As body piercing becomes more mainstream, it is harder to defy conventionality. Two, three and even nine earrings in one ear are not enough to mark you as a rebel. Ear gauge piercings are unmistakably unconventional. A hollow ring is set in the ear lobe, and then increasingly larger ear gauge stretchers are inserted, until one has a hole in the earlobe large enough for a finger. Like any piercing, ear lobe gauges can become infected if not properly cared for.
Step 1
Remove any dried skin or crusted matter before cleaning your ear gauges. MayoClinic.com recommends using a clean cotton swab for this.
Step 2
Wash your ear gauges with antibacterial soap no more than one to two times per day. Wash your hands thoroughly. Squirt a bit of the soap onto your fingertips and massage it gently into the skin of your ear lobe around the rim of the gauge.
Step 3
Rinse the soap off with splashes of warm water. Don't use water that's too hot, because this can irritate your skin.
Step 4
Blot your ears dry with clean paper towels, unless you are certain that the cloth towel you are using is clean and has not been used by anyone else. Don't rub your ears, just blot.
Step 5
Give your ear gauges a sea salt soak. The Association of Professional Piercers recommends that you dissolve ¼ tsp. of iodine-free sea salt in one cup of warm water. Do not make the solution any stronger than that, or you may irritate your piercing. Dip a clean cotton ball into the salt water and squeeze out most of the moisture. Hold the wet cotton ball against your ear gauge until it cools and starts to dry. Discard the used cotton ball and wet a fresh one. Do this for five to 10 minutes, two to three times a day.
Step 6
Resist the temptation to try to speed the healing with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or ointments. According to MayoClinic.com, alcohol and hydrogen peroxide can interfere with your skin's ability to generate new cells, and ointments smother the piercing, not allowing necessary oxygen to reach your skin.
Tips and Warnings
- Always consult an experienced piercing professional before altering your body.
- Avoid touching you ear gauges, as your hands carry bacteria that can infect them.
Things You'll Need
- Clean cotton swabs
- Antibacterial soap
- Warm water
- Paper towels
- Iodine-free sea salt
- Cotton balls
