Slight infection in lobe piercing

convert

You may remember I posted here a while back looking for recommendations for places to get my ears pierced. I eventually went through with it in early December and now have two lovely piercings!

Over New Year's a ball off one of the piercings came off and I had to wait a day before I could get back to Dublin to buy a new one, plus spares, (I live in the middle of nowhere with no piercing places around). They put the ball on for me, but not too tightly as my ear was a little tender from the bar slipping back through the piercing over night.

But it healed up fine and there were no problems until I lost the ball again (I know, I'm a disaster!) and had to get my OH to screw on the new ball. A few days after this I got a slight infection in my piercing (a little puss came out while I was cleaning it). It's nothing major, just a little bit coming out from the piercing, and there is no swelling or redness or tenderness around the lobe or the hole. The outside of the hole has also healed up nicely otherwise.

I've continued to clean my piercings with a warm water and salt solution, and used a little bit of antibacterial soap every now and again. I've also started to use some disinfectant swabs (the same ones that you get in the piercers) every few days just to ensure the piercing is clean.

All of this has helped, and the amount of puss has reduced dramatically, but there's still a little there. I'm sick with the flu at the moment, so can't get up to call into the piercers so they can look at it, so was hoping some of ye could give me some advice for the interim.

I still have the orignal jewellery in the piercing (I was loathe to change it when the wound was slightly infected), but would like to change it this weekend to a gold or silver pair for a dress event this weekend. Would that be advisable, or should I just leave the original bars in?

Star Lord

The fact that you have the flu would be contributing to this, I bet that once you shift the flu that your lobe will heal up in no time!

[edit]
I'd say leave the original bar in too, change the balls if you wish.

convert

Thanks for the reply... Will see how things go, but it seems to be clearing up now!

Lauren7fold

I wouldn't use those alcohol swab things. They kill good bacteria.