Pierced ear keeps getting infected

[HollyDay]

I have had my ears pierced for at least 30 years. I only wear hypo-allergenic nickel free earrings. In fact, non of my earrings are new. Feb 18, I put in a pair on the way out the door. It was an unusually busy day but I did notice the ear was a bit itchy. That night when I took the earring out, it was sore and bled a bit. I put on Neosporin and didnt think too much more about it. Now, every time I put in an earring, it gets sore. This past Sunday it was even a bit oozy. I am coating the post with antibiotic ointment and again, the earrings are ones I have worn many times before with no complaint. How do I fix this problem?? thanks!!!

[tess in the burbs]

I had my ears pierced when I was a kid.....eventually had 9 :-) but after kids I could no longer wear them. They got red, itchy, and infected constantly.

So I finally quit wearing them. I am sad. But I sure feel better!

[Tracey in TX]

My ears used to get infected also. They've been pierced 8 times b/c they'd close up with the earring inside. I've only wear one pair and they're washed in rubbing alcohol daily for 4 yrs.

Let your ears recover. No earrings unless necessary. Clean and use neosporin. You might need to wear only gold or other solid metal.
Good luck

[cin]

I would go back to surgical steel posts soaked in alcohol. Maybe leave them in all the time except to soak your earrings and ears in alcohol. When I got mine pierced I started having problems within 2 weeks and I ended up taking the studs out, soaking them in alcohol and saturating my ears in alcohol, hen putting the studs back in for another 24 hours.

jmho :D

[elizabeth]

Hello there-I do not know if this is a possibility but many people cannot use neosporin without having an allergic reaction even after using it for years. Try using hydrogen peroxide to clean it .this will smart a bit but will likely clean the holes thoroughly. Use Bacitraicin ointment in a day or so as this is better than neosporin in terms of irritation and bacteria killing. I hope your ears improve-I had the same deal last summer and my dermatologist suggested the regimen and it worked for me.

[Montana Peach]

Peroxide always worked wonders for me too.

[Whisperlily]

I have a nickel allergy too, and I have learned that if I wear a favorite pair for too long, the outer layer of the post can wear off, and the nickel underneath is then exposed and I have an allergic reaction. Although I don't usually wear the hypo-allergenic earrings, because even they give me trouble. Most of mine are gold, or sterling silver.

Sometimes it's the post, and sometimes it's the back of the earring itself.

I would clean the ears well, stop putting neosporin on them, and put in a new pair of 24kt gold studs or small hoops in your ears until they heal up. I have a pair set aside for this purpose.

To be honest though, I usually have so much trouble with my ears/earrings that I usually pay more for a high quality pair that I love, and that goes with everything and just leave them in all the time.