Piercing Aftercare - How to Prevent Infection

 How to prevent infection and how to spot an infection

Parents always want the best for their kids and so, ear piercing is always a matter of concern with parents. Most often, parents are worried about the place-of-visit, pain, infection etc. 

Sometimes, as adorable as your child may appear with beautiful little earrings, the risk of an ear-piercing infection still exists. 

Prevention and aftercare can make the piercing experience way more comfortable for your child and you. 

In case of an infection, if you are able to recognise the signs of it and take the necessary steps to treat them, it can lead to a safe recovery for the child.

Ways to prevent infection:

As the saying goes, Prevention is better than cure…and it is true as well. 

Parents who follow preventive practices, experience a hassle-free ear piercing experience for their babies.

• Piercing procedure:

The first step to prevent an infection is to have the piercing performed in a comfortable and hygienic environment. 

And Home is where comfort and hygiene is at its best. 

It is always safer to pierce the child in a comfortable, hygienic place like your house. 

Always choose a children-friendly piercing establishment with extensive expertise, safe procedures, and guaranteed sterility of piercing products.

Since your child’s ears are tender and the sensory organs are developing, traditional piercing using needles is safer than using a piercing gun. Traditional needle piercing is done with a controlled pressure on the earlobes by a skilled goldsmith compared to a gunshot piercing, that’s blunt and not in control once shot. That increases the chances of skin filament tearing off, thus damaging the tissues. 

More so, accurate pinpointing and maintaining precise angles is difficult with a piercing gun, so the traditional method is the best option.

·        Piercing Product: The safest metal that can be used for a child's earrings are gold. Gold is the most stable element, does not rust or tarnish. Therefore, causing no allergic reaction.

Nickel Free & EO Sterilised Gold adds to the prevention of an infection.

• Piercing conditions: Hygiene is important in preventing infections. 

Use of non-toxic Gold metal and sterilised piercing earrings. 

Piercers must wash their hands thoroughly and put on a fresh pair of gloves before piercing. 

The use of hygienic piercing equipment such as cutters, marker pens, etc. is essential. 

The piercing hole must be marked by a sterile marker pen.

Piercing post-care to prevent infection:

• To keep the ear piercing infection at bay,  your child must continue the earrings for at least 6 months for the bored hole to form well and to get used to a metal. Do not touch the rings immediately after piercing. Refrain from touching the piercing are except while cleaning the piercings.

• You run the risk of exposing your child's ear piercings if you clean the child's ears without first washing your hands. Before touching any place that has been pierced, always wash your hands with soap and warm water.

• When it comes to bathing or clothing your child, take extra care. Avoid getting soap or shampoo on the pierced region while taking a bath. Be careful when you get the child dressed to avoid accidentally jostling the piercing region.

• Inspect the earlobe every day. Rotate the earrings daily after applying a saline solution or coconut oil to lubricate the piercing. Clean it lightly to prevent dirt from collecting near the lobe. While cleaning or spinning, don't exert any pressure.

How to identify if your child seems to be having an infection -