There are certain steps that one should carefully follow in order to avoid an infection following an ear piercing or minimize the chances of getting one. For the first six weeks after the piercing it is best to not change your earrings as this will give time for the piercing to heal without getting irritated. Most parlors use good sturdy earrings that are hypoallergenic with no nickel in them, so an allergy is out of the question. Nevertheless, you may want to visit your physician if the infection lasts for a longer period and does not seem to abate. Turn the earring twice every day, once in the morning and once at night and make sure you do one complete rotation. This will keep the metal in the ear loose and prevent the skin in the ear from growing over the metal. The shops and parlors doing the piercing often give a cleaning solution to prevent infection. But in case they haven’t you can use a little hydrogen peroxide to clean your ears. The piercings would have to be cleaned twice a day and you could use a sterilized cotton swab to do so. Dip the swab in the hydrogen peroxide solution and dab onto the piercing on both sides of the ear. Try to soak the ear as close to the piercing as possible. This method will keep any infection and germ attack at bay.
It is natural for all piercing to leak a little fluid, in fact this is the body’s way of healing – by forming scabs and internally allowing the wound to be healed and kept clean. It is also normal for the ears to look a little red. If, however, you notice that there is a green, yellowish or brown leakage, if the pain gets worse and you notice swelling, throbbing and a bright redness, then you may have developed an infection. If you think that your piercing is infected, remove the earring immediately. Clean the ears thoroughly and visit a doctor. The infection will have to be battled and you must not try piercing it again until it has healed completely. On the home front, try to soak your ear in a solution of warm water into which a pinch of non-iodized salt has been added. This can be repeated for five minutes each about four times in a day. Soak a cotton swab in either sea salt or Epsom salts and apply onto the affected area about 3-4 times a day, but not more than that. You may also rub an ice cube gently onto the affected area to bring down the inflammation.