Infected Ear Piercing: How To Tell, Causes, Treatment, Prevention

In a perfect world, you get an ear piercing and walk out feeling amazing in new earrings. However, if you've had the (dis)pleasure of getting an infected ear piercing, you know what a bummer it can be. You suddenly notice a skin bump that looks the opposite of cute, and something tells you it's getting infected.

"By definition, an infection is an unwanted bacteria, fungus, or virus on the skin. This generally requires some type of intervention to heal, stop spreading, and prevent further occurrences," says Mona A. Gohara, MD, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine and Women's Health advisory board member.

Infected piercings can occur due to sanitary reasons (think: the place you went wasn't clean) or, you might just be unlucky. If you notice itchy skin, burning, throbbing, or even a skin rash, keep an eye on your symptoms in case medical treatment is needed. Ahead, doctors share everything you need to know about infected ear piercings—the causes, treatment options, how to prevent infections, and when it's time to call your provider.

Meet the experts: Mona A. Gohara, MD, is an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine and a Women's Health advisory board member. Kenneth A. Kaplan, MD, is an otolaryngologist with ENT and Allergy Associates in New Jersey. Kim Nichols, MD, is a dermatologist, cosmetic surgeon, and the founding director of NicholsMD. Leila Mankarious, MD, is an ENT specialist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and an associate professor of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at Harvard Medical School. Tracy Evans, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and the medical director of Pacific Skin Cosmetic Dermatology.

What causes an infected ear piercing?

Anyone can get an infected piercing, but it usually happens due to one of two major reasons. Either your piercing site wasn't adequately sterilized before you were pierced, or you didn't take great care of it after you were pierced, explains Kenneth A. Kaplan, MD, an otolaryngologist at ENT and Allergy Associates in New Jersey.

Typically, new ear lobe piercings heal in about six weeks, but if you keep touching it during that time, infection may occur. "Twisting and turning a new piercing could damage the delicate skin and hinder the healing process," says dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon Kim Nichols, MD. Your hands can expose your new piercing to germs and bacteria, which can lead to another infection and scarring, she says.

Redness, discharge, tenderness, and swelling are often signs of a minor infection.

While infections can technically occur anywhere on your ear, getting a cartilage piercing may put you at a higher risk. "Piercings that go through ear cartilage are more likely to become infected and are more difficult to treat than infections through the earlobe or the soft tissue just above the lobe," Dr. Kaplan says. They're also riskier because "piercing infections are most likely to occur in areas where the blood supply is low," says Leila Mankarious, MD, an ENT specialist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and an associate professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Harvard Medical School.

How To Treat An Infected Ear Piercing

If you trust the studio location you got pierced at, it may help to visit and have your ear evaluated before treating the infection at home, Dr. Kaplan says. But most of the time, you can treat your infection at home if you catch it early enough. Here's how, per Nichols.

At-Home Treatment For An Infected Ear Piercing

Start by washing your hands with soap and water.
Grab a saline solution, either store-bought or homemade (dissolve a 1/2 teaspoon of iodine-free sea salt into a cup of distilled water). Do not use alcohol to clean the site, as it can dry out an infection and delay healing.
Soak your piercing in the saline solution or use a cotton swab to gently clean around both sides of the earlobe. Avoid using products like cotton balls and gauze since they can catch more easily on the piercing and cause irritation.
Air-dry your piercing. The less the piercing is touched and moved around, the better.
Repeat three times a day.

Medical Treatment

"Skin infections are treated based on severity," says Tracy Evans, MD, a dermatologist and the medical director of Pacific Skin Cosmetic Dermatology. "Sometimes we can do local interventions such as cleaning the area with peroxide and water or Hibiclens soap. Other times we need to do oral antibiotics if the infection is more severe." In non-severe cases, you might be prescribed mupirocin or polysporin ointment, says Dr. Evans.

If you have a major infection or it involves the cartilage of your ear, you might need to remove the piercing. "Failure to remove hardware in a timely manner could result in the need for hospitalization for intravenous antibiotics and/or surgical intervention," Dr. Kaplan says. Your doc may need to drain pus from the infection or even remove the non-salvageable tissue, which could be a pretty big deal and even increase chances of deformity, he warns.

How To Prevent An Ear Piercing Infection

A huge factor is choosing a piercing shop that's sanitary. "The more experience someone has in doing piercings—with a reputation for good results—the better the odds of a favorable outcome," Dr. Kaplan says. Read reviews on the shop and your piercer beforehand, and if you go into a piercing shop and it seems like it's not clean or you just don't get a good vibe, go elsewhere.

You can also try to avoid cartilage piercings, specifically. "No physician will ever recommend piercing the cartilage of the ear," Dr. Kaplan says. If you do opt for a cartilage earring, follow the after-care instructions perfectly, even after it seems like your piercing is all healed up. "Not strictly adhering to the post-piercing care instructions would increase the odds of infection," Dr. Kaplan says.

Finally, touching your piercing a lot while it's still a new, open wound, can also expose it to bacteria. Hands off your new accessory, at least in the beginning.

When To See A Doctor

Ear piercing infections don't typically occur until three to seven days after the initial piercing, Dr. Mankarious says. Redness, discharge, tenderness, and swelling could be signs of a minor infection, but your infection might be severe if you notice increasing redness, pain, pus drainage, major swelling, abscess formation, or a fever, says Dr. Kaplan.

If you have a fever higher than 100.4 degrees, you may be dealing with cellulitis, a common and potentially serious bacterial skin infection. You may also have an allergy to the hardware in your ear that can resemble an infection. But unfortunately, it can be tough for non-doctors to figure out the difference, Dr. Mankarious says.

Ultimately, if you have severe irritation, your earring becomes embedded in your skin and the piercing is stuck in place, or your infection doesn't improve with at-home treatment in two to three days, it's time to consult your healthcare provider. If you start to develop a fever or the infection starts to spread, seek help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do only new ear piercings get infected?

"Infections are most likely to occur during the first week following [a new] piercing, but can arise later on," Dr. Kaplan says. If you've had pierced ears for eons, you're not totally off the hook, but you are at a lowered risk of just randomly developing an infection.

That said, if you pick at an old piercing or it's affected by some sort of trauma, you can get an infection.

How do you treat a rejected or migrating piercing?

Foreign objects like piercings can be seen as threats by your body, which can cause a negative response at the piercing site, explains Dr. Nichols. "Generally when this happens, the body tries to fight the piercing by pushing it out and healing over it," she says.

If it looks like your jewelry is moving away from the original piercing site, it could be migrating and your body may be rejecting it. In this case, make an appointment with your doc who will likely remove the piercing and prescribe further treatment.

Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men's Health, Women's Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master's degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.

Alexis Jones is an assistant editor at Women's Health where she writes across several verticals on WomensHealthmag.com, including life, health, sex and love, relationships and fitness, while also contributing to the print magazine. She has a master's degree in journalism from Syracuse University, lives in Brooklyn, and proudly detests avocados.