My daughter's ear is swollen and red?

Question

My 4 year old daughter has an infection from her ear piercing a month ago. What else can I do besides salt water to clear it up? This morning, yesterday it was not the I clean it every day. I did not remove because when drilling I was told not to remove it because it would quickly plug a new hole.

Naji-tom Samaha · Accepted Answer

Hello Ma'am, Since when did you notice this? Did you remove the piercing? Thanks for the comeback! Unfortunately, the piercing will have to be removed to give the skin a chance to heal. I would only recommend putting it back in once the area has returned to its normal appearance. You will also want to make sure to clean the earring well and leave it in boiling water for 5 minutes. The worst that can happen is that you will have to redo the piercing. However if you don't remove it, the situation may persist and possibly deteriorate. For ear care, basic hygiene with mild soap and water twice a day should be sufficient. Do not apply peroxide, alcohol or anything else as they dry out the skin and slow down healing. If there is no improvement after 7 days, a doctor should be consulted. Hopefully, this has been helpful to you, please do not hesitate if you have any further questions! Tom Samaha, pharmacist