Sore irritated ears? Find out why your earrings hurt and what to do about it.
I’m sure many of us have been there. You see a gorgeous pair of earrings that's absolutely perfect for that cute little outfit. You hastily buy them from the store and put them on the moment you get home. You rock the new bling with your cute outfit the very next day and several hours later, or maybe after a night, you return home with ears that feel itchy, swollen and sore.
Well, my girlfriend, sadly that means you’ve fallen victim to an ear infection.
What do you do?
- If it hurts A LOT, see a doctor immediately.
If there is severe bleeding, or unbearable pain, this is no longer a situation safe for home remedies, see a doctor ASAP.
- If it’s bearable, start by washing your hands.
Exercising proper hygiene is a must-do when it comes to dealing with any infections. When an area is irritated and sore, introducing any additional irritants will worsen the situation.
- Remove the earring
First, use a cotton swab or cotton cloth dipped in saltwater rinse (1 teaspoon of salt in 1/2 cup of warm water) to clean the area. When your ear is infected, there might be a build up of pus, sebum or discharge that might prevent the earring from being removed.
After cleaning, grip the earring (and the backing if there one) using your thumb and index finger. If there is a clasp, you should hold the earring in place and loosen the backing gently by wiggling it. This is more effective than pulling the earring from the backing. If the earring has no backing, gently wiggle it out from the piercing.
- Assess the area
Usually, your ear is infected for two reasons, bacteria and allergies.
Generally, allergic reactions tend to be less painful and feel more like an itch with light swelling and redness. If your earrings are made of nickel, copper and cobalt, then it is probably the culprit of the allergic reaction.
On the other hand, bacterial infections usually feel sore, tender and painful to the touch, these tend to be caused by piercings that haven’t fully healed.
Of course, the infection could be triggered by both reasons.
- Treat the infection
To treat the infection, you can use an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream and a healing ointment from your local chemist. If the pain and swelling is not severe, simply clean the area well and often with the saltwater rinse and avoid touching or irritating the area. The infection should subside within a week.
How do I stop getting ear infections?
If you are like me, quite prone to getting infected ears but still refuse to give up on all those cute earrings, then choosing the right earrings become very important.
As I mentioned before, nickel, copper and cobalt are metals that are very likely to cause allergic reactions. On the other hand, metals like silver and gold are much less likely to cause an infection.
What this is means is that the next time you look at a cute pair of earrings, double check the material it’s made of or ask the store. When you see the s925 (or .95, 95) stamp on a piece, that’s a sign that the piece is safe. Another good way to tell if the piece is labelled suitable for sensitive ears or hypoallergenic.
At the end of the day though, if you’re unsure, don’t risk it, it’s always better to be safe than sorry aye?
On top of getting genuine silver and gold jewellery, it’s also very important to take care of your piercings when you first get them. For a start, go to a reputable clinic to get your ears pierced. Then, make sure you avoid touching or irritating the fresh piercing. It’s critical for the piercing to heal properly in order to prevent future infections. This usually takes about 6 weeks, which means you should not be changing earrings during that time. check and clean the piercing frequently to make sure it is healing and you should be good to go in no time!
I’m sure we’ve all heard the old saying that ‘beauty is pain’, but in reality, it’s never a good idea to risk your health for the sake of looks, so ALWAYS look after your body first.
xx Carrie