Infected Tragus Piercing: Symptoms, Treatment, And Home Remedies

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Medical News TodaySubscribeHow to prevent a tragus piercing becoming infected

Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT — Written by Bethany Cadman — Updated on July 21, 2023

Overview
Symptoms
Treatments
Prevention
Risks

Tragus piercings may take longer to heal than other types of piercings. This can increase the risk of infection. A person can take various steps to prevent a tragus piercing from becoming infected.

The tragus is a small pointed area of cartilage on the inner side of the external ear. Situated in front of the entrance to the ear, it partly covers the passage to the organs of hearing.

The tragus is a favorite place to get an ear piercing, and while it can look great, this type of piercing can easily become infected if it is not cared for properly.

Tragus is also the name of the hair that grows in the ears.

Fast facts on infected tragus piercings:

When a person gets a piercing, they essentially have an open wound.
Infections develop when viruses, bacteria, fungi, or other microbes enter a person’s body.
Treatment options vary according to the severity of the infection.

Why is it susceptible to infection?

Tragus piercing being cleaned with cotton bud and liquid. — A tragus piercing is particularly to infection while healing.

Any piercing results in an open wound, which can take around 6 to 8 weeks to heal.

However, cartilage piercings, such as the tragus, can take much longer.

Many of the symptoms of infection appear as a result of the body’s natural defense system trying to fight it off.

There are many reasons why an infection might develop:

Hygiene: Touching the wound with hands or instruments that are not clean and sterile may transfer bacteria to the piercing, which can lead to an infection.
Lack of oxygen: Earrings that have been put on too tightly and have not left enough room for the wound to breathe can also lead to an infection.
Over-touching: An infection can develop if an earring is rough, causing a person to touch it constantly, or if a person does not treat the piercing carefully.
Hair: Hair that hangs down can also make an ear piercing more susceptible to infection as the area is exposed to more bacteria. Long hair can also get caught in the piercing, irritate the wound, prevent it from healing, and increase the risk of infection.
Healing time: The longer a piercing takes to heal, the more prone it is to infection.

What are the symptoms?

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Pain or discomfort, as well as redness, may indicate an infection.

A person who has had their tragus pierced should keep an eye out for the signs and symptoms of an infection so that it can be treated and managed. To identify an infection, a person needs to know what to expect after a tragus piercing.

For around 2 weeks, it is typical to experience:

throbbing and discomfort around the area
redness
heat radiating from the area
clear or light yellow seepage from the wound

These are all typical symptoms of the body beginning to heal the wound. Although it can sometimes take around 8 weeks for the wound to fully heal, these symptoms should not last more than 2 weeks.

Infection may be present if a person experiences:

swelling that does not go down after 48 hours
heat or warmth that does not go away or gets more intense
inflammation and redness that does not disappear after 2 weeks
intense pain
excessive bleeding
yellow or dark pus seeping from the wound, particularly pus that gives off an unpleasant door
a bump which can appear either at the front or back of the piercing site

If anyone suspects that they may have an infection, they should talk to a healthcare professional.

What are the treatment options?

Some infections may require a prescription from a doctor. Common treatment options are:

oral antibiotics
topical antibiotics
topical steroids

Once treated, piercings typically heal fully.

How to avoid an infected tragus

Choose wisely

Make sure that the piercing studio is reputable, licensed and follows good hygiene practices.

Avoid touching the piercing

Only touch your piercing when necessary after thoroughly washing hands with antibacterial soap. Do not remove or change the jewelry until the piercing has fully healed.

Clean the piercing

Clean the piercing regularly using a saline solution. Most piercers will provide information on how to properly clean the piercing after they have done it.

Avoid products that may irritate the wound

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Avoiding irritating products and chemicals, such as rubbing alcohol, may help to prevent infection.

Products that may irritate the piercing wound include:

some ear care solutions
rubbing alcohol
hydrogen peroxide

Also, avoid the following ointments, which can create a barrier over the wound site, preventing proper air circulation:

Hibiclens
Bacitracin
Neosporin

Apply a warm compress

A warm compress can be very soothing on a new piercing and can help reduce redness and swelling and encourage the wound to heal faster. A clean towel soaked in warm water can be helpful.

Alternatively, making a warm compress from chamomile tea bags can be very effective.

Use an antibacterial cream

Applying a mild antibacterial cream can help kill off the bacteria that cause infection.

Keep sheets clean

Make sure to change bed sheets regularly. This will reduce the number of bacteria that can come into contact with the ear while sleeping. Try to sleep on the side that is not pierced, so the wound does not press into sheets and pillows.

Do not aggravate the wound site

Keep hair tied back so it cannot get caught in the piercing and be careful when dressing or brushing hair.

Avoid water

Baths, swimming pools, and even long showers can all increase the risk of infection.

Stay healthy

While the wound is healing it is best to avoid drugs, alcohol and smoking all of which can increase the healing time. Paying close attention to personal hygiene and following good hygiene practices will also minimize the risk of infection and help the piercing to heal faster.

Are there any risks?

Most ear piercing infections can be treated if caught early and properly managed. However, if left untreated, it is possible for an infection to become severe and enter the bloodstream. Infections near the head and brain can be particularly dangerous.

Sepsis is a potentially deadly condition that must be treated quickly.

Symptoms of sepsis and septic shock include:

a high temperature or low body temperature
chills and shivering
an unusually fast heartbeat
breathlessness or very fast breathing
feeling dizzy or faint
confusion or disorientation
diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting
slurred speech
extreme muscle pain
unusually low urine production
cold, clammy, and pale or mottled skin
loss of consciousness

If any of the above symptoms occur after having a tragus piercing, seek medical attention immediately.

Dermatology
Cosmetic Medicine / Plastic Surgery
Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
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piercingandtattoos

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Avoiding infection after ear piercing. (2007, June 1)https://healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/ear-nose-throat/Pages/Avoiding-Infection-After-Ear-Piercing.aspx
Body piercing. (2017, January 9)http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Body-piercing/Pages/Introduction.aspx#Self-care
Body piercing. (2017, June)https://familydoctor.org/body-piercing/
Body piercings: Cleaning and healing. (n.d.)https://uhs.berkeley.edu/health-topics/body-piercings
Body piercing statistics. (2017, March 17)http://www.statisticbrain.com/body-piercing-statistics/
Drexler, M. (2010). What you need to know about infectious disease. Washington DC: National Academies Press (US). Available fromhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209710/
Ear and face piercing aftercare. (2013, June)https://www.cieh.org/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=47226
Meltzer, D. I. (2005, November 15). Complications of body piercing. American Family Physician, 72(10), 2029–2034https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16342832
Pierced ears. (2014, September)https://www.kidshealth.org/en/kids/pierced-ears.html?WT.ac=ctg
Sepsis. (2016, February 24)https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sepsis/
Suggested aftercare guidelines for body piercings. (n.d.)https://safepiercing.org/docs/APP_Body_Aftercare-2016rev-web.pdf

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Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT — Written by Bethany Cadman — Updated on July 21, 2023

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