Infected piercing
A piercing is a wound that takes weeks or months to close, and during that time infection is a real risk.
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Medicines commonly prescribed for Infected piercing
For informational purposes only. Always consult a doctor before using any medicine.
Dosage form: ORAL SOLUTION/SUSPENSION, 100 mg/ml + 12.5 mg/mlActive substance: amoxicillin and beta-lactamase inhibitorManufacturer: Sandoz Farmaceutica S.A.Prescription requiredDosage form: ORAL SOLUTION/SUSPENSION, 875/125 mg/mgActive substance: amoxicillin and beta-lactamase inhibitorManufacturer: Tarbis Farma S.L.Prescription requiredDosage form: ORAL SOLUTION/SUSPENSION, 50 mg of amoxicillin/12.5 mg of clavulanic acidActive substance: amoxicillin and beta-lactamase inhibitorManufacturer: Viatris LimitedPrescription required
A piercing is a wound that takes weeks or months to close, and during that time infection is a real risk. Most cases are mild and settle with good care, but there are sites — ear cartilage, the nose, the nipple, the navel — where infection easily becomes complicated. Being able to tell normal irritation from genuine infection prevents both unnecessary alarm and dangerous delay.
What is normal at first
In the first few days it is usual to have:
- mild redness around the opening;
- some swelling;
- discomfort on touching;
- a small amount of clear or yellowish discharge that forms crusts;
- itching as it heals.
All of this decreases progressively. The difference from infection lies in the trajectory: normal healing improves day by day, infection gets worse.
Signs of infection
- redness spreading beyond the opening;
- increasing swelling;
- pain that grows rather than settles;
- the skin is hot to the touch;
- thick yellow or green pus and a bad smell;
- fever and general malaise;
- red streaks running away from the area;
- enlarged, tender lymph nodes;
- the jewellery sinking into the inflamed skin.
When urgent care is needed
- fever, chills or feeling significantly unwell;
- redness spreading quickly;
- a piercing through ear cartilage with redness and swelling: cartilage infection can permanently deform the ear and needs specific antibiotics without delay;
- a tongue or lip piercing with swelling that makes swallowing or breathing difficult;
- a nipple or navel piercing with extensive redness;
- the jewellery has become embedded in the skin;
- you have diabetes, reduced immunity or a prosthetic heart valve;
- there is copious pus or a palpable collection — there may be an abscess needing drainage.
What to do
- do not remove the jewellery yourself if you suspect infection: the opening closes over and the pus is trapped, which can form an abscess. That decision is the doctor's;
- clean the area twice a day with sterile saline;
- wash your hands before touching the piercing;
- dry with clean gauze, not a cloth towel;
- do not twist or rotate the jewellery, contrary to common advice: it reopens the wound;
- do not use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, iodine or greasy ointments: they delay healing;
- avoid pools, the sea, saunas and hot baths until it has healed;
- loose clothing that does not rub;
- pain relief if needed;
- for oral piercings, rinse with saline or an alcohol-free mouthwash after every meal.
Medical treatment
- topical antibiotic for mild superficial infection;
- oral antibiotics if there is surrounding cellulitis, fever or cartilage involvement; for cartilage, antibiotics covering Pseudomonas are chosen;
- drainage if an abscess has formed;
- removal of the jewellery, when indicated, by a professional;
- a swab for culture if treatment is not working or infections recur;
- review of tetanus vaccination status.
Other complications
- nickel allergy: itching, redness and eczema around the site, without pus; resolved by switching to titanium, surgical steel or high-carat gold;
- keloid: a raised scar growing beyond the wound, particularly on the earlobe and ear cartilage;
- granuloma: a small reddish lump beside the opening;
- tearing from catching the jewellery;
- damage to teeth and gums from oral piercings;
- rejection: the piercing migrates towards the surface until it works its way out.
How to avoid infection
- choose a studio using sterile single-use equipment with traceability;
- initial jewellery of titanium or surgical steel, nickel-free;
- do not touch the piercing with unwashed hands;
- do not change the jewellery before the opening has fully healed: an earlobe takes 6–8 weeks, cartilage up to a year, the navel between six months and a year;
- avoid pool and sea water while healing;
- clean pillowcase, and do not sleep on the piercing;
- do not wear over-ear headphones over a recent ear piercing;
- if you are getting one, note that blood donation is deferred for a period afterwards.
Common questions
Can I take the jewellery out so it heals better? Not while there is active infection, unless your doctor advises it.
Should I rotate the jewellery? No. That is old advice, now discouraged because it irritates the wound.
Does alcohol help? No. It damages new tissue and prolongs healing. Use sterile saline.
Can I re-pierce the same spot? Yes, once the infection has resolved and the tissue has healed; wait at least a few months.
Why is cartilage more of a problem? It has little blood supply of its own, so it heals poorly and antibiotics reach it less well.
Online consultation
In an online consultation the doctor reviews photographs, distinguishes normal irritation from infection, takes the site into account — especially cartilage — advises on treatment and tells you clearly when in-person care is needed without delay.
This material is for information only and does not replace a medical consultation.
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Medically reviewed by
Reviewed on Jul 27, 2026
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