Infected ear (piercing)

[Lovemusic33]

I wear earrings/studs all the time, never take them out, a few days a go my ear was itching and hurting, took my earring out today and the earring had started to corrode in my ear (obviously plated and not solid silver/cheap ear rings). I have bathed it and tried to remove any of the green gunk the earring left behind but it feels very hot and itchy and is sticky. Will I need antibiotic cream or will it be fine if I keep bathing it? Also I'm not sure if I should leave it without a earring in? I'm worried it will heel over but I don't wan to make it worse.

I'd go to a piercing shop (ones that use needles)
They should be able to give you implant grade jewellery if it's safe, if not they'll tell you to retire the piercing.

I personally think infected piercings should be kept open for drainage but some think differently

Sounds more like a nickel allergy.

Where on the ear is the piercing?

At the moment I have no earring in as it's too painful, it's leaking puss (sorry if tmi). I'm pretty sure it's infected as it's burning up as well as the puss.

I think I will just have to risk it closing over

It's just a normal ear piercing (normal place), I have been wearing the earrings for 6 months, they were just simple studs. I don't really wear fancy earrings, just keep studs in all the time. The other ear is fine so I don't think it's an allergy.

I occasionally used to get this, I just left the earring out until it was healed, bathing it in salt water daily. Then just re pierce the ear when the infection had been gone for a few weeks. I haven't had to deal with that for many years though.

Perhaps look into some bioflex/bioplast studs for a while.

It should be fine with lots of bathing. Add a pinch of salt to a small amount of boiled water (like a quarter of a mug) and then dip in some cotton wool and hold it to the earlobe, as hot as you can stand - but not scalding obviously. Do this twice a day, more if you can manage it.

How old is the piercing? I'd honestly surprised if it was an infection in a long-healed piercing. Either way, the bathing should help, whether it's an infection or irritation from a crappy metal.

Thanks ladies, will keep bathing it. It's a old piercing. I usually only wear solid silver but these were plated, I have ordered some new solid silver studs to put in when it's cleared up.