Is my cartilage piercing infected?

PLEASE HELP!!! how to treat my infected cartilage piercing?

• on wednesday i had my friend pierce my cartilage part of my ear using only an earing. I know it was stupid of me to do but i really wanted it. Now its friday and i took out the piercing thursday night because of how badly it was hurting me. I read online that it's very bad to remove the piercing and if its too big to go to an ear piecing professional and have them give me a smaller ring. I also know that usually get infected through the first week of getting it. But I don't know how to take care of it now because i remover it. I would really like if you could help me out on this any advice will help. And it is also really red and swollen, my hole cartilage and not as much where i acturally pierced it. Please help help me, any advice as soon as possible would be great, epsecially if it was coming from someone who had experienced this or an actual ear piercing expert. thanks

• Answer:

  Since you've now removed the piercing why it got red and swollen seems irrelevant. Don't put it back in and I won't lecture you about caring for it. Keep your ear hole clean if you can. Take a cotton bud with some antiseptic/disinfectant and wipe over your ear. Try not sleeping on that side. You could take ibuprofen for the swelling. I'd only recommend going to the doctor if the swelling gets worse or you get a discharge etc as it could indicate infection. Right now just sounds like you had a piercing that was too snug or you knocked it in the night.