Piercing problems

[SouthWestmom]

Soooo I had my conch done on Saturday and all fine.

What's the usual pain /irritation/swelling?

For my daith I had no problems at all.
For my helix I had an immediate pain and swelling turned to huge swelling and had antibiotics and took it out.

Weds it was throbbing and slightly swollen. Now it's painful slightly red and swollen but not as bad.

I've been doing loads of salt washes (3-4 a day) and not touching in between.

Do you think that's warded off infection?

Spoke to a GP yesterday (not face to face) who said to take it out of it becomes infected but nhs and online guidance is anti this.

Don't take it out, that closes the infection into the body.

I had major issues with my pair of cartilage piercings only a few weeks ago. One bled horribly at the studio, and I had to keep it under pressure with a paper towel for about an hour! I guess this is where the infection set in.

Anyway, my whole ear swelled, bright red, really sore. I looked Great at my friends wedding. I ended up taking antibiotics for a few days, and between multiple salt baths I used an antiseptic spray to keep it moist and clean.

I can recommend the Elastoplast antiseptic spray - I got it in Superdrug, and it was far better than another one I tried.

Clean it before you sleep, after you get out a shower etc.

Oh poor you! I might try that - is that instead of salt water?

I'm just worried it's brewing and the weekend is coming up.

How long did yours take to heal?

Don’t take it out, as pp said, it’ll close in the infection.

Clean with a sterile saline solution (there’s one on amazon called Prontolind) and non woven swabs/gauze once a day, then make sure you dry it thoroughly . That was the advice from my piercer that I followed when my conch got a bit sore, and it worked a treat.

Over soaking and not keeping piercings dry seems to cause more infections.

I would go back to your piercer early on for them to look. No one knows piercings quite like the person who put them in.
Infection will make it red, hot and swollen. Piercings usually get a but gooey too. Hoops apparently you keep in to keep a channel for the infection to drain out. Studs.... Get it out if it's starting to swell. I spend an inordinate amount of time fishing earring out of ears. They're a nightmare to retrieve (I work in A&E, I'm not a weirdo 😂)
I've only basic ear piercings myself bit my sister does something with dispersible aspirin as a paste on hers if they get red and sore.
T
I reckon go back to your piercer for them to look.

Sorry. Stuck a random T in there.

It’s normal to have swelling and pain because there’s metal going through your cartilage that wasn’t there before! Cartilage piercings take absolutely forever to heal as well.

Have you been sleeping on it? Don’t. You need to stay off that ear for months and months otherwise you’ll aggravate it. Some people swear by those U shaped travel neck pillows to sleep on. They take the pressure off the ear.

I’ve got a bunch of ear piercings and, in my opinion, salt water washes aren’t enough to keep piercings clean. Ears are grubby, oily things and harbour bacteria. I had an infected rook piercing and I’m sure it’s because saline was inadequate. So I went old school and switched to surgical spirit, dabbed on with a cotton bud. Did the same with my conch and it was fine.

Also remember to clean your ears with soap in the shower and blast with water, although be careful since it’s new and sore.

sounds like very good advice!

Fantastic thank you.

I can pop to see the piercer today or tomorrow, forgot about that.

Just know the GP will say to remove it.

It looks puffy just now but not funky or bright red.

Hopefully it's just as @Haworthia described, and it's a settling pain. Good luck

Thank you. I've bought some ibuprofen and am trying not to panic.

It looks fine in that photo. Not at all infected. My ear was vivid red, boiling hot and I couldn't touch it.

I used the spray as well as saline washes. Make sure the saline isn't too salty or you'll burn the skin.

Thank you. I'm going to get some spray on my way back to the car (we pass a boots hooray).

Will leave seeing the piercer film tomorrow - it was just the awful swelling and throbbing on Wednesday that really worried me.