Tragus Piercing Infection

Ear piercing, which is the most popular type of body piercing is no longer restricted just to the earlobes. Rather, it has become a huge fashion statement to get different parts of the ear pierced. One such unique piercing is done on tragus, i.e. the small cartilage located just outside the ear canal. People who have done this piercing say that getting the tragus pierced is not very painful. The main reason for this is because this part of the ear does not have many nerve endings. However, the cartilage in this area is very thick and the piercer has to put a lot of pressure to make the gage. Due to this, getting a tragus ear piercing can cause slight discomfort. Just like all other types of piercings, infection in the tragus is a common problem. So, if you are planning to get a piercing done or already have one, it is extremely important for you to know about the related infection.

Causes
One of the most common reasons for infection is improper care. It is extremely important to clean the piercing, at least 2-3 times everyday with a sea salt solution during the healing period. But, many people become careless after they get their tragus pierced and this can give rise to infection very easily if proper piercing aftercare is not taken. On the other hand, cleaning the piercing too many times can also become the reason for tragus infection. Many times, not wearing the correct type of jewelry can also become the reason for an infection. Hence, it is important to wear jewelry that is made of platinum, gold or titanium during the healing process. Jewelry made of some cheap material may not suit the piercing, thus increasing the risk of infection. Apart from these reasons, if the piercing is not done by a reputed and experienced piercer who does not maintain proper hygiene to get the piercing done, infection is likely to occur.

Symptoms
After the piercing to tragus is done, one is likely to find some kind of swelling and pain for the first few days. This is quite normal and will go after a few days. However, if you find anything amiss after a week or so, chances are there that you have an infected tragus. If the piercing has become infected, you may experience redness and inflammation. Along with this, there is also chance of developing pustules, i.e., sores around the piercing. In severe cases, you may also observe the discharge of a yellowish or greenish fluid which has a bad odor.

Treatment
When people experience these symptoms, the first thing that they do is to remove the jewelry. This has to be avoided under any circumstances because this can lead the piercing to close, trapping the infection inside the body which can cause other problems. If you find that your piercing has got infected, you should consult your piercer or your doctor immediately, who will recommend the treatment necessary to cure it. Meanwhile, you can continue soaking your piercing in sea salt. However, make sure that you do not use more salt than what is recommended. Some people recommended the use of alcohol or peroxide to treat the infected ear piercing. But this will only irritate the skin more, making the infection worse. Another way of treating this piercing infection is by applying a prescription or antibiotic cream which is recommended by the doctor or piercer.

Having a piercing infection can be very frustrating and the best option is preventing it. During the healing period, avoid touching the piercing with your hands, except for cleaning it. Before cleaning the piercing, do not forget to wash your hands with antibacterial soap, so that it does not get exposed to bacteria. Taking proper care of the tragus infection is not only important to avoid any kind of infection, but also to make sure that it heals faster. So, prevent your piercing from getting infected and enjoy flaunting your piercing among your friends.