Ear piercing - infected? (Graphic photo)

[piercinggonewrong]

Had my lobes pierced about a week ago, I had them done at age 5 (don’t ask) in 1996 but they closed up years ago, I think I was 11 or so when I let them close as they were too bloody painful .

I got new lobe piercings done - perhaps rather stupidly let a high street store (not Claire’s) do it with a gun. They gave me a bottle of lotion and advised turning them 3 times a day .

Stuck rigidly to their advice and within the last twenty four hours, whilst the left one is fine the right side is discharging pus, and swollen up so much that the actual earring is almost swallowed up . The butterfly is fine but the rest is very swollen .

I don’t think I can get the earrings off, can hardly bear to touch the right one. I’ve iced it, washed it in hot salty water a few times, taken pain relief and it’s actually looking worse !

I’m guessing I probably need to check if I need antibiotics but should I try to get the earring out, or leave it in? Damn thing is bloody sore !!

Oh my gosh, go to the doctors or a walk in centre, you need to get them checked out.

Ouch, that looks really sore. You need to see someone medical.

Have you got any surgical spirit? That's good for piercing healing. I'd keep alternating between a hot compress and a cold compress until you can get to a Dr. I think taking the earing out would be wise, but appreciate it is likely to be very painful.

You probably need to get someone to take it out for you. It will hurt a lot because those earrings are designed to keep the backs on firmly. Then get some rubbing alcohol and keep it clean and dry and keep hands away from it as much as possible.

This happened to my DD. She got her second holes done with a gun as it was cheaper.

We took her to to a place which pierces with needles. He had to cut off the new earring and replaced it with one with a longer bar - no problems since.

GP! And speak to a proper qualified piercer for advice about whether to take the earring out. Ideally you need the hole to stay open to drain, so you don't end up with it closing with the infection inside, but if it's really swollen and the stud is too tight, it could get swallowed. I speak from bitter experience here, having had a butterfly removed in A&E after it ended up being swallowed up and the skin growing over it when I first had my ears pierced as a child.

Stud looks way too tight. Soak in warm salt water (use a bowl or eggcup) and see if you can get yourself to a decent piercer to have a look at it

Oh and don't twist it!

Definitely take it out!
I am a qualified piercer, it looks like you ve either had an illergic reaction to the metal, or the stem of the earring is not long enough for the thickness of your lobe. The earing won't have any room to allow for swelling hence the embedding of the front of the earring.

I would take it out right away, if now go to a and e to get removed.
Because you got it done with a gun won't make a difference, it's not what would have caused this.

Has your other ear done the same?

My daughters ears went like this when pierced. turned out she was allergic to the metal in the earrings. I have since bought her ones that use plastic and that she is able to use. (Hard to find though!). If she puts any fashion / cheap primark / etc earring in her ear it goes immediately red.
The best thing is to get that earring out and get rid of the infection, then look at I’d you are allergic to the metals perhaps.

The other ear’s absolutely fine , a bit crusty underneath but no swelling or anything .

It actually seems to have gotten worse in the last half hour, as in I could feel the earring up til then and now I can’t at all . I’ve rang the surgery and they’ve booked me in with the nurse, but said I might need sending off to A&E instead if it needs surgical removal . Hopefully not !!

Don’t take it out before you have seen a medical professional! The puss needs to drain somewhere otherwise you could end up with a nasty abscess.

It won't be an illergic reactiom then cause they would both be reacting.
That ear probably just swole up more.
You said you had them pierced before, they could have pierced through scar tissue which caused an infection

@Meganc559 I think you need to go on some refresher courses and redo your qualification, you are giving incorrect advice.

OP, it is entirely possible that you've got an infection because you had the piercings with a gun that there's an issue particularly since your other ear is fine. There's no way to fully sterilise guns. Additionally, if you are twisting the piercings (old advice that is not given by any reputable piercer) it's possible you have essentially spread infection around your new piercing. The piercing may have gone on a bit tighter than your other lobe but you would have had discomfort before now.

I wouldn't imagine it'll need surgical removal as they are designed to come apart with some tugging basically.

@meganc559 - I can only assume you are a 'qualified piercer' of the Claire's variety. NO decent piercer to my knowledge would give the advice you are given. If you are someone who pierces with needles rather than a gun in a proper piercing salon i suggest you need to do a little more training

What was wrong with my advice? I am not a Claires piercer I ll have you know but I know other piercers that use guns.
The gun is sterilised with alcohol after every piercing and the the cartridges that contain the earring are opened at the time of piercing, they are in a sterile packet and only used for one piercing,
I don't know if this is the same practice of Claires but this is what some of my colleagues do.

I do not advise turning the ears as this could spread infection!

So you are not qualified to pierce with needles then I take it! I have never met a decent piercer who would ever consider using a gun.

I am qualified with needles however other people I have worked with use the gun!
If you get an experienced piercer it does not matter what instrument you use I ve seen good andbad things happen with both methods

It was Superdrug - I did get to handle one of the guns first (they won’t call it a gun though, medical implantation device she said!) and she showed that it has no real pressure at all, but I did wonder . They were disposable guns though .

Definitely can’t turn it now, I can’t even feel the earring anymore just the butterfly - you can just see a tiny bit of gold . Will keep alternating hot and cold til I see the nurse at 4 !

Ouch! Hope it can be dealt with quickly and your ear returns to normal very soon.

Ow you poor thing. Glad you’re getting it check out.

And next time go to a proper piercer that only uses needles!! They will make sure the earring is suitable and stuff like this doesn’t happen.

It looks very painful. I hope you get it sorted at the surgery later.

I wish I knew about the difference between guns and needles when my dd had her ears pierced. We did go to Claire's as I thought they were reputable. DD was about 9 at the time and was okay initially but after a while one of her earlobes was consistently red and sore. She took the earrings out in the end and now doesn't wear any at all. I'm guessing if I'd gone to a proper piercer I could have returned if she'd started having problems and they may have been able to help (unlike Claire's who couldn't have been less interested).

I hope to God if they remove it they stick a local anaesthetic in, it hurts like hell ! Definitely will go to a proper piercer next time if I can find the confidence to try again haha .

megan you shouldn’t remove a piecing you suspect might be infected.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/body-piercing/

It’s gone completely now within the last hour or so, all you can see is the butterfly which has also managed to move out of position .