Infections - Prevention and Treatment

What causes infections in the ear from earrings?

We get this question a lot: "I bought real gold earrings but I got an infection". Why is this?

First, one should ensure that the earrings really are from real gold, as youme's earrings are, and not made from a combination of metals likely to cause an allergic reaction.

If your ears are decorated with earrings made from real gold and still suffering from infections - what state were the hands that put in the earrings into the ears..?

If the hands were not clean, if the earring was not sterilized or the area of the piercing was not clean, there's a chance that an infection will develop around the piercing.

Below is a short guide for the prevention of infections and how to deal with one if it appears. To print out and save:

How to prevent an infection of the ear piercing?

It's important to remember that the piercing is not sealed shut, and bacteria and infections can enter through it into the blood stream and cause unwanted outcomes.

How shall we ensure our ears are healthy and that the earrings won't harm us? It's quite simple, we just need to maintain three basic principles:

1. Each time you put on your earrings, make sure your hands are clean.
2. Before putting the earring into the ear, soak a bit of cotton with alcohol and wipe the earrings thoroughly.
3. If you prefer to leave the earrings in all the time, it's advisable to take them out every few months, clean the area of the piercing and the earrings, and then put them back in.

How to deal with an infection

If you didn't ensure the earring and ears were sterilized and are now suffering from an infection, here's how to treat them until they recover:
1. Take the earrings out immediately.
2. Soak the earrings in boiling water with soap for half an hour.
3. Let the ears 'rest' a few days: another words don't insert any other metal into the ear but just gently sterilize the area.
4. Before putting back the earrings into the ear, be sure to sterilize the area of the piercing and the earrings themselves.