Use alcohol to clean ear piercing?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Would you?

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

No, I would not.

No Carl.

Mild soap and warm water will do just fine. Why do you ask, are you in the piercing business?

Mark

Specializes in ER.
Would you?

That was the standard when I had mine pieced, but that was 35 years ago, so maybe things have changed. Why would you not use alcohol? It seems like my parents used alcohol for everything! It burned a lot, but made us not report injuries to them!! :chuckle

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

Because alcohol damages healthy cells as well as bacteria. Best to just irrigate the area gently with normal saline or plain H2O.

I work psych on an adolescent unit and I have a pt with large guaged ear piercings. The pt complains of dry blood and the urge to pick at it, though I advise him not to. It looked like it needed to be cleaned, so I reached for an alcohol swab. I have never had piercings, so I know nothing about caring for them. A CNA advised me not to, and I can't find any reference for that.

Soap and water Carl. Alcohol will actually impede the healing process and prevents a fresh wound from coagulating. That and I have actually found soap and water remove dried blood much more effectively.

Mark

:smiletea2:

Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

I found this sight. Hope it helps.

http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/girlstuff/pierced_ears.html

Specializes in Pediatric ED.

I used soap and water on mine while it was "fresh" (first couple weeks), hydrogen peroxide after it had healed a bit.

I had no idea alcohol was a bad idea: my parents used to put it on cuts etc. too. Of course we screamed so much they switched to H2O2. :-P

I used soap and water on mine while it was "fresh" (first couple weeks), hydrogen peroxide after it had healed a bit.

I had no idea alcohol was a bad idea: my parents used to put it on cuts etc. too. Of course we screamed so much they switched to H2O2. :-P

Ouch.. Geez.. Thankfully we had Bactine and other 'No Hurt' stuff.

Specializes in Pediatric ED.
Ouch.. Geez.. Thankfully we had Bactine and other 'No Hurt' stuff.

Well the H2O2 didn't hurt, at least not much, and I was so fascinated watching it bubble (at, you know, 6 years old) that I didn't mind.

Specializes in NeuroICU/SICU/MICU.

When I had my navel pierced, the piercer recommended soap and warm water for cleaning, and a warm water/sea salt soak for soothing irritation and inflammation. He advised against alcohol and h2o2 because of the damage to healthy, healing cells as well as to bacteria.

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