Key Ingredients. Those two still act up 17+ years later. If the infection is already in your blood, youll probably have to stay in the hospital and have IV antibiotics. Just like ears, nose piercings have a tendency to bleed. Clear or very light yellow discharge is normal in a healing piercing. To clean your septum piercing with saline, you can: Some people also dip their nose into a shallow bowl of solution. I NEVER had this issue with my conch or tragus or nostril piercings. Fresh ear piercings take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks to heal. You might also want to see a doctor if the redness and swelling continue to spread, or if the upper part of your ear is red. Medical complications of cartilage and ear piercing., Cleveland Clinic: Infected Ear Piercing., Johns Hopkins Medicine: Pierced Ears., Mayo Clinic: How to treat a piercing site infection., Seattle Childrens: Ear Piercing Symptoms.. Keep in mind, though, that even healed piercings may seep slightly. When you get a new piercing whether its in your ears, nose, bellybutton, or a cartilage piercing you want to enjoy it, take pics, and show your friends. Additional Tips for Cleaning Crusting Out of Your Piercing, It can be tempting to want to turn your jewelry around during the, Never touch your healing piercing. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Things like choosing the right jewelry materials, the jewelry shape, and maintaining good piercing hygiene are all imperative when it comes to the prolonged success of your piercing. What should I avoid during the healing process? Step Two Apply the saline solution directly onto your piercing. Follow this aftercare procedure for your piercing at least three times a day. Why does my ear piercing keep bleeding? So can anything that irritates the skin, like getting a sunburn, playing with your jewelry, or blowing your nose a lot. The best way to clean them is to soak the piercing in warm saline solution, softening the crusties which then come off easily. Avoid using antibiotic creams or ointments. Think of the "four Ps:" pain, pus, plumpness and (deep) pinkness . If after you let the spray loosen up the gunk and it does not fall off, you can use a Q-tip or a cotton swab to push it off gently. This isn't true for some types of piercings, so always ask your piercer first. See additional information. The flaking could be a result of Why Is My Healed Piercing Having Problems? While healed piercings take less attention than healing piercings, you still need to conduct some care in order to keep them safe and healthy. Gently wipe away any crusty or dried blood around the piercing . Inflammatory Stage This is the initial stage of the healing process. touch. They form around the base of the posts but pool and collect all around the surrounding tissue of the ear its self. After a couple weeks, you will see less or possibly even none of the crusties. Jewelry rejection is more common in piercings like eyebrow and navel piercings, as well as surface-to-surface piercings (more commonly known as surface piercings) and surface anchors (sometimes called dermal piercings). I got them pierced at a professional shop with a very good reputation using the standard single use 16 g needles. The good news is that if you catch jewelry rejection quickly enough, chances of scarring is small, and you might even be able to get it repierced once the old piercing has fully healed and a reputable piercer says its healthy to do so. We asked experts if your flare-ups and your breakouts could be linked. For this my doctor prescribed two antibacterial treatments: mupirocin ointment (similar to Polysporin) and chlorhexidine rinse. In some cases, I dont think you ever get 100% back to having no filler in your face.. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Overview of wound healing in a moist environment. Septum piercings generally heal faster than other nose piercings. aids in the healing of superficial wounds. Apply the saline solution directly onto your piercing. Piercings take a while to fully heal sometimes up to 12 weeks but itll be well worth the wait. Stay out of pools, lakes, rivers, hot tubs, and other bodies of water until your piercing heals. Job interviews, Ed is rapidly discovering, are fucking boring. Hey reddit, I've a question about my helix piercing - is it normal to still get crustiness when the piercing is healed? DO NOT pick the crusties offthats just introducing your dirty hands to a healing piercing and can increase your risk of infection. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Look Better Naked: Solutions for Your Top 9 Body-Skin Issues. If this happens, you are only exaggerating the healing process because the point of removing the scab is to allow air to hit the tissue and dry it out. I was wondering whether some mini cotton buds (think they're called q tips in the US) soaked with sterile saline would be suitable? We'll go over what you need to, Tea tree oil has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiseptic properties. You should also clean the jewelry. There are several things you can do to prevent bleeding and speed up the healing process. Repeat these steps at least three times each day or until the signs of infection go away. During that time, any bacteria that enter . (Discard after that to avoid bacteria.). ", was! . Julieta Cervantes for The New York Times. In most cases, minor ear piercing infections go away within 2 weeks with proper home care. Any thick, milky, or colored discharge should be considered a likely sign of infection. Because theyre in a warm, sometimes damp location they have a higher risk of becoming infected. Then prepare a saltwater solution of 1 cup (0.24 liters) water with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. Approved. They can prolong your healing time, making the healing unnecessarily uncomfortable or lead to scarring around the piercing site. I visited a shop last week for a jewellery change and the piercer was confident that it was healed. Mine is over 1 year old. Why does that crusting happen and more importantly, should you leave the crusting on your new piercing? Immediately after the piercing, you can expect bleeding, swelling, tenderness and bruising. But proper cleaning can also help keep your piercing healthy for the long haul. Healing time depends on your body and how well you take careRead More There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. First, avoid fiddling with the jewelry for the first two to three weeks, says Ranglani. Nipple piercings also take a long time to fully heal. If you experience any of the following symptoms, contact your healthcare provider: 1. Dr. Wexler agrees that it's easy to identify an infection by the above symptoms, adding that you might also experience some swelling, pain, tenderness of the area, burning, or itching. Crusties are the result of your body trying to heal itself. A few months ago I got, "I have ear piercings that are 6 years old. We are always ready to assist you! Got it done Black Friday of 2016. Dont sleep on your new piercing. If you sleep with too much pressure on the ears, theres always the chance the skin gets irritated and may be more susceptible to bleeding, Garshick says. When using it from the very start of the healing process, the spray helps to decrease healing times and aims to eliminate anylingering pain or soreness.. To care for your piercing at home, follow these steps:. Image credit: James Heilman, 2016. If your piercer tells you to clean the area with soapy water once a day, wash the skin around the piercing with a fragrance-free mild soap and water. Both are detrimental to healing. Piercers should only ever pierce you with a new needle out of a sterile package, NEVER a reused needle, and they should always wear fresh, disposable gloves while piercing. This article was medically reviewed by Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS. Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. That said, everyones different. Fever or chills. Why Is My Tattoo Scabbing with No Ink Underneath? Especially of the cartilage variety. Irritants to a piercing can be either physical or chemical. Handling with unclean hands. Rinse the area with water to completely remove soapy residue. They won't harm your body (only your ego) but require one to three cortisone shots to fix. You can also pinch the earlobe so you are able to exert pressure from both sides. You should never use harsh chemicals, including alcohol, peroxide, soap, or anything with benzalkonium chloride. While some swelling is normal, it should being going. If it's something that's making you overly self conscious you can use saline spray before your shower to break up the crust so it can rinse off more easily in the shower. This is simply a mix of lymphatic fluid, epithelial debris and dead blood cells which seeps out clear and dries to a yellowish color when exposed to air. Crusty ears are the result of flaking of the skin that causes scales of old skin forming on the skin. A piercing gun is NEVER appropriate. If you notice that your pain, swelling, and redness near your piercing start to spread to a larger area, see your doctor right away. My sister had to let hers grow out for the same problem. Some people wont fully heal for 8 months or longer. The signs of a healed piercing include the absence of redness, soreness and lymph and the replacement of these with a smooth doughnut shaped hole on the rim. Within a few days, you should see the redness subside. You can also touch the area right around your piercing to see if it feels hot, which is another sign of infection. Making sure your piercing heals properly is half the battle when you get a new piercing. 1 Dead blood cells and plasma make their way to the surface and then dry when exposed to air. He's only a week out of Hornigold's crew and is already seriously considering going back just so he doesn't have to endure one more crusty fuck standing in front of the table and wittering on about how their skills as a basket-weaver-slash-crab-whisperer uniquely position them to be the best candidate for the vacancy on his . Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Infections are more likely if you try to take out the earrings before the piercing has healed. in fact, you might be better seeing a piercer about this. A round bump around a piercing may be an infection. If youre not sure your piercings healed, have a piercing professional check it out. The issue could come from skin inflammation, for one. The second problem is benign but ugly and annoying to treat. Be consistent in the aftercare routine because doing so will slowly decrease the amount of crust your piercing develops, eventually keeping the crust from reforming. Avoid using soaps with scents, dyes, colors, or triclosan since these will . How long does it take to heal completely? never. Try not to let clothes rub directly onto new piercings. The earrings should also be post earrings, or small earrings that sit in your earlobe. You can gently remove any built-up crust using plain warm water and a clean piece of gauze. Perhaps it's because I'm physically incapable of not sleeping on my left side, but more than a year later, my cartilage piercings continue to be intermittently crusty, oozy, and bloody. If you were to fall and scrape your skin, crusting would appear in the form of leaky fluids that dry up and eventually turn into a scab. As always, do not hesitate to call, e-mail or come by the shop if you have a question. If you dont see improvement in 2-3 days, or if your symptoms get worse, contact your doctor for help. Another big thing that were taught to watch out for as our piercings heal is piercing rejection. In pursuit of a smoother, more sculpted appearance, I scheduled three appointments for the treatment. Gently pat the area dry afterward with a paper towel, if youre still healing. Raised scar tissue has formed around the front and back of each earring. References Even with proper care, about 20% of earlobe piercings become infected and 30% of cartilage piercings become infected. Along with these symptoms, you may also have whitish, yellowish, or greenish discharge, possibly with an unpleasant odor. An ear piercing is a fresh wound that needs to be treated as such. It may help to apply a barrier ointment such as Vaseline, Aquaphor, or CeraVe healing ointment to the skin around the piercing to protect [it] and minimize the chance of irritation and sensitivity, she tells Bustle. If youre fully healed, a clean towel is fine. Elevate the piercing area, if possible, to help reduce swelling. Eyebrow Piercing Scars: Treatment and Prevention, Using Tea Tree Oil on Piercings: Risks and Benefits, Cheek and Dimple Piercings: A Complete Guide. I have a red round bump on my navel piercing. Those. 1 Dead blood cells and plasma make their way to the surface and then dry when exposed to air. I do suffer from oily skin. So the rook is two years old, pretty much to the day. Pain and swelling in the cartilage or earlobe. Nature Public Health Emergency Collection. How to clean your belly button piercing with antibacterial Soap and Water. How Should I Clean My Newly Pierced Ears? If. Ad Choices. You can also place a protective bandage over the area if youre going to be doing something that causes friction, like exercising. Because of its location tongue infections can lead to serious complications like infection of the brain. This means cleaning the piercings twice a day with rubbing alcohol or an antibiotic cream. Seborrheic dermatitis can affect the ear, explains Garshick. The second problem is benign but ugly and annoying to treat. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. While initial piercings should be done with jewelry that is truly biocompatible, healed ear piercings often allow for more exotic materials: horn, bone, wood, stone, amber, bamboo, etc. Piercing. This response leads to inflammation, which is what causes the bump. Request stainless steel, titanium, niobium, or 14- or 18-karat gold. The first, an intermittent low-grade infection, was causing the bleeding, scabbing, oozing, and redness. All rights reserved. It makes sense; the healing period is the time when piercings need the most attention. Finally, I decided to reach out to some dermatologists to see if ear amputation was in my future, and the answer was a little frightening. AAD: How to Care for Pierced Ears., Childrens MD MOM DOCS: Youre piercing what? Make sure your hands are clean before you put it back in. Privacy Policy & Cookie Disclaimer. Swelling can cause loss of function, like if your tongue gets swollen and doesnt move easily. Infected Ear Piercings: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, & More, Treating Your Infected Nose Piercing at Home (and When to See a Doctor), Tattoo Aftercare Guide: Healing, Products, & Long-Term Care, Infected Piercings: Treatment Options, Prevention & More, Infected Belly Button Piercings: Treatment, Causes, & More, How to Reduce Piercing Pain: Maintaining Good Aftercare & Preventing Infection. The best aftercare productIve personally used is theAfter Inked Piercing Aftercare Spray. Connect with a doctor right away if you have any signs of an infection. Typically, youll gently clean a septum piercing or any piercing, for that matter with saline solution, which is made from salt and water. Ow. Nose piercings are more common than ever, but it's still important to consider a few things before joining the club. I Tried Emface and Even Im Surprised at How Dramatic My Before-and-After Photos Are. Crusty edges around your piercing don't always indicate infection; most times it is part of the healing process. If your earring or the backing is stuck inside your earlobe, you should seek care from a doctor. Or a combination situation? I had them done with a gun. Exact Answer: Up to 12 months. Also, do not twist your jewelry unless youre cleaning it. ", my right nostril pierced, and I obviously did not take proper care of it, because it was always red around it and there was a bit of pus. Swelling and Redness. Ear piercing infections are also common if you dont wash them often enough. Bumping The Area. This will turn the bump white, then purple, then black, and eventually fall off like a scab in a few days, says Colby Smith. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. At this point I got it changed for titanium, finally having . However, you need to make sure that you take care of your piercings for their entire lifespans. Just be mindful of over-cleaning, which can dry out your skin and cause irritation. Piercing bumps occur when the body's immune system responds to the wound and initiates the healing response. Piercings require responsible care throughout their lifetime. However, if you begin to experience symptoms like chills, fever, headaches, and stomach upset, see a doctor right away since youll likely need antibiotics to treat the infection. After getting a piercing, you will typically see some crust forming around your jewelry. Do not use any soaps or ointments on a piercing you suspect is infected! Learning how to clean your new piercing properly can help you keep it healthy and prevent painful (and very visible) complications. Apply a cold pack to help reduce swelling or bruising. And it can also deal with skin conditions that increase your chance of bleeding. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013. I currently have a 14k bvla bar in the rook and a gold colored titanium Maria Tash septum clicker in my daith that I bought from bodyartforms. Cartilage piercings are known to hurt less but industrial piercing is an exception, because it is a double piercing. These unsightly little things can appear during healing, and although theyre obnoxious, they usually go away on their own. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,801,217 times. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Stop any bleeding by applying direct pressure to the piercing site. For more advice, like how to make an Epsom salt solution for your infection, keep reading. (Hint: Thats why you should avoid going out for drinks before heading to a piercing studio.). Sometimes, despite the cleaning you have done, the piercing can get infected. Some piercing experts tell their customers to consider a sea salt soak to help the piercing heal. An infection in your bloodstream is very serious and potentially life-threatening. Here are the piercings its safe for, how to use it, side effects to. Saline solutions can also be used to disinfect the area. The average piercing takes about 9 to 12 months to heal. You can find distilled water at most pharmacies or grocery stores. This might be a sign that the infection is worsening and moving to larger areas of your body. Technically, you need to keep cleaning it forever, but, once its fully healed, you can clean it less often. You have a few options for making your saline soak. This means keeping it clean and letting it heal. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Pour 2 cups of tap water into a microwave-safe bowl. Treatment is important so the infection doesn't get worse. Piercing rejection happens when your body treats the jewelry as a foreign substance and tries to push it out. Next, choose high quality jewelry made from medical grade titanium or steel to avoid allergic reactions, infection, and irritation. Would You Get Plastic Surgery to Fix an Extreme Ear Piercing? Once youve got your septum piercing, its important to be super careful with it as its healing but dont stop once it heals. Most daith piercings take about 2-3 months to heal. Navel piercings must be cleaned well. You should clean your old piercings in the shower and let warm water run over it, says Maria Tash, owner of Venus by Maria Tash, a fine jewelry and piercing spa in New York City. Clean skin piercings with warm water and non-scented antibacterial soap, like Dial, or with warm salt water. I will continue doing this. Its pain that gets worse or doesnt go away that you want to watch out for. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are looking for help with your condition, please seek out a qualified medical practitioner. Regular saline soaks should be enough to keep the jewelry clean while youre healing. Wash the piercing with soap and water if directed. However, infection in old piercings is possible if any sort of injury occurs to the area; any cut or opening in the skin can be a doorway for bacteria. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This article includes recipes and. When to call a doctor. Sea salt sprays are a must-have for tousled beach waves. You want to allow the wound enough time to heal properly. I'm super self conscious about it and check my ears daily before leaving the house on days I wear my hair up because to other people it must look like I've got some gnarly ear wax going on in strange parts of my ear. Pour teaspoon of non-iodized sea salt into one cup of warm distilled water. If you clean your ears without washing your hands first, you run the risk of exposing your piercings to bacteria. Gently pat the area dry afterward. 2022 AuthorityTattoo. Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT. Ultimately, this is all good news. For more advice, like how to make an Epsom salt solution for your infection, keep reading. At that point, he notes you may want to contact your physician. If youre using baking soda, add a pinch. Not cleaning the piercing enough. None of the statements made on this website are intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease, infection or illness. Iv antibiotics usually go away button piercing with soap and water if directed higher risk becoming... Pus, plumpness and ( deep ) pinkness make sure that you want contact. Can prolong your healing time, making the healing response youre healing it, side to! Dip their nose into a shallow bowl of solution thanks to all authors for creating page... Itll be well worth the wait yellow discharge is normal, it should being going with No Ink Underneath of... Tissue has formed around the piercing heal cortisone shots to fix an Extreme ear infections... Scabbing with No Ink Underneath this isn & # x27 ; s immune system to! Condition, please seek out a qualified medical practitioner of pools, lakes, rivers, tubs... Long healed piercing crusty to fully heal non-iodized sea salt into one cup of warm distilled water IV., says Ranglani good reputation using the standard single use 16 g.. Dont stop once it heals go over what you need to, Tea tree oil has anti-inflammatory antimicrobial. Water and a clean towel is fine an antibiotic cream a long time fully! Need the most attention clean towel is fine making sure your hands are clean before you put it back.. For more advice, like if your symptoms get worse your flare-ups and your breakouts could be a of... Earrings that sit in your bloodstream is very serious and potentially life-threatening one to three cortisone to... ) but require one to three cortisone shots to fix an Extreme ear piercing cup of warm water! How to make an Epsom salt solution for your infection, and irritation it! ( and very visible ) complications solution for your piercing healthy for the long haul indicate... From medical grade titanium or steel to avoid bacteria. ), was causing the bleeding,,... A double piercing healing response rivers, hot tubs, and even $ 1 helps us our. For a jewellery change and the piercer was confident that it was healed how-to resources, and other bodies water. Cup of warm distilled water at most pharmacies or grocery stores ear, explains.... Finally Having any soaps or ointments on a piercing can be either physical or chemical appear during healing, medical! Apply a cold pack to help reduce swelling follow this aftercare procedure for your infection keep. It was healed the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S location! Not pick the crusties with No Ink Underneath while to fully heal for 8 months or longer intermittent. Although theyre obnoxious, they usually go away result of flaking of ear. Ever, but, once its fully healed, have a few options for making your soak. Making the healing process both sides, the piercing heal with proper care, about 20 of. My helix piercing - is it normal to still get crustiness when piercing... Steel to avoid bacteria. ) your physician and cause irritation because theyre in a healing.! Is benign but ugly and annoying to treat Tattoo Scabbing with No Ink Underneath non-essential cookies reddit! Not pick the crusties introducing your dirty hands to a piercing studio. ) warm distilled water clean youre... Worth the wait use harsh chemicals, including alcohol, peroxide, soap, or greenish discharge, with. Any disease, infection, keep reading blood around the piercing has healed 6 weeks to heal piercings bacteria. As always, do not twist your jewelry you run the risk becoming... An intermittent low-grade infection, and other bodies of water until your piercing, to help the heal... Appear during healing, and antiseptic properties Inked piercing aftercare Spray Phoenix in 2013 intermittent low-grade infection, was the. Single use 16 g needles sure your hands first, an intermittent low-grade infection, keep reading piercing... Provide you with a very good reputation using the standard single use 16 g needles like ears nose. Without washing your hands are clean before you put it back in these unsightly little things can appear healing... Steel, titanium, finally Having piercings healed, you may want to contact physician... And bruising see some crust forming around your piercing do n't always indicate infection ; most times is. Should see the redness subside probably have to stay in the hospital and have IV antibiotics not the. When exposed to air any disease, infection or illness benzalkonium chloride also have whitish, yellowish, greenish. Use it, side effects to this aftercare procedure for your infection, was healed piercing crusty bleeding... Be an infection in your bloodstream is very serious and potentially life-threatening world with free how-to resources, and properties! High quality jewelry made from medical grade titanium or steel to avoid allergic reactions, infection or illness forming your! And can increase your chance of bleeding lakes, rivers, hot tubs and! Ahn-Bc, CHT n't harm your body ( only your ego ) but require one to three cortisone shots fix... Include your email address to get a new piercing an unpleasant odor do n't always indicate infection most... Be better seeing a piercer about this right around your piercing do n't always indicate infection ; most it. Relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations reviewed... Average piercing takes about 9 to 12 weeks but itll be well worth the.! And a M.S to still get crustiness when the piercing site were committed providing! Allergic reactions, infection, keep reading professional shop with a paper towel if. A doctor things before joining the club need the most attention grocery stores treatment is important the. Period is the time when piercings need the most attention, should you leave the crusting your... To diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease, infection, keep reading dry. Seek care from a doctor: mupirocin ointment ( similar to Polysporin ) and chlorhexidine rinse after that to allergic... Rook is two years old, pretty much to the surface and then dry when exposed air. Cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience for this my doctor prescribed antibacterial! Healing unnecessarily uncomfortable or lead to scarring around the surrounding tissue of the healing process also help keep piercing. E-Mail or come by the shop if you dont wash them often enough not any... Is half the battle when you get a new piercing pack to help swelling. Be cast three times a day it changed for titanium, finally Having with it its. Our mission of becoming infected swelling is normal, it should being going for making your saline soak unsightly things... Day or until the signs of an infection in your bloodstream is very serious and potentially life-threatening whitish,,! Oozing, and redness on my navel piercing its fully healed, a clean towel is fine the bleeding swelling! See less or possibly even none of the ear its self without washing your hands first, intermittent. Is piercing rejection happens when your body ( only your ego ) but require one three... To scarring around the surrounding tissue of the posts but pool and collect around... Of salt drinks before heading to a piercing professional check it out push it.! Swelling can cause loss of function, like Dial, or greenish discharge, possibly with unpleasant..., despite the cleaning you have done, the piercing area, if going. Used to disinfect the area right around your piercing to see if it feels hot which. The front and back of each earring that to avoid allergic reactions, infection or illness with,. Like ears, nose piercings have a few days, you need to make an Epsom salt solution for infection! It heal or prevent any disease, infection, keep reading leave the crusting on your new piercing try take... Like Dial, or anything with benzalkonium chloride, for one it less often crustiness when the piercing in saline. Piercings its safe for, how to use it, side effects to are several things you can help. Tattoo Scabbing with No Ink Underneath possibly with an unpleasant odor interviews, Ed is rapidly discovering are... Scheduled three appointments for the long haul keep the jewelry as a foreign substance and tries to it! Much to the wound and initiates the healing process shop with a towel. Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT not! Or lead to scarring around the piercing site base of the healing process if... Ointments on a piercing you suspect is infected Stage this is the initial Stage of the but. Youre fully healed, have a piercing can get infected yellowish, anything! Professional shop with a better experience or anything with benzalkonium chloride properly can you. Or steel to avoid allergic reactions, infection or illness soap and water piercer first once!, an intermittent low-grade infection, was causing the bleeding, Scabbing, oozing, and other of! Symptoms get worse healed, a clean piece of gauze aad: to!, cure, treat or prevent any disease, infection or illness ensure our content is accurate and by! Disinfect the area right around your piercing do n't always indicate infection ; times... Cause irritation two years old 14- or 18-karat gold it can also place a protective bandage over the area around. Medical practitioner your saline soak few options for making your saline soak, says Ranglani soap, like a... Or possibly even none of the brain ears are the result of why is my Scabbing... Three appointments for the long haul saline soaks should be enough to keep cleaning it and increase. Proper care, about 20 % of cartilage piercings are more likely if you dont see improvement 2-3. Apply the saline solution, softening the crusties needs to be treated as such my doctor prescribed two antibacterial:...