Don't take out the earring! Clean the infected area 3 times a day. Wash hands with soap and water before touching the ear or earring. Use cotton swab ("Q-Tip") dipped in pierced ear solution (see #3 below).
An infected piercing can be serious if it's not treated quickly. Get immediate medical help if you think your piercing is infected.
Don't remove your jewelry.
“If it's an allergic reaction to the material, you should definitely have it removed, but if it's just slightly infected, you should leave the jewelry in and treat it so that the piercing doesn't close with bacteria inside. Your doctor can best determine what should be done.”
The piercing channel allows a way for this fluid to weep out so it is very important to remember that if you are dealing with an irritated piercing, leave the jewelry in.
Piercing bumps are part of the body's natural response to injury, and they do not typically require treatment. However, people can take steps to keep the area clean, prevent infection, and allow the piercing to heal. These include: keeping piercing jewelry in, without changing or removing it, for at least 6 weeks.
To avoid red lumps, NEVER fiddle with the piercing or knock it. If you do acquire a lump then leaving it completely alone is the best option, not cleaning it multiple times a day which just aggravates it even further. OVER CLEANING WILL CAUSE INFECTION !
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.
It is vital that you do not over-clean the piercing. If it has been longer than four months, do not clean the piercing anymore. Even if there is still crusting or signs of healing, you can remove any debris at the end of the shower. Excessive and prolonged cleaning and moisture can cause complications.
With proper care, most mild earlobe infections will clear up in 1 to 2 weeks. It is common to have mild infections come back without daily earring care.
While it depends on the severity and the area affected, generally an ear piercing infection should clear up in one to two weeks with proper care, according to the doctors we spoke to.
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.
As you can see, pus is most often an indication that your piercing is healing, not that it is infected.
DO NOT pick the crusties off—that's just introducing your dirty hands to a healing piercing and can increase your risk of infection. The best way to clean them is to soak the piercing in warm saline solution, softening the crusties which then come off easily.
Rinse with clean water after your salt soak to prevent salt crystals forming, which can cause irritation and slow the healing process. 3) It is normal for dried blood or serous fluid (yellow crust) to form around the edges of your piercing. DO NOT pick it away while it is dry.
Use swabs to gently clean both sides of the area several times a day with a mild antiseptic soap or a sterile saline solution. Avoid hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol, as these can dry out and kill the healthy new cells, which slows the healing process.
If the piercing is removed, the lump will almost always disappear. They can be sore, itchy and bleed easily. While it is possible that you have a keloid, they are incredibly rare. Unless you have a family history of keloids, you can generally assume that you do not have a keloid.
Treatment / Management
Oral antibiotics such as cephalexin or clindamycin provide coverage for streptococcus and staphylococcus.
Don't touch a new piercing or twist the jewelry unless you're cleaning it. Keep clothing away from the piercing, too. Excessive rubbing or friction can irritate your skin and delay healing. Keep the jewelry in place.
Sleeping on your healing piercing, especially ear piercings, can cause it to heal angled and crooked. The pressure from laying on it causes the jewelry to become tilted, and VERY irritated. This will do all of what not downsizing your piercing will do. It's the same thing.
What happens when you twist your body jewelry in your new piercing? You disturb the piercing channel, ultimately destroying any healing progress. You also invite in bacteria and open the door to possible infection when twisting and turning your body jewelry.