Infected ear lobe piercing - how best to treat?

[Bluejeanz]

Had ear re-pierced around 9 weeks ago. Healed up fine and have had no problems until yesterday when it felt tender. Removed earring today - infected and bleeding. Gave it a good clean with boiled water and put earring back in. Bathed in salted water tonight (earring in). Is there anything else I should or can do to clear it up.

Thanks

Lavender oil always works for me. Years ago mine got infected following an allergic reaction to nickel in cheap earrings and I spent weeks faffing about with surgical spirit, hydrocirtisone, Savlon etc. Lavender oil cleared them virtually overnight and I use it at the first sign of any hotness/itching now, always does the trick.

I used savlon spray on all my piercings and they always healed really well. Keeping my hair on a pony tail will help, hair can sometimes get caught in the back and cause infections, especially at night when ur asleep xoxo

I find tea tree oil always helps treat mild infection and speeds up healing. Just dab some on with cotton wool.

Cooled boiled Salt water all the way.

Bathe it every few hours. Try not to fiddle. Keep bathing even after it seems better.

Thanks all. Will try the salted watervfor a few days but please tell me whether the tea tree and lavendar oils are used neat and I will try one of those if salted water doesn’t work.

I have 12 in my ears and the newest one always seems to be bloody infected. I used TCP, it works eventually.

Another vote for lavender oil from me, it's worked miracles for me several times. Use it neat, I don't bother with cotton wool I just apply with my fingers (after washing my hands obvs) and make sure the whole area is covered, try to get it actually into the piercing if you can. Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards coz it will sting if you later get traces in your eyes!

Yep, use tea tree neat as well. You'll probably prefer the smell of lavender though, tea tree can take getting used to!

Cold tea also helped my dd piercing when it was hot and swollen

Yes, neat lavender oil, I used to dab it on with a cotton bud. Mine have been ok for years now though as I switched to silver only. Nickel has been virtually eliminated from jewellery now so I can get away with cheap earrings again but the silver hanit has stuck.

I have few piercings and go to proper piercers
They recommend nothing but salt water. Use fine sea salt and as hot as a coffee you can drink
Put it in a small bowl and immerse your ear in it for 5 minutes a day
I had an infected daith and I did this 2x a day and it cleared up nicely
I wouldn't put anything else on it

No oils, just salt water, not too strong, just a small pinch into cooled boiled water (like saline basically) or you'll overdo it. Keep it very simple. Wash it off with clean water after. Soak it in a mug held to your head if you can. Keep the jewellery in at all times, it keeps the wound open and it will heal faster.

I wipe all the stem.bits of my earrings with surgical spirit to prevent reinfection.

Thanks for all the advice. Am sitting with my earlobe in an egg cup of hot water and salt just now. Am doing this with the earring in but should I be soaking it without earring and then putting earring back in?

No don't take it out! You can lose any infection in that way!

Keep the jewellery in at all times, you need to leave it there even when soaking. How's it feeling now?

Keep the earring in, and turn the posts after you soak it so any gunk can work its way out.

I meant lock not lose!

Thanks guys ... really helpful advice. Earring in and won’t be tempted to take it out. Still tender and throbs at times but no swelling or redness so, all in all, not too bad. I just need to remember to do it at leadt twice a day.