Care and common problems in children after ear piercing

While getting your child’s ears pierced can be an exciting event, it’s crucial to realize that aftercare is necessary to prevent complications. Despite being widespread, ear piercings do require care to ensure a smooth healing process and the least amount of complications.

Parents often have concerns about what to expect and how to handle any issues that may arise in the first few weeks following piercing. Understanding how to take care of your child’s ears can significantly impact their comfort and safety, from maintaining a clean environment to spotting infection symptoms.

This post will walk you through the basic steps of taking care of your pierced ears and address some of the most frequent issues that kids have with their newfound piercings. We offer helpful advice and tips to address any concerns you may have about redness, swelling, or more serious issues.

In order to help avoid common problems like infections, allergic reactions, and scarring, caring for children after ear piercings requires close attention to hygiene and healing. To guarantee appropriate healing and comfort, it’s critical to clean the piercing on a regular basis, keep an eye out for any signs of irritation, and refrain from touching it unnecessarily. The process can go more smoothly and safely for the child if issues are identified early on and when to seek medical advice.

About children"s piercing

There is no consensus among doctors regarding ear piercing in childhood. There are many competent and not very competent opinions, judgments and hypotheses. Most pediatricians are inclined to believe that earlobe piercing will not cause much harm to a child, if there are no obvious contraindications. These include diseases of the heart and hematopoietic system, mental illnesses and epilepsy, diabetes, skin problems, allergic reactions, hearing and vision problems and immunodeficiency. Dermatologists warn about the possibility of developing an allergic contact reaction to metals, that are contained in jewelry alloys. And reflexologists say that ear piercing can cause irreparable harm to the baby"s health, because the most important nerve active points are concentrated in the earlobe, which regulate the activity of many internal organs.

Otolaryngologists warn about potential hearing issues if the baby had certain requirements for this prior to the piercing, and ophthalmologists advise being exceedingly cautious because certain points on the earlobe are responsible for the child’s visual acuity.

There is no consensus on the age at which a child"s ears should be pierced. Parents themselves determine when to do this. Most doctors say that it is better not to touch the ears until the age of three due to the baby"s weak immunity, due to the fact that due to the early age, it will be difficult for the child not to injure his earlobes by accidentally touching the jewelry. The only thing that all doctors agree on is the answer to the question of whether it is possible to pierce ears at home. This should never be done, since piercing is a minor surgical intervention, and any such intervention should be carried out in sterile conditions so as not to infect the child and avoid complications.

There is a wide range of methods for piercing ears in offices and cosmetology clinics. These include traditional piercings with needles, and more bloodless and painless, and most importantly, quick methods – piercings with a "gun" and the American disposable device "System 75". There is no point in piercing a child"s ears at home with a gypsy needle soaked in vodka, with the risk of infecting the wounds, as was done several decades ago. Modern methods are less traumatic, since the stud earring, made of a special medical alloy, also acts as a needle during the piercing process. Thus, the earring instantly ends up in the ear and automatically fastens. It is much more difficult and takes longer to care for it, which is a prerequisite for a successful ending of the whole undertaking.

How to care for pierced ears?

The expert who pierced the ears typically instructs the parents on wound care so that the proper, painless tunnel in the ear forms more quickly after the piercing. Adult supervision is required and concentration is really needed for this process. This relates to wound care first and foremost. Three to four times a day should be spent treating the puncture sites. The procedure should ideally be completed in the morning, at lunch, and in the evening.

Only clean hands should be used to administer the treatment by the mother. Any antiseptic, such as "Miramistin" or "Chlorhexidine," is injected into the wound along with hydrogen peroxide. Children shouldn’t use alcohol or solutions containing alcohol to treat their ears. If the earring has a bow, it should be gently moved back and forth after applying the antiseptic (these earrings can be placed into ears that have been pierced manually using a piercing needle). There is a "stud" in the ear if the puncture was made using one of the newer techniques, such as "gun" or "System 75." It is carefully rotated clockwise and moved back and forth after applying an antiseptic.

For some time after the ear piercing, some changes should occur in the child"s life. The girl should not be bathed for the first 5 days after the piercing. This also applies to visiting a bathhouse, sauna, and swimming pool. You should not take your child to a public swimming pool for the first 3-4 weeks after the piercing. Pathogenic bacteria and viruses can get into the wound with water, and water chlorination products can cause serious inflammation. It is better to refrain from washing your hair for the first five days. You should not swim in the sea or river for a month. While the holes in the earlobes are healing, proper hair care is important. It is advisable that the hair does not come into contact with the wounds. A girl with a short haircut has nothing to worry about, but if the hair is long, it is best to keep it constantly gathered in a high hairstyle – a ponytail, a bun at the back of the head, a basket braid. You should be very careful when combing your hair, do not touch the earring with a comb.

It is preferable to postpone engaging in physical activity and stimulating entertainment. Sweating increases when one runs, jumps, plays sports, or dances. Sweat is a fairly caustic substance, which exacerbates inflammation in open wounds on the earlobes. It will be challenging to make sure a small child doesn’t touch her earlobes with her hands, but it is still important to take this precaution.

It is preferable to avoid handling medical "studs" and to wait at least 15 days before switching them out for other earrings.

If the wounds are properly cared for during this period, the holes cease to hurt, become covered with an epithelial layer from the inside, and you can swap out the initial earrings for any other earrings without too much fear. What matters most is that these additional decorations have a sturdy and dependable clasp and are composed of fine gold free of nickel impurities, making them light and not overly large.

• Prepare hydrogen peroxide and a piece of pure gauze or sterile medical bandage.
• Wash your hands, treat them with Miramistin, put the child"s head on your lap.
• With one hand you should grab the front part of the earring, and with the other – the clasp of the "stud" and slightly begin to pull the clasp to the edge. It is important that the second hand at this moment securely fixes the rod of the earring so that it does not move in the ear and does not cause pain to the child.
• A common problem is the tight clasps of medical "studs". Be prepared for the fact that it will not give in easily, especially since most of these earrings are fastened with two clicks.

• Sharp movements are prohibited. Only smooth and careful, but decisive movements. It is important to distract the child, calm him down so that he does not jerk his head and does not resist. Careless movements can lead to injury to the earlobe.
• After the clasp is removed, you need to carefully remove the rod of the "stud" with a twisting motion, lubricate the earlobe in front and behind with hydrogen peroxide and leave the child alone for 15-20 minutes.
• After this time, the earlobe is again lubricated with peroxide, and new earrings are treated with it. Carefully feel the hole with the edge of the earring bow and carefully insert the bow into the earlobe. If drops of ichor or pus appear, it is okay. After inserting the earring, fasten it and treat the earlobe again with an antiseptic.

Should you be unable to perform this task on your own, get in touch with the clinic or office where the piercing was done. They will assist in taking out the "studs" and helping the child put in new earrings. These services typically come at no extra cost.

Possible complications

If a mother pierces her child’s ears responsibly and correctly—taking her to a reputable, licensed clinic, having the piercings done in sterile conditions with sterile instruments, and providing accurate and thorough aftercare—there are typically no negative effects. Even with appropriate care, the child’s ears may occasionally become infected following the piercing. This suggests that the wound has become infected. When removing an earring from the ear or during treatment, a tiny amount of pus may be released. This is usually not a cause for alarm. Such a wound can be adequately lubricated multiple times with Levomekol or Baneocin ointment.

You should take the child to the doctor if the ears are extremely painful and festering, if the lobes feel very swollen and aching when touched, or if the skin has turned gray or purple. After getting an ear piercing, the temperature can occasionally rise "on a nervous basis." However, if the child’s fever increases after a few days, in addition to suppuration, and not right away after leaving the cosmetologist’s office, this could also mean that the child has a bacterial infection or that their body "does not accept" a foreign object, meaning their immune system is actively rejecting the earrings.

If there is no pus but the ear is red and swollen, this could be an allergic reaction to something in the alloy that the jewelry is made of. Ignoring a body system’s or organ’s contraindications can result in complications. It is possible for the hearing organs to deteriorate if a child’s parents chose to pierce his ears despite the child having otitis prior to the procedure. Children with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases often have very inflamed wounds that take a long time to heal.

According to ophthalmologists, a poorly selected puncture site that is moved downward and toward the cheeks may result in vision loss or even glaucoma.

The season has an impact on the possibility of complications as well. The summertime heat and dusty weather cause the child to perspire more, which raises the risk of inflammation and suppuration. The baby faces yet another issue in the winter: the cold’s detrimental effects on perforated ears impede the healing process. Furthermore, children may sustain a mechanical injury to their ears if their earring gets caught on clothing during the colder months when they are wearing hats, scarves, and sweaters.

The ideal times to begin the healing process after getting a piercing are in May or September.

After an ear piercing, proper care is necessary to avoid common problems like infections, swelling, or discomfort in kids. You can guarantee a more seamless healing process by cleaning the piercing on a regular basis and avoiding needless touching.

Additionally, it’s critical to keep an eye out for any complications, like redness, pain, or discharge, and to seek medical attention when necessary. Maintaining a healthy and trouble-free piercing can be achieved by exercising patience and caution.

Your child’s ear piercing can heal swiftly with the correct care and attention, enabling them to enjoy their new earrings worry-free.

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