Remedy for Infected Ear Piercings

I had the same thing happen! I wore cheap earrings (w/nickel) for years with no problem but developed a nickel allergy when I got white gold earrnings. Apparently, white gold is alloyed with nickel :( They were good diamond studs so I had them set in Platinum and I haven't had a problem since. Yellow gold shouldn't be a problem as I don't think they alloy it with nickel (just white gold).

Try Bactine. It has the same ingredients that some piercing solutions do. I also soak my earings in peroxide every once in awhile.

I tell this to everyone.

H2Ocean from Hot Topic (you can also order it online if you don't like the store)

It is what is sold at my tattoo and piercing shop and my husband and I have used this for all of our piercings (body and ears). I also bought some and used it on my daughter's ears when we pierced them.

You will never find anything better.

Maybe you've developed an allergy.i can't wear earrings unless they are nickel free.

Could you have developed an allergy to the metal in the earrings? I can't wear anything but gold, silver, and surgical steel. Even that has to be pure, like not that cheap overlay kinda stuff. If I don't I get what you are describing.

I guess try getting yourself some silver earrings and see if it helps.

Sounds like you have developed an allergy. You can be doing the same thing everyday for your whole life and then one day everything changes and you have an allergy. It is not uncommon for this to happen. Try switching to a different metal after you have let the ears really heal. If they don't heal quickly, you may need an antibiotic.

Once healed, you may have to go through a trial-and-error period as you figure out which metal (or plastic) you can use.

Good luck.

Leave the earrings out until your ears heal (keep doing Neosporin a couple times a day). Then I would soak the earrings in a cup of hydrogen peroxide for about 15 minutes to clean them. Then wipe with a clean cloth.

We always soaked our earrings in peroxide growing up. Not sure why, but it's worth a shot!

I agree with the allergy responses. When I was pregnant with my last child, I developed serious allergies, and couldn't wear earrings or specific shoes, touch wood with my feet. I don't think it has entirely cleared up post-partum (she's nearly 2), but I don't break out and swell like I did during that period in my life. I took an alternative allergy testing, and found all kinds of things that I'm allergic to that I still partake of (chocolate, caffeine, nuts, food coloring - was eating Peanut M&M's like there wasn't going to be any more ever made). It seems that there are fluctuations in our bodies' tolerance level to things that we once had no problem with before.

Perhaps the gold has worn thin on your earrings. It might be time to buy some new ones since you say your ears clear up but once you put the olds ones back in they get irritated.

Get bacitracin for the ears.

Good luck with the ears. Another thought would be your shampoo and the earrings.

The other S.

Hydrogen peroxide might work better than alcohol. Maybe you could boil the earrings to be sure they are not reinfecting your ears, or if you have a friend who works in a dental or medical office, ask them to sterilize them for you. Tea tree or Melaleuca oil would work well too, for the infection, if you have either available. Good luck!

I always clean/soak earings in peroxide, I also clean any and all piercings with peroxide always have good luck

It could be caused by the earrings like Suzanne W. said. It could also be an environmental change. Did you change shampoo, conditioner, hair styling products, laundry detergent (thinking pillow case)? I agree with all the suggestions to clean with peroxide...probably morning and nightly.

Sounds like you may have developed a metal allergy. I have the same problem. Are your studs 14k or higher gold? If not, you may have to switch. This sounds crazy but it really helped me when I had that problem - are you taking a multi-vitamin? If not, try it. Also, peroxide is probably better for your ears - the alcohol could dry them out too much and make you body produce even more "moisture." If they don't clear up soon, you should go to the doctor and get an antibiotic. It's not good to have infection in your body for that long.

I've also heard of doing this...when you have your studs in, get a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and drench the area...then twist the studs...it gets the alcohol in the earring hole.

try plastic studs. they are the only things that dont bother my girls. you could be just now getting allergic to certain metals. i know i never had allergies before i had kids and now i do. bodies change. i've never seen them in the stores so i searched online for plastic studs and found some that are blank..nothing on them... so i will super glue something on them from other earrings or something.

Soak the earrings in alcohol & peroxide. Put peroxide on the ears as well. Then apply a little A&D ointment on ears. I occasionally get this and it works for me. While you are doing this, it may sound old school but find thin straw like what is used with brooms & break a piece to fit in the hole. Burn each end of the straw before you insert them in the earlobes. Keep these in for about a week. It should clear up. Hope this helps.

This happens to my daughter if she wears earrings containing nickel. She's allergic to it.
Put in a pair of wires, not posts, and make sure they are nickel free. You can find jewelry labeled as such, or just look for sterling.
Clean the ears with hydrogen peroxide, then witch hazel, and put the earrings back in.

Claire's at the mall sells an Antiseptic cleaner for pierced ears. I just recently had my ears pierced and even though it is way past the 8 weeks now. I still use it periodically to keep my ears from getting infected.