Treatment / Management
Conservative treatment of minor local infections includes warm compress and over the counter or prescription topical antibiotics such as bacitracin or mupirocin. Oral antibiotics such as cephalexin or clindamycin provide coverage for streptococcus and staphylococcus.
Considering this, can you put antiseptic cream on infected piercings?
DO NOT USE Antiseptic preparations such as Savlon cream or spray, TCP, Hydrogen Peroxide, Lavender oil, Tea tree oil, Dettol, Surgical Spirit etc – DO NOT USE THESE to clean your piercing! These are very harsh and will cause irritation and delay healing.
Hereof, can I use antibiotic ointment on my industrial piercing?
Avoid OTC antibiotics or creams
Ointments and creams are thick and may trap bacteria under your skin. This can cause further irritation and make the infection worse. Antiseptics like rubbing alcohol can also damage healthy skin cells, leaving your piercing more vulnerable to bacteria.
What do doctors prescribe for infected piercings?
Most infected ear piercings are caused by a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and so you need an antibiotic that covers this bacteria, such as ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin.
What does an infected piercing look like?
Your piercing might be infected if: the area around it is swollen, painful, hot, very red or dark (depending on your skin colour) there’s blood or pus coming out of it – pus can be white, green or yellow. you feel hot or shivery or generally unwell.
Is my piercing infected or irritated?
According to Thompson, the telltale signs of an infection are simple: “The area around the piercing is warm to the touch, you notice extreme redness or red streaks protruding from it, and it has discolored pus, normally with a green or brown tint,” Thompson says.
What can I put on an infected piercing?
Treating the infection at home
- Wash your hands before touching or cleaning your piercing.
- Clean around the piercing with a saltwater rinse three times a day. …
- Don’t use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or antibiotic ointments. …
- Don’t remove the piercing. …
- Clean the piercing on both sides of your earlobe.
Can I put Savlon on an infected piercing?
Do not use ointments, peroxide, contact lenses solution, Savlon, alcohol or pierced ears solutions on your piercing. These are not intended for long-term use and may irritate.
Is antibiotic ointment good for infected piercing?
DO NOTapply any ointment such as Bacitracin, Neosporin or any other “triple antibiotic” ointment on your piercing. These prevent oxygen from reaching the wound and form a sticky residue, which can cause complications. They are NOT designed for use on healing piercings.
Can you put Vaseline on a piercing?
Any ointment, such as Neosporin, Bacitracin, Vaseline or triple antibiotic should be avoided. The large amounts of petroleum jelly will block oxygen to the body piercing and allow bacteria to breed. If in doubt, read the label.
Do industrial piercings get infected easily?
Industrial piercings are more prone to infection because there are 2 wounds, and the tension placed on the skin from the jewelry also increases inflammation and vulnerability to the skin. An infection occurs when harmful bacteria build up in one or both of the holes where your ear is pierced.
