Why does my earring hole hurt？
Getting ear piercings may seem like a harmlessly minor thing, but due to bacterial infection, low-quality earring materials, and personal sensitivities, it may develop into a big deal, causing inflammation and unnecessary discomfort. Take a look at the following picture:
Therefore, you should be cautious if you want to pierce an ear hole. The above-mentioned factors can lead to ear piercing infections and let's analyze them one by one.
1. Inflammation Caused by Low-quality Earring Materials
Many earrings are made from hazardous materials containing metals like nickel, chromium, lead, mercury, and others. The inclusion of these metals in jewelry can enhance hardness, luster, and texture, so businesses often add them. However, these metals can easily trigger allergic reactions in the human body, with a high likelihood of affecting individuals with allergies, reaching up to 90%. In the presence of an open wound, even if the release of metals like nickel is minimal, allergies can occur, leading to inflammation on the healthy skin. Only pure gold and silver, or golden plated 925 silver, on the other hand, do not cause allergies because of their high purity.
2. Inflammation Caused by Frequent Removal and Wearing of Earrings:
Like any other wound on the body, an ear hole needs to heal. To facilitate healing, it's crucial to prevent further harm. In the process of healing, reopening it will only hinder the healing process. Therefore, it is not advisable to frequently remove and wear earrings, especially for those first timers. Also, such behaviors make it easy for bacteria to enter and cause inflammation.
3. Inflammation Caused by Touching or Pulling on the Ear Piercing
It's not just newly pierced ears that can become inflamed; even ears that have been pierced for several years may still experience redness, swelling, and discharge, and this could be due to accidentally touching or pulling on the ear piercing.
Every time you tug or touch it, it's like tearing a small wound in the piercing. If proper disinfection and sterilization are not observed during such incidents, infection can easily occur. This is especially true during the summer when the body is prone to sweating, and sweat can promote the growth of bacteria inside the ear piercing, leading to inflammation. This is also why we often caution against piercing care during the summer months.
4. Inflammation Caused by Inadequate or Excessive Disinfection:
To care for a newly pierced ear, you can use specialized care products like ear care solution or iodine solution (although iodine solution may have a visible color and may not be convenient for going out). However, excessive disinfection can also burden the ear piercing. Even healthy skin can experience dryness and flaking with excessive care.
It is also important to note that you should never use alcohol for ear piercing care, as it is too harsh and can hinder the healing process. Avoid using ointment-type medications, like antibiotic ointments such as Neosporin, as they can block the piercing and create a moist environment conducive to bacterial growth.
Furthermore, some people like to apply various medications to their ear piercings, but it's important to remember that less is often more when it comes to caring for a piercing. Using one appropriate product is usually sufficient; overdoing it can be counterproductive to the healing process.
5. Inflammation Caused by Ear Piercing Getting Wet:
As long as the earring material is healthy, it's okay for the ear piercing to get wet. After your ear piercing gets wet, be sure to promptly dry it to prevent water residue, and then apply the care solution, and you're good to go.
However, if the earring material is not healthy, you still need to be cautious. If you can avoid getting it wet, then do so; if you must, then dry it quickly. The less time the ear piercing is exposed to water, the better, and the drier it is, the better.
Furthermore, after getting your ears pierced, unless your ears are extremely swollen, there's no need to take anti-inflammatory medication. It's best to avoid medication whenever possible, and this is something that reputable ear-piercing products should consider.
As shown above, there are many possible reasons for your ear hole to hurt, but how can you avoid it? The most crucial factor is the material of the earrings. When the material is healthy, most other issues become less problematic. As long as the earring material is healthy, even if you accidentally touch it, put pressure on it, leave it wet for an extended period, or fail to dry it properly, you can often alleviate inflammation by practicing good hygiene and disinfection within a few hours. So, the key to avoiding ear piercing inflammation is to choose earrings made from healthy materials such as sterling silver earring hooks, types of gold jewelry, high-quality silver, or other hypoallergenic options, which are less likely to cause issues and provide a better foundation for successful healing and maintenance of your ear piercings.
Don’t want your ear holes to hurt? Please visit www.ewooxy.com, here you'll find a wide range of high-quality earrings and studs that won't cause discomfort or allergies. All our products are made from 18k gold-plated or solid 925 silver materials. We prioritize beauty on the foundation of health. At www.ewooxy.com, we aim to provide you with the best options for your ear piercings.
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Written by EWOOXY-Xu；Posted by EWOOXY-Yu