I just got my ears pierced today, after, oh, five years of hemming and hawing on it. I have so far gotten some contradicting advice on how to care for for it. I know I shouldn’t use hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol to clean them and got a free bottle of a gentler solution to use from the store that did the piercing.
However, they said to clean them 3 times a day. I’ve also read advice saying not to do it more than once a day. I’ve read advice telling me that after a few days, or maybe even right away I should start turning the earrings a few rotations a few times a day, and other advice telling me not to. The bit about turning doesn’t make any sense to me, because I don’t imagine it’s likely that my flesh will somehow fuse with the sliver of titanium passing all the way through them.
So, asking those who’ve been there and done that, what exactly should I do to keep my ears from getting terribly infected or otherwise messed up?
Saline soaks will do wonders. Get yourself a couple of bottles of saline at the drugstore [like you use to rinse contact lenses] and rinse your ears with it a couple times a day. Also rinse your ears off after you wash your hair.
Also try not to pick at the earrings as they heal up. They’ll itch, and I had great success with Vitamin E oil rubbed on them in the PM before bedtime.
Is this your first piercing? Welcome to the world of those of us with holes in our heads!
My reading gives good reasons for NOT turning – if there is any sort of bacterial contamination, turning the stud will introduce it to the entire piercing surface, and the mechanical irritation and possible tearing will insure that it works its way in. Just leave it. Soak gently with sterile saline and dry with disposable tissues or, better, sterile gauze pads. This may be done safely three times a day, but showering or shampooing should only be done once a day. Rinse your ears well and dry with gauze after showering. Don’t bathe.
I’ve always used hydrogen peroxide on my piercings, and had no problem with it. I was also told to turn them regularly, and while it didn’t hurt, I don’t think it necessarily helped, either. I think everyone here is pretty much correct - keep them clean, but don’t soak them (as it will soften scabs and keep the wound open longer), and don’t pick (for the same reason).
You mentioned that your studs are titanium, which should be fine - but there’s a slight chance it might not. If it seems like your piercings are taking a really long time to heal, or if they seem healed, but are usually red and sensitive, you may actually have an allergy to the metal. In that case, try different metals - higher grades of gold and surgical steel are also usually safe bets. However, I react to everything but silver, which I’ve heard from many sources is the worst for piercings, so it really depends on the person.
And I’ve never had an infection that a little schmear of Neosporin couldn’t clear up in a day.
A nice rule of thumb to follow is that, when conflicting adviceabounds–especially around fine points–on how to take care of a medical problem, there is probably not a clear “best” way.
It’s essentially a wound. Keep it clean. Let it heal. If you want it to heal with the hole intact (and you do) keep a post through the hole so the channel can epithelialize. Use a post which does not give you a contact dermatitis. The rest are fine points…
Tiny fine point e.g.: Neosporin contains neomycin, which causes an allergic reaction for some people more commonly than other topicals. Polysporin might be a safer choice. You’ll probably do fine with nothing.
I’ve always heard that titanium is one of the best metals to use, actually. Niobium is supposed to be good as well, and both of those have the ability to be anodized to neat-looking colors.
I’m fortunate enough I’ve never had a reaction to even the most cheap-crap earrings, but my daughter (“Moon Unit”) definitely seemed to react to lower-grade gold (10K) or silver. She’s fine with 14K gold.
My daughter did have some trouble with one ear (not the other) getting infected repeatedly. The first time, we got through it by pressing on the earlobe to make the pus drain (ick), then careful cleaning and a dab of neosporin every day for a few, leaving the earring in place. The second time it happened, we took out the earring and let things heal up. As the hole was not in a great location anyway, this was no hardship. She had it redone a few months later and has had zero problems since then.
Or, it could be conflicting advice from some 19-year-old high school dropout with a piercing gun at the tween accessory store at the mall vs. a trained, experienced artist at a shop specializing in tattoos and piercings. The source is definitely important.