Painful Earlobes

Dear Lisa

My daughter told me that her earrings hurt. When she showed them to me, I saw that her earlobe was red, swollen and there was some crusty discharge. I took the earrings out. Should I leave them out? What can I do to help her earlobes heal?

"Painful earlobes in N.J."

Dear "Painful Earlobes",

It is common to develop Contact dermatitis, or a skin reaction due to earrings. It can occur due to metal sensitization. Nickel is the most likely culprit, although other metals such as cobalt, and chromium have been implicated as well. Direct skin contact with any object that releases nickel carries a risk of causing contact dermatitis. (1)

Since your child also has pain and crusty oozing the site may have become infected from touching. Most jewelers will give you a bottle of cleaning solution to put on the piercing site when you get your ears pierced. If you don't have this lotion you can clean her earlobes with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide will burn less, but might make the skin peel a little).

Following this, you can apply an over-the-counter antibacterial ointment such as Neosporin. You can put a small amount of Neosporin on the posts of a different pair of earrings (preferable gold studs) and insert them in her earlobes. It is recommended that jewelry infections at the site of deep puncture piercing be left in place to allow drainage to continue and to prevent abscess formation. (2) Just in case her earlobes are infected you can clean them daily and apply an antibiotic ointment twice per day. If they are not infected this will prevent them from becoming infected.

Your daughter should wash her hands frequently and try not to touch her ears. If your daughter's symptoms persist despite your treatment or if the redness and/or swelling spreads bring her in for an evaluation to your Doctor or Nurse Practitioner.

Oh, the price we pay for beauty!

References:
(1)Larzo MR, Grimm P. Adverse Consequences of Tattoos and Body Piercings. Pediatric Annals. 2006;35(3):187-192.
(2)Koenig LM, Carnes M. Body Piercing: Medical concerns with cutting edge fashion. J Gen Intern Med. 1999;14(6):379-385.

Lisa Kelly, R.N., P.N.P.,C.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

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