s ready, follow the same steps for cleansing with pre-made saline.

3. Apply a warm compress

Applying a warm compress can help promote wound healing by reducing irritation, alleviating swelling, and easing pain.

Regular compress

You can make your own warm compress by sticking a damp towel or other cloth-based item in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time.

Some store-bought compresses contain herbal combinations or rice grains to help seal in warmth and provide a bit of pressure for swelling relief.

You can make these modifications to your homemade compress, too. Just make sure your cloth can be sealed or folded so that none of the added ingredients can fall out.

To use a warm compress:

• Stick a damp cloth, rice sock, or other homemade compress in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time. Repeat until it’s comfortably warm to the touch.
• If you have an OTC heat compress, microwave or heat as directed on the product packaging.
• Apply the compress to the affected area for 20 minutes at a time, up to twice per day.

You may consider using two small compresses at a time to make sure both sides of your piercing are being treated.

Chamomile compress

You may be able to speed the healing process along by treating the infection with a chamomile compress. Chamomile is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

First, conduct a patch test to make sure you’re not allergic to chamomile. To do this:

1. Apply a steeped tea bag to the inside of your elbow.
2. Remove the tea bag after two to three minutes. Don’t rinse the area. Let it air dry.
3. If you don’t experience any irritation or inflammation within 24 hours, it should be safe to apply a chamomile compress to your ear cartilage.

To use a chamomile compress:

1. Steep two tea bags in boiled water for five minutes.
2. Remove the bags and allow them to cool for about 30 seconds.
3. Wrap each bag in a paper towel. This prevents the tea bag or its string from getting caught on your jewelry.
4. Apply one tea bag to each hole for up to 10 minutes.
5. You may need to refresh the bags with warm water every couple of minutes.
6. When you’re done with the compress, rinse the area with warm water and pat dry with a clean towel.
7. Repeat daily.

4. Apply diluted tea tree oil

Known for its antimicrobial properties, tea tree oil can also help clean and disinfect your piercing.

Just make sure you dilute it with an equal amount ofcarrier oilor saline before applying it to your skin. Pure tea tree oil is potent and may cause additional irritation.

You should also do a patch test before applying the mixture to your piercing. To do this:

1. Rub the diluted mixture into the inside of your elbow.
2. Wait for 24 hours.
3. If you don’t experience any itchiness, redness, or other irritation, it should be safe to apply elsewhere.

If your patch test is successful, you can either:

• Add a couple of drops to your saline solution so that it’s a part of your initial cleansing process.
• Use it as a spot treatment after you cleanse. You can dip a clean paper towel into your diluted mixture and gently apply it to both sides of each piercing up to twice a day.

5. Avoid OTC antibiotics or creams

In theory, antibiotics can help prevent infections. But OTC antibiotics, such as Neosporin, can actually do more harm than good when applied to piercings.

Ointments and creams are thick and may trap bacteria under your skin. This can cause further irritation and make the infection worse.

Antiseptics like rubbing alcohol can also damage healthy skin cells, leaving your piercing more vulnerable to bacteria.

It’s best to stick with your cleansing and compress routine. If you don’t see improvement within a day or two, see your piercer for advice.

Other things to keep in mind

Although cleaning your piercing is important, it’s just one part of a larger care plan.

Learning to evaluate everything that may come into contact with your ear, and adjusting accordingly, can help you reduce the amount of dirt and bacteria that gets into the piercing.

When to see your piercer

Unless your piercer has instructed otherwise, continue your daily cleansing and soaking routine until your symptoms subside and your piercing has completely healed.

If you don’t see any improvements within two or three days — or your symptoms worsen — see your piercer. They can take a look at the piercing and provide specific recommendations for cleaning and care.