Have you ever seen someone sporting a tragus piercing before? You’ve likely seen people wearing them. Tragus piercings are immensely popular. It’s a piercing located on the tiny pointed part of your external ear right in front of the entryway into your ear.
Its unique location makes it one of the most in-demand piercings these days. However, there is a downside to a tragus piercing. This piercing type can easily get infected if you don’t care for it properly. Let’s learn more.
Why Is A Tragus Piercing Prone to Infection?
Like all other piercings, a tragus piercing is also prone to infection while still healing. Keep in mind that a piercing is considered an open wound. So when it gets in contact with bacteria, infection will follow.
The average healing period of ear piercings is between six to eight weeks, but you can expect it to take a bit longer for cartilage piercings. Some of the factors that contribute to ear piercing infection are as follows:
- When the instruments used during the procedure are unsterile, bacteria can invade the site and cause an infection.
- Earrings placed too tightly on the site can also result in an infection due to the lack of oxygen.
- People who touch or play with their earrings while it’s still healing can cause site irritation and inflammation, and it will only be a matter of time before it turns into a full-blown infection.
- Long hair that gets tangled with the piercing can irritate the wound, impede the healing process, and put you at risk of infection.
- The longer it takes for the wound to heal, the more susceptible it becomes to infection.
How Can You Avoid A Tragus Piercing Infection?
Although the risk is there, you can find ways to reduce your probability of getting infected.
#1 Choose A Skilled and Experienced Piercer
One of the smartest moves you can make is to do your research before getting your ears pierced. This means finding a skilled, reputable, experienced piercer to handle your ears.
Do your research, ask around, and read feedback, testimonials, and reviews online and offline. A good piercer knows what to do and what not to do to keep your piercing safe and infection-free during the procedure.
#2 Don’t Touch Your Piercing
While your piercings are still healing, you better take your hands off them. You are only allowed to touch your piercings when you’re cleaning them. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling the site.
As much as you’d want to change your jewelry, we highly discourage you from doing so. You need to wait until the piercing site has healed entirely before you can change your jewelry.
#3 Apply Warm Compress
During the first few days, you’ll experience swelling and redness on your tragus. You may apply warm compress s on the site to reduce the swelling.
Studies show that applying a warm compress also helps speed up the healing process. Research also suggests adding chamomile tea bags and using them as a warm compress on your new piercings.
#4 Clean Your Piercings
The most effective way to keep infection at bay is by regularly cleaning the site with saline solution. Your piercer will give you specific instructions on what to do to keep the site clean.
When cleaning your piercings, there are certain products you must avoid, such as rubbing alcohol, ear care solutions, and hydrogen peroxide. In addition, we strongly discourage you from applying creams and ointments on the site, which can obstruct air circulation.
Some of the ointments you should avoid are Neosporin, Bacitracin, and Hibiclens.
Talk to your piercer about the signs and symptoms of infection you need to look out for so you can notify your piercer or medical doctor if you experience them at home. It’s best to take action right away before the infection worsens and causes health complications.
Are You Looking For An Affordable and Reliable Cleaning Solution for Your New Piercing?
A more convenient way is to get Dr. Piercing Aftercare swabs. These conveniently packaged swabs use advanced technology for easy, sanitary application.
At Dr. Piercing Aftercare, we’ve developed convenient medicated swabs that you can use to clean your piercings and keep infection away. We are proud of our products. They are made and tested in a cGMP compliant and FDA-registered facility in America.
We use advanced technology on our swabs for easy application. Each pack contains thirty-six medicated swabs that are proven and tested to promote your body’s natural healing process while preventing infection. Contact us today, or you can check out our website to learn more about our products.
