Piercing Facts

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?

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.
Piercing Healing time: The longer a piercing takes to heal, the more prone it is to infection.