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Original poster

pierced ears suddenly getting itchy and sore and bleeding

13 replies

cutekids · 26/04/2005 17:54

my almost seven year old daughter had her ears pierced one year to the day today and, for the first time ever, has had problems...! Her earlobe started bleeding and was very itchy and the back of her ear looked quite swollen and purple about an hour ago. I've bathed her ear with witch-hazel and it's gone down a fair bit but do i put the earring back in or leave it out? I know that kids'pierced lobes can close up very quickly. Anyone know what I should do?

OP posts:
Distel · 26/04/2005 17:56

My mum used to say put someting like germolene/whitch hazel on the back and spike of the earing so that when you put it back in, it heals on the inside as well. Hope this might be a bit of help.

darlingbud · 26/04/2005 17:57

has the butterfly been too tight at the back? Does she take them out and clean them?

Fran1 · 26/04/2005 17:57

Sounds like it is infected, keep on bathing it. When you think the infection is gone you could try and put a sterile gold earring back in. But be sure the infection has gone.

It'd be nicer to just have to have it re-pierced if necessary rather than re-infected again iykwim.

Original poster
cutekids · 26/04/2005 18:02

Yes. I don't bathe them every day now obviously as she's had them done for 12 months now. Must admit though, i've never been able to put anything in her earlobe apart from the earrings she had them pierced with.I've put her earrings in a lid full of witch hazel. Not sure what to do really. Could she be ill because of it? Always get paranoid over this one. Probably cos she's my oldest.

OP posts:
emeraldefmach · 26/04/2005 18:44

I got my ears pierced when I was a teenager. I never had any problems at all. In the last few years I have found that my ears become hot, itchy and red, within minutes of putting an earing in, even gold or silver ones. Unfortunately, I think I've developed an allergy to metals. Maybe this is her problem too.

chenin · 26/04/2005 19:47

My DD2 (now 13) every now and again gets an ear that is sore and even bleeding. All I do is bathe it in TCP (smells horrible!) and dip the earring into it (preferably the one she had when they were pierced, put the earring back and it is fine next day. I do make sure the back isn't too tight though.

Original poster
cutekids · 26/04/2005 20:26

emeraldefmach,that's exactly what happened to me!I had my ears pierced when I was eight and was fine until I was about 24 when suddenly my ears started to itch,bleed etc.Unfortunately, I managed to scratch so hard that I ended up with a hole in my ear which I eventually was able to put my finger through....which I did one day and it ripped! I now have an awful looking ear but just wear clip ons to disguise it. Trouble is, I don't want this to happen to my daughter. She's only seven---well she will be next week.(this is how I know that she's had her ears done exactly a year as she had them done for her last birthday!). Just worried about the purple swelling at the back. She says it doesn't hurt now but i'm panicking.

OP posts:
emeraldefmach · 26/04/2005 20:45

Cutekids, poor you!
I'd leave her earring out and gently bathe her ear. Hopefully, the swelling will go down overnight.
I really miss not wearing mine. I'm hopeless with clip-ons! I fiddle with them too much and lose them.

Original poster
cutekids · 26/04/2005 21:39

OMG! I'VE JUST TERRIFIED MYSELF! I WENT LOOKING FOR ADVICE ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IRRITATION AND INFECTION AND NOW I'VE COME ACROSS ALLSORTS OF STUFF ABOUT HEP C ETC! NOT ONLY THAT, BUT DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE READ THIS, BUT I PUT A THREAD OUT A COUPLE OF TIMES ABOUT MY DAUGHTER AS SHE HAS AN ENLARGED LYMPH NODE(PAEDIATRICAN TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY AS HAVE NUMEROUS DOCTORS BUT IT STILL FRIGHTENS ME)WHICH IT SEEMS COULD POSSIBLY HAVE COME UP DUE TO HER HAVING HAD HER EARS PIERCED.SOMEONE PLEASE HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE BACK OF A CHILD'S EAR GO PURPLE DUE TO PIERCING AND IF SO WHAT DID YOU DO?

OP posts:
Original poster
cutekids · 26/04/2005 21:48

bump!

OP posts:
Flossam · 26/04/2005 21:52

It sounds to me that she might be allergic to the metal. If the earrings were gold plated it may be that the gold plating has worn away on the stalk part, and now causing her irritation where it didn't when it was still coated IYSWIM. I don't quite understand about the Hep C, I think you might be jumping the gun a bit, but go and see your GP to discuss your concerns.

Flossam · 27/04/2005 22:08

Has that helped?

LGJ · 27/04/2005 22:20

How about leaving them out altogether.......give her little body a chance.

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