Ear Piercing Symptoms

Is this your child's symptom?

• Minor infection of pierced ear
• Symptoms are pain, redness, crusting and swelling at the earring site
• Spreading redness is more serious and needs to be seen

Causes of Infections in Newly Pierced Ear

• Piercing the ears with tools or earring posts that aren't clean (sterile)
• Not cleaning the earlobes daily
• Taking the earring out before the channel is healed (6 weeks)
• Touching earrings with dirty hands
• Earring backs that are too tight against the earlobe. Reason: pressure from tight earrings reduces blood flow to the earlobe ear piercing to heal .
• Posts that have nickel in them can also cause an itchy, allergic reaction

Causes of Infections Later After the Pierced Ear has Healed

• Not cleaning the earrings and posts daily
• Touching earrings with dirty hands
• Earring backs that are too tight against the earlobe. Reason: pressure from tight earrings reduces blood flow to the earlobe.
• Not taking the earrings out at night
• Anything that causes a scratch or tear in the ear channel. Examples are a heavy earring or a rough area on the post. Reason: any break in the skin can become infected.
• Putting the post in at the wrong angle also can scratch the channel. Use a mirror until putting the earring in becomes routine.
• Posts that have nickel in them can also cause an itchy, allergic reaction

Age For Piercing Ears

• Parents often wonder what a good age is to have ear piercing done. It is best to wait until a child can play an active role. Most often, this is past age 8.
• Children under 4 years may touch the earrings a lot. Playing with the earring with dirty hands can lead to infections.
• Younger children also can get the earrings out and put them in their mouth. This can lead to swallowing or choking on them.

When to Call for Ear Piercing Symptoms

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

• Piercing of UPPER ear is red and swollen
• Ear looks infected and also has fever
• Your child looks or acts very sick
• You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

• Part of earring (or back) is stuck inside the earlobe
• Redness has spread beyond the earring site
• You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

• Swollen lymph node (in front of or behind the earlobe)
• Not improved after 3 days of home treatment
• Itchy rash and wearing earrings that contain nickel
• Large thick scar at the earring site
• You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

• Ear pierced in last 6 weeks and mild redness or crusting at piercing site
• Ear pierced more than 6 weeks ago (healed) and mild redness or crusting at piercing site
• Questions about prevention of infections in pierced ears