Need Help with Daughter That Has Pierced Ear Infection

Have you thought maybe it could be the earings you are using? Some children are allergic to 14 k gold and it can cause their ears to be infected or some children are allergic to sterling silver. If you are using one or the other maybe you should try to switch. Also soak the earing in peroxide for like 15 minutes and take a cotton ball and soak her ear with it also

Hello,

First of all are you only using nickle free earrings? That was a problem my youngest daughter had and she was fine with nickle free.

Second I found that if you use antibiotic ointment on them that they just continue to fester. I started using alcohol. It sounds harsh and it will sting but within a couple of days they were healed up and not sore anymore. I have found that this works with all piercings even though they say not to use it because it is drying.

I hope these suggestions help you.

Hi B.

Im no expert for doctor by no means . But I can tell you this I been a hair dresser for 19 years now and the solution that they give you at the stores isnt strong enough to fight off infection . Have you tried just peroxide? And Using the antibotic cream can cause a bacteria infection to if it stays moist all the time. Sometimes you just have to give up the fight and take the studs out for a while and give her ear a chance to heal . Thers nothing saying you cant have them done again at a later time. Sometimes kids just have problems with being allergic to the studs. Are you still using studs or reg earings? I know I cant wear anything but Studs in my ears or they get infected. Hope I helped somewhat. T.

She might be allergic to the metal in the earrings. You might want to go to the doctors and find out. I know my daughter is allergic to some metals and we have to look hard for certain earrings for her.

maybe she can only wear gold, my daughter does the same thing even w/ surgical steel they still turn all red and bleed. If she has had them for a year now it would probly be okay to leave them out for 24 hour and see if that helps them heal up some

I agree with what has been said so far... Take her in to make sure the infection doesn't need stronger treatment than just the Neosporin. If not, here is what I have done in the past...

Be sure you're using gold (white or yellow) posts until you resolve the infection and to determine if she can wear anything else. Remove the earrings at night. This way the ear can heal itself without the earring being tugged and pulled against a pillow, blanket, etc. After removing the earrings in the evening, clean the hole with peroxide then apply some Neosporin to the front and back of the lobe and massage it in. Allow the earrings to either soak overnight in peroxide or clean them well and put them away (use a Q-Tip or clean toothbrush to really clean the earring). In the morning, clean the hole again, rinse the earring with peroxide(unless it was soaking overnight), dry it, dip the post in Neosporin, and reinsert it. Be sure to always handle the earrings with clean hands and tell her to not play with or tug at them if at all possible. Also, if she has long hair, you may pull it back for a few days until you get things under control so it's not getting caught on the earrings. Even though it doesn't hurt, it can still tug on them unnecessarily.

Once the infection has been cleared up for a while, if you want to, you can try posts other than gold and see if it starts to return. If so, you know that's the problem. Whatever kind you buy, make sure they are hypoallergenic. Best of luck!

my daughter had the same problem she is 27 now ,but we found out she was allergic to the metal . she could not wear anything but gold. white gold earrings try white gold or gold tiny hoops and see what happens . If you are using studs they will continue to get infected. good luck.
plus wipe her ears down daily with peroxide.

I agree with the other response on cleaning them with peroxide and leaving the earrings out at night. I am very allergic to metals like knickel etc. I found after several years that the only ones I can wear is the ones that Claire's or The Icing has earrings for sensitive ears. That is all I wear. I don't wear allot of dangling ones or hoops. She may very well be having a allergic reaction.

I first had my ears pierced when I was 4 and the same thing happened. My mom finally let the holes grow shut and we tried again a year later...again, same thing. Finally, we tried again at 8 years old and it worked! I can still only use earrings made of at least 10k gold or they get infected again. I can also use the earrings I've had my ears pierced with (since 8 yrs old I've had a few holes added and I specifically got ones for sensitive ears).

Have you tried different types of posts? I had the same problem and had to give up earrings.

I suffered with earing infections too.

The things that worked for me.

Do not sleep with earings in.
Do not wear earings longer than 12-16hrs at a time.
Avoid Cheap earings.
IF the ear appears infected don't keep poking stuff into it. Gently squeeze the goo out, and then leave it alone until it heals. Chances are it won't close up since it's been there for a year...but if it does it gives you the opportunity to get the ear re-peirced with high quality earings.

THROW OUT THE SALINE SOLUTION. The ear wash could very well be contaminated.

Maybe you're just trying too hard. There is such a thing as over-cleaning a piercing. And by taking them out and switching them all the time, you are leaving them open to infection. Are you using solid 24kt gold? She could be reacting to something in the earring itself. I would use only 24kt, keep them in until the infection clears up and clean them daily with peroxide. Turn them once a day, but don't keep taking them out and putting other ones in.

Make sure the earrings have no nickel in them. If she is wearing the starter earrings, this is a possibility. If you haven't done so already, you may want to invest in a solid gold pair. I hope this is helpful.

How are your daughter's ears doing? There's a lot of terrific advice posted here already, but I'll add just a couple of little things:

1. Tea Tree essential oil (in a carrier oil as DBN's is) provides all sorts of "anti" properties...antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal.

2. As for getting a "foolish look" at the doctor's office...you should never be embarrassed to take your children to their pediatrician. If the doctor or office staff has left you feeling this way, I strongly suggest that you find a different doctor.

Please keep us updated on her ears.

I agree with everyone else. Try sterling silver or solid gold. I'm allergic to the cheap earrings as well. Good luck.

I also had problems with my ears as a child getting infected badly and had them pierced several times. Sea salt / warm water soaking to aid in healing and drawing out infection finally helped, along with swapping jewelry for surgical steel. I had trouble finding pretty surgical steel earrings for myself and so I finally started making them myself. 100% hypoallergenic, nickel free Niobium is another amazing metal choice for people with extreme metal sensitivities. Niobium is similar in properties to titanium which is also 100% hypoallergenic. These are elemental metals - NOT a mixture of metals (which often contain nickel). I now sell my earrings on etsy and many people have reported being able to comfortably wear earrings finally with the Niobium. They are ultra comfortable and I often forget I'm even wearing earrings at all. My shop is Pretty Sensitive Ears, found at http://www.prettysensitive.etsy.com - and is all about earrings for those of us with sensitive ears.

my niece had the same problem. I found some earring at Fashion Bug of all places. They are usually on the check out counter on a small spinner. I haven't bought them in awhile but I think the card they come on is cream with a teal lettering. They are small cute earrings for younger girls. Maybe they will work for your daughter. My niece has never had a problem since she's been wearing them. (the doctor told me about them) Good Luck!

Have you tried different kinds of earrings? Maybe she is allergic to them. My daughter and I can only wear stainless steal or gold earrings. The hypo-allergenic ones cause us itching, infection, or soreness.

She cuold be allergic to the earings. My sister is allergic to most metals, she had the same problem. Piercing/tattoo parlors carry sergical steal posts that your body cant break down. Also, gold works well. You can get inexpensive gold studs, just make sure they are not just plated. Poor little one...

It sounds like she may be allergic to the metal :( There are some people also, whose bodies just cannot tolerate getting pierced. the good news? won't have to worry about nose/tongue/eyebrow rings in the future :)

I have been fighting an infection for four years now in one of my piercings on my ear. The doctor can prescibe a antibiotic to help clear it up. But don't let them do any surgery cause it will make the ear deform. I wouldn't let them do surgery on mine. For some reason my infection never goes away. But I no longer wear earrings in that hole. I keep it very clean and put antibiotic cream on it. Hopefully a prescribed antibiotic will clear it up. Good luck.

Try 24k gold erings. I had the same problem with my own ears as a child and that is all I could wear. I have now just given up with it and have desided that it isn't worth the trouble. My daughter has the same problem and has also desided that she doesn't want to deal with it. Good luck!

Hi B.,

My daughter had the same problem for the longest time, and it ended up being that she was allergic to the metal in the posts. I had to buy her real gold earrings...she did fine with 10k, so I would try your daughter out on those. You can find them fairly inexpensively at Wal-mart or Meijer.

Good luck.

I have several good friends who are professional piercers. They never recommend using alcohol or peroxide on a piercing. Instead, they say to use Dial liquid soap. Alcohol and peroxide can be very irritating and can cause swelling and dry out the skin. If the skin dries out too much, it can crack and leave another opening for infection.

Also, I know from personal experience that a Nickel allergy can cause symptoms that are very similar to an infection. I went through the same thing when I was younger until my mom bought me real gold earrings. I also have to be careful with wire frame glasses. The really expensive stainless steel or titanium ones are the only wire frame glasses that do not contain nickel. The earrings I wear are actually made from surgical steel, and I had to switch to plastic frame glasses.

Also, in case this is a real infection and not just irritation or allergy. I have been told NOT to take an earring out when there is an infection. The skin will heal over, but the infection will still be inside and it will cause an abcess.

I have the same problem. The only kind of earrings I can wear are Gold real or studded. If i dont I get really bad infections just like that. I think it would be good to take her to the dr just to make sure that she doesnt need a topical antibiotic. When i got the infections cleared up and put the gold earrings in i was ok. Good luck, I hope this helps.

I have had several piercings(including the belly button) The best thing that I have found is to use bactine( it is in a green and white bottle) The other thing is your daughter could be allergic to metal

B.,
Hello, i saw your post and wanted to respond because last year I had a similar problem. I did in fact take her to the peditrician they thought it was good that i brought her in . I think you should go in to get their opinion they will know best what to tell you to do. We had to have my daughter take out her earrings and let her holes close up to stop the infection. They said she could get them repearced in about a year. We went back on christmas break and got them done again she is having more sucess this time. I wish you well. M.

have you tried different types of gold some kids can only wear 14 krt gold i cant wear the gold it makes my ears itch but i can wear the sterling silver.try taking them out at night and putting them in every day that way the ear gets a break .hope that help a little A.