My Helix might be possibly infected from a piercing, what to do?

Question

So August 1st I got a triple helix piercing , Ive been trying to take good care of it , clean it, not sleep on it ect ect but I think I got a infection. Here's 3 pics http://img244.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ughkc9.jpg

Another thing is that the anti bacterial soap I was using to wash it that was in my bathroom had a perfume in it (hand soap , only assumed it was ok , obviously not.) So I gotta know , what to do now. Ive heard that I should heat up some water with salt in a cup and put my ear in that for 15 mins, not to take the earrings out since that traps the infection. Also as you can see dead skin is starting to collect on the part of the hoops right out of the ear. Just give me some step by step thing that I should do. This isn't painful , my ear feels a bit rough/stiff and gets a little itchy.

Answer 1

I had a solution given to me when I had my ears pierced, and it stated if I needed any other to use alcohol. Alcohol is a drying agent.  

Answer 2

Hydrogen Peroxide eats away at the metal causing more problems and irritation (and it kills the good bacteria as well as the bad) so the best thing to use is (as someone already said) saline solution, for flushing eyes and contacts or it can be bought in the first aid area with the purpose of flushing wounds. I had a hard time finding it in Walgreen's when I first needed it but look with the bandages and first aid kit stuff (or ask an employee about saline for flushing/washing wounds and they will show you, or at least they helped me...).  And your pics don't look bad!  I'm no doc but i don't think they are infected.

"crusties" (ha ha i love it) always happen and even tho this this sounds gross I have always picked and scratched them off, they provide some nice entertainment during those long and unbearable classes/lectures.... ha ha ha

so to the point hydrogen peroxide can make things worse so stick to saline every morning and night (and really whenever you feel like it! you can't keep them too clean!) and keep turning them and when you can, wash the hardware with soap once you can take them out (but make sure you rinse them well before putting them back in!)

hope I was of some help and sorry this was soooo long!!!

Answer 3

Hydrogen peroxide clean the area with this.

Then remove the earrings and dip them in the peroxide, put them back in.  Make sure you don't have nickel earrings- only gold-  try some neosporin or other antibiotic ointment as a topical after you clean it with the peroxide.    

Answer 4

don't use soap or hydrogen peroxide on it!!!!

the soap will dry it out and the hydrogen peroxide is to harsh for the piercing!

just use natural sea salt and cooled boiled water (from kettle) use a cotton bud (Qtip) and gently clean it away. if the ear swells DONT remove the earring.... and get some antibiotics/cream from GP.

Answer 5

it doesnt look infected to me, it just looks like "crusties" which are basically white blood cells that go to the foreign piece of metal in your ear. I think your first problem is that you are using anti bacterial soap , and teh second one is it has perfume. I have many peircings and have always been told to use Saline Solution (contact lense solution) to clean around the outside. Since you body naturally cleans itself there is no need for antibacterial anything near your peircings.

So as far as step by step instrctions.... go to teh store, buy saline solution, clean your ear twice a day. Thats it.