What are the best antibiotics for ear piercing infections?
Ear piercing infections are common and cause pain and closure of the fresh hole you just pierced. Antibiotics are recommended and prescribed to treat ear piercing depending on the bacteria causing an infection. Some of the best antibiotics for ear piercing infections include:
- Neomycin
- Mupirocin (Bactroban)
- Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
- Amoxicillin-Clavulanate (Augmentin)
- Clindamycin
Except for Neomycin, which is over-the-counter, all others are prescription antibiotics and need medical consultation for an accurate diagnosis and well-suited antibiotics for an ear piercing infection.
Important to consider: Not every antibiotic will work best for bacterial infections. Only those antibiotics that best suit the type of infection will work effectively. Having said that, getting the right antibiotics for the bacterial infection is only possible after a complete and effective diagnosis from your healthcare provider.
Can you put antibiotic ointment on a new ear piercing?
It’s generally recommended not to take antibiotics right after the ear piercing, as this might affect the healing process. Keeping the area dry and clean right after the new piercing is more important, as it will help avoid infection and aid in the healing process.
Antibiotic ointment should only be taken when prescribed by your healthcare provider after diagnosing a bacterial infection or when you see all the signs of bacterial infection. In such scenarios, ointments like Neomycin (OTC) can be used.
While antibiotic ointments like Neomycin or Bacitracin can help prevent infection in a new ear piercing, it’s important to use them only on diagnosis and prescription from your doctor! Always consult your healthcare provider or piercer before applying any ointment.– says Dr.Richard Honekar
How to prevent ear piercing infection?
Have you just had a new ear piercing and are worried about a bacterial infection at the same site? Well, good news! You can prevent it now by following some simple steps.
Some of the majorly recommended precautions to avoid ear piercing infection are:
- To prevent germs from infecting the site, keep your hands clean, washed, and dry when touching the piercing.
- Avoid excessively touching the piercing site on your ear due to itching or any reason.
- You might feel irritation on the site of the piercing after wearing jewelry. It doesn’t necessarily mean an infection. It can mean an allergic reaction to the jewelry. It’s better to avoid touching or itching that part.
- In case of itching due to jewelry, talk to your doctor before removing the jewelry.
- Applying a warm water compress can also help manage the pain and discomfort in the area surrounding the ear piercing.
Despite following all the precautions, you are still in pain and notice the inflammation with pus-filled bulgings; it’s essential to get connected with your healthcare provider and get the right antibiotic ointment for the infection!
Some of the signs that can give you the idea that your piercing site is getting infected are:
- You will experience itching
- You might notice inflammation and redness.
- You will get a fever.
- You might experience the presence of pus-filled blisters at the site.
These signs are your cues to connect with an online doctor and get the antibiotic ointment that best suits you!
