Ear Lobe Piercing Aftercare

Ear lobe piercing has become a fashion today. Generally, with proper after care piercings heal in eight to ten weeks. However, the upper ear lobe piercing could give a few complications like Granulomas and Keloids. Granulomas are very common and are small lumps around the piercing. It can be cured with hot compresses on the lumps which would shrink them while Keloids need administration of cortisone.

The healing of the skin after piercing happens in two distinct phases. The first one is the important where extreme caution is required to prevent any infection or inflammation. This phase lasts for about 6 weeks. A good after care during this period would ensure there are no scars and keloids.  As once the scar form it’s very difficult to get rid of them. The second phase is a relatively simple phase where the healing process gets completed and the piercings could be maneuvered as per convenience.

List of Do’s and Don’t of ear lobe piercing after care.

Do’s

1. Piercing should be cleaned once a day while shampooing hair. Cleaning more than once is not advisable as it might weaken the natural healing mechanism of the body.

2. Including Zinc and Vitamin B and multivitamins in daily diet would promote quick healing and boost up immunity.

3. Ensure there is no hair around the piercing as they transmit hair products, bacteria, dirt, oil and other irritants in to the lesion. A small pin could be used to remove hair but care should be taken to not hurt the wound or ear.

4. Using freshly cleaned pillow cases would prevent the bacterial from breeding in the wound.

5. Public telephones may have bacteria and other irritant. It’s better to avoid using them.

6. Some shampoos and hair care products could irritate or inflame the wound. So due care should be taken to avoid them getting over the wound. Using dye free and perfume free products would be a good option as their negative effects are limited.

7. The crust that builds up around the wound should be rinsed with saline water to remove them. They themselves are harmless as it contains clear fluid called lymph. But the sharp edges of the crust may damage the skin surrounding the wound.

Don’ts

1. The piercing should be touched with clean hands once a day for cleaning only. While cleaning, it should be just rotated gently to keep away the crust.

2. The piercing should not be removed within the first three months. This would it adequate time to heal and also protect the skin from getting damaged by the earrings forward and backward movement.

3. Liquids like alcohol, witch hazel, hydrogen peroxide should not be used on the wound. These may cause a scar.