[lady_rae]

Okay, so I got my tragus pierced about a month ago at a new shop we have in my town. I've heard of tragus piercings looking worse before they finally get better, but mine is still swollen (and tender when I move/clean it) and it looks like a tiny piece of skin is sort of raised. I've been cleaning it with saline (I boil some water then I mix that with non-iodized sea salt. Then I put it in a jar so I won't have to keep making any and just put it in the microwave for 30 sec. when I need it.) 1-2, sometimes 3 times a day, and soap (usually Dial) occasionally. But I'm just so ready for it to get better! Could I use tea tree oil to clean it, maybe mix it with my saline? I've seen where some people say they used tea tree oil, and it helped loads!

So whatya think? Thanks in advance! =]

[tickle]

Tea tree oil has many excellent uses and is an antibiotic, but in this case I wouldn't use it to dress your piercing. And by the way, table salt (which has iodine) is better to use then sea salt (without iodine). I wouldn't use Dial soap either. Don't use the jar, contamination can occur unless it is in a completely sterile container, lady rae.

Mind you, you have the right idea, but you just need some modifications :).

Tick

[lady_rae]

How can I sterilize the jar??

[tickle]

Hi again, lady, buy distilled water by the way. Tap water, always has particles that can't be boiled out, and you are not actually sterilizing it anyway. You don't have to buy a big supply of distilled water, just a small bottle. Keep tightly closed after use.

Forget about the jar and only make as much as you need to use at one time, otherwise, there will always be bacterial. Quite frankly, lady, if you have a good immune system and I am supposing you do as a young person, then you are probably taking a lot of unnecessary precautions.

Just be clean in everything you use, use table salt because it has iodine, but if you are using 3% peroxide you are doing well to keep everything clean.

Edit: as for sterilizing jars, wash well and fill with boiling water and let sit for a few minutes, then empty. Glass gets really well sterilized in a dishwasher.

Any more questions, my friend, I am here.

Tick

[princessnix]

Hi, actually do use tea tree oil. And sea salt not table salt- sea salt is much better. My tragus was so infected that it was surrounded by a giant red bubble that oozed pus and bleed. It was horrible to say the least. I went to the doctor and had to be put on antibiotics and keep the peircing in to let it drain so the infection doesn't get trapped inside your body and cause a cyst. Anyway, after that I cleaned it with pure tea tree oil on a q-tip at least twice a day and also used the warm sea salt solution. The tea tree oil feels tingly and actually really good when its infected. It cleared up in about a week. Granted I was on antibiotics but its been over a month now and I'm still using the oil and salt solution and the bump is gone, no oozing, pussing or anything and it looks and feels great- I can even sleep on it and it doesn't hurt at all. Don't stop cleaning it even when it feels better because piercings take a long time to heal completely and you don't want it to get reinfected. Hope this helps. :)