New helix piercing very red

[Pob13]

I got my helix pierced a week ago, as you can see it is super red and swollen. I saw a GP today who has prescribed antibiotics and said I need to take it out. Do I really need to take it out or can I wait to see if the antibiotics sort it out?

Yes, you need to take it out. That looks like it could also be the start of cellulitis, so keep a very close eye on it.

It's definitely infected, but it's actually better not to take it out if possible because if you do it can close over a pocket of infection that then can't drain. Doctors always say "take it out" because they just see "infection, easy fix" but piercers typically recommend not to.

Take the ABs, take painkillers for the pain (antiinflammatories are good), DO NOT TOUCH THE PIERCING other than with sterile saline or to apply antibiotic cream, which you can also get if necessary. Wash your hands THOROUGHLY before they go anywhere near your ear.

Have had multiple infected piercings, never had to take one out, they have all cleared up and healed perfectly with the use of antibiotic cream in 2 days or so.

Actually I forgot to say one thing: if it's swollen so much that the bar is now too short and your ear is engulfing the ends, you need to see your piercer for a longer bar. If that shit embeds it'll have to be cut out.

Is it implant grade titanium?

Don't remove it, if you do the infection can stay trapped in your ear and get worse instead of having an outlet.

Dr's always advise taking the jewellery out but they're not body piercers.

Did you have it done at a piercing studio? Ask them for advice.

Personally id wait a couple of days for the antibiotics to kick in, use saline spray, and see what happens rather than taking it out. Piercings are expensive and I wouldn’t want it to close up!

more sensible people would take it out.

Thanks all, yes it is titanium.
I think Im going to start the antibiotics and go back to the studio tomorrow and see if they can put a longer bar in. If they say its got to come out then i will.