Answered: Why Does My Earring Hole Hurt? 5 Critical Facts

Nowadays, pierced ears are considered fundamental basics in fashion.

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However, many troubles can arise if your ears are taken care of carefully and properly.

What Kind of Symptoms Are You Exhibiting?

Getting a new piercing can be so exciting!

Imagine all the beautiful new earrings that you can wear.

If you are experiencing any type of discomfort in your ears with your new piercings, it’s time to take a look and evaluate whether or not you should seek help from a medical professional.

PAIN

Pain is an indicator of a possible infection.

However, don’t worry just yet.

Look for other signs, is there also discharge or swelling?

BURNING

A burning sensation is another possible indicator of infection or a sign of a metal allergy.

If the discomfort does not go away or worsen, you may be allergic to the metal in your earring.

Or, an infection may be starting to develop.

ITCHING

Everyone’s reaction to different metals vary.

Sensitive ears are usually caused by the metals found in the earring.

RASH

If a rash develops in your piercing area, there are two possibilities:

An antiseptic rash
Metal allergy due to the earring’s material

It is possible to be allergic to the disinfectant used to clean your piercing, and not to the earring itself.

This commonly occurs in people who uses over-the-counter spray disinfectants.

The second possibility is a metal allergy.

Some metals are more likely to cause an allergic reaction in some people. Nickel, cobalt and chrome are some examples.

How Long Do These Symptoms Continue For?

A mild infection should only last for one or two days when treated with home remedies.

Our favourite is a saline solution, which works just like ear piercing solution, but is much gentler on the skin and a lot more cost-effective.

It acts as a great disinfectant and is less damaging on the skin tissue compared to chemical solutions and other cleaning agents.

Here’s our two-ingredient super simple DIY recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 tsp salt
16 oz water

DIRECTIONS:

Dissolve the salt into the water and mix well.
Not only can your DIY saline solution be used on the skin, you can use it to clean your earrings as well.
Soak up a cotton ball and gently dab the pierced area thoroughly. Drop your earrings into the remaining solution to give it a quick clean.

If your pain has been ongoing and is not subdued by home treatments, it might be time to seek the help of a medical professional or pay your piercer a visit.

Treatment Methods

It is important to keep your ears clean and sterile.
Doing so will help your ears heal quickly and beautifully.

It is likely that your piercer may recommend an ear piercing solution.

These are great for cleaning the pierced area. Just use a Q-tip and gently, but thoroughly, dab your earlobes twice a day.

A saline solution is another cost-effective and gentle way to clean your new piercings.

Keep in mind when dealing with your ears, it is extremely important to remember to wash your hands with soap and water every time you touch your newly pierced ears.

Unclean hands contain bacteria and germs, which can easily make its way to the pierced area.

Your newly pierced ears are especially vulnerable to infections, so make sure your hands are spotless and germ-free before you proceed to touch them.

Why Does My Ear Hole Hurt?

There are various reasons why your earring holes can hurt.

Whether your ears are newly-pierced or you’ve already had them for awhile, it’s important to take care of them properly.

What are your irritated ears trying to tell you?

Whatever message your ears are trying to communicate to you, watch closely for these changes and act on it accordingly.

#1 POWDER LUMP

A powder lump is a lump that is formed by the accumulation of bacteria and dirt under the skin.

This type of benign skin tumour is sometimes called an atheroma.

It can occur even in people who do not have pierced ears.

Essentially, there is no pain or bleeding, so many people leave it alone, but it does not heal itself.

Inflammation of the aneurysm may cause severe pain, swelling, and odor.

#2 INGROWTH

An ingrowth in a lump formed by cells being generated in order to eliminate the newly-pierced hole in your ear, as your body judges it as a foreign object.

This often happens when the piercing hole is opened for extended periods, or at an angle, or when a heavy piercing is put into th ears.

It may appear reddish like swelling. It can also sometimes cause pain and pus.

In most cases, an ingrowth will heal naturally if they are small and in the early stages of development.

However, if they become severe, it can become difficult to heal and inflammation can cause pain.

#3 BACTERIAL INFECTION

This is a common problem many people with newly-pierced ears face.

The piercing area is very vulnerable and the opening can cause bacteria and germs to enter.

This is why it is extremely important to clean your ears twice a day with the cleaning solution given to you by your piercer.

#4 PIERCING LACERATION

Piercing lacerations can easily occur if you are not careful.

Acute piercing lacerations can be caused by hooking the piercing on something.

Chronic piercing lacerations can occur with the earlobe being cut off by heavy piercing.

Be careful in keeping your piercing holes in good and healthy condition.

Especially for newly-pierced ears, refrain from wearing heavy and dangly earrings.

#5 EPIDERMAL CYST

A cyst may form in the pierced hole.

A cyst, is a bag-shaped structure that is surrounded by a cyst wall.

The cyst contains thick keratin and it grows gradually in size as the content inside develops.

Pressing on your cyst may cause a white and muddy discharge to be expelled from the piercing hole.

This can caused by damage to the piercing hole while inserting in your earring.

Why Does Only One of My Earring Hole Hurt?

It is possible that only one ear will show symptoms while the other one doesn’t.

Irritation, just like an allergic reaction, isn’t in just one body part.

It is controlled by your immune system.

A possible reason could be that the metal content in your earring is slightly different.

Or perhaps, when plated earrings are scratched, the underlying metal can be exposed to your skin which causes the reaction.

How Do I Prevent Earring Irritations?

Discomfort can minimized and mitigated by completely removing your earrings.

For newly pierced ears, there is a high possibility that the piercing hole will be blocked when your earring is removed.

However, if the symptoms are severe, this might be your only option.

In this case, you might want to replace your earring with a design or material that doesn’t irritate your ears.
A good option would be a pair of small and light studs made of tempered glass.

You want to let your ear holes rest as much as possible.

Sterling silver needles are a great option for sensitive ears.

You’ll want to check out some of these options: