An infected earlobe is painful, but do not take the piercing outfirst call your doctor. Depending on how much scar tissue there is, you might be better off avoiding another piercing entirely. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Bumps are. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Lubricate your ear with a non-antibiotic ointment (like Aquaphor or Vaseline) to keep the skin pliable. She recommends washing your ear piercing and the area around it once a day throughout the entire 6- or 12-week healing process with a gentle antibacterial soap (we like Dial Antibacterial Liquid Hand Soap, $2, Amazon) and warm water (doing this in the shower is fine). If it looks like you might be allergic to your new earring and youve never had this reaction to jewelry before, its worth calling a dermatologist (if you have access to one) to see if they recommend doing a patch test to figure out if youre allergic to nickel or another material in the earring, Dr. Farber suggests. If your hole(s) closed due to an allergic reaction or because of an infection, piercing the same spot may not be the best idea depending on how the area healed. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. I recommend Provon Medicated Lotion Soap with chloroxylenol. Don't clasp your earrings too tightlyleave a little bit of space. If someone recommended cocoa butter for tattoo aftercare, you might want a second opinion. There are no hard-and-fast rules for determining if a piercing has fully healed just by looking at it, according to Dr. Farber, but one hint is that any inflammation or sensitivity will diminish. Always wash your hands before touching newly pierced ears. Don't use the word "infection" loosely. Here's everything you need to know about how to care for new ear piercings. I don't want to close this piercing again because of healing issues. Avoid metal with traces of lead, such as sterling silver. Healing time: 312 months (depending on location) There's a lot of incorrectly named orbital piercings out there no, it's not just a hoop going through your conch. Learn what to do if a piercing gets infected, how to avoid infection, and how to ensure a problem-free healing process. Thank you for the support! In the beginning, its helpful to always be mindful that you have this new piercing so that you don't hit it. [CDATA[> How to Take Out Starter Earrings That Wont Come Off, The Piercings *Everyone* Will Be Getting in 2023, TikTok Loves These Wacky Water-Catching Bracelets, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Below are the dos and don'ts for minimizing the risk of swelling, infection, and scarring when you get a new piercing. When shes not holed-up in her writing shed researching an article or off interviewing health professionals, she can be found frolicking around her beach town with husband and dogs in tow or splashing about the lake trying to master the stand-up paddle board. The warm water will help soften the skin. Buy Now. Heres What to Expect During a Crohns Disease Flare-Up. [CDATA[// >. Her work has appeared on The Zoe Report, Fashionista, and StyleCaster. Glad you asked. [CDATA[// >