Cartalige piercing red and swollen?

Question

I just got my cartalige pierced 6 days ago and its a pinkinsh red and swollen. It doesn't hurt...it's just sore and there is no puss or discharge. Is it normal for it to be swollen, or should I go see my doctor? I don't think it's infected b/c I've been using the stuff that the parlor gave me to clean it...so whats up?

Answer 1

Redness and swelling are normal for the first week or two, the redness will take longer to go away. Just follow proper aftercare and it will be fine.

Try not to sleep on that side or get hair caught in it or anything else that could bump it. They can be very fussy piercings. Make sure you leave it alone other than when you're cleaning it

If the discomfort increases, you can take advil, which will help with swelling and pain.

Answer 2

Its a new piercing, its not going to be healed or even remotely close to it. Cartilage piercings can take up to a year to fully heal.

Its normal for it to be red, its normal for there to be some swelling, but it should go down in a week or two with care and good cleaning habits.

Whatever the piercer gave you is probably a saline solution. I'd ditch it and just use mild antimicrobial/antibacterial soap and use a salt soak daily.
http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Salt_soaks

To keep irritation and swelling down, don't play with the jewelry, you only need to touch it when you clean it. Don't put pressure or sleep on the healing piercings. Do not use harsh cleaners such as bactine, rubbing alcohol, peroxide, epsom salts, neosporin. While they do help some people they tend to kill both good and bad bacteria, dry out and irritate piercings which slows healing and causes pain.

If you ever have concerns about if something is normal or if this is okay or not, you should usually call or visit the person who pierced it first.

Answer 3

well first off... did you get it with a gun or a needle??? if you got it with a gun then thats why.. the "parlor" what did they give you? id dthey tell you about sea salt soaks and antibacterial soap to use??? its only 6 days old and could be red and swollen for the next few days. do the sea salt soaks. it wilhelp with the pain, it aids in healign and fights infections. it does not sound liek it is infected. discharge is normal though ranging from white to an off white.. it its a yellow or green color then its infected// ut look at these websites and it will get better.


http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Piercing_Aftercare

http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Salt_Soaks


and please do NOT DARE listen to people who say t use hydrogen peroxide, alcoold,s or any kind of ointment (liek neosporin) on your piercings. yes they are good for normal scrapes and cute but will not at all benefit in healing your piercing. it will only make it worse trust me! and it builds up more scar tissue! which isnt pretty! so keep away from those


i do the sea salt soaks.. yes it is weid but you will need to put your head in a cup of a bowl of the solution. I take a normal 16 oz water bottle, empty it out sill it up with distilled water then add in 2, 1/4 teaspoons of non iodized sea salt. and shake it up. then its there whenever i need it

sea salt soaks are the most important hing for your piering right now!

so them once a day for 15 minutes.. the warm water of the solution will draw out discharge. increase blood circulation tot he area and will just clean your piercing naturally!

good luck!

feel free to email me if you have a ny more questions! =]


but i hope you got it done at a professional! and not some teenager who doesn know jack sh!t at the mall with a gun!!!!

Answer 4

that sounds like a completely normal piercing. It's going to be red (and probably very tender) for a few months yet (cartilage piercings don't heal quickly at all). I had cartilage pierced with my last earlobe piercing, and it took four months to heal. Just keep your aftercare routine up, and keep hair away from it. It'll be fine.

If it does start discharging pus (something totally different to normal lymph) and getting sore, go see your piercer or a doctor.

Answer 5

when i had mine pierced, it was swollen for a little over a week, and i really wanted to take it out, it was a pain trying to go to bed. from when i went to the doctor, swelling is normal, the big bump i got on the back of my ear a few weeks later wasnt, so i had to get the lump removed, and that was the last of me having my cartilage pierced.

Answer 6

There is a saying when it comes to food that one is unsure about the expiration date, "when in doubt, throw it out." One can say the same thing about a red, swollen area in which a person got a piercing which is, "when in doubt, get it checked out." Please do contact your doctor since redness and swelling can be signs of infection.

Answer 7

its just healing do not worry if it continues for about a week and a half i would call a doctor and ask mine was like that at first and one day it just stopped being sore and red good luck

Answer 8

The swelling & redness are signs of infection starting. See your doctor. I have a friend who had her cartilage pierced, she cleaned daily just like they said, within 2 weeks she was in the hospital & they had to remove the top inch of her ear to keep the poison from getting into her blood stream. Don't wait. I don't mean to scare you but this actually happened to my friend.

Answer 9

just keep cleaning it, its normal i had both ears done a few months ago and for awhile it was like that but eventually it went to normal just stick with it and clean it

Answer 10

my mom had the same thing. when they pieced it they hit a vein in your ear so it swelled a bit. if it doesn't go away by the time its all healed, maybe ask a piercer. but it should be fine.