How do I Take Care of Newly Pierced Ears?

I just got my second ear piercing done (lobe): do I need to keep my first piercing out while it heals? I'm not that sensitive to infection, but still.

I got my ears peirced just this morning and tomorrow I am going swimming. I don't know how I can protect them. Some people say put on tape, some people say wear a cap and some people say don't swim at all! I am so confused! Also, I am confused about twisting them. Although I think I should because the lady who did it for me said I should twist them a few times a day. Also I used a gun and got them done at a pharmacy.

This is terrible, terrible advice. Antibiotic ointment should never be used on fresh piercings. Getting a piercing professionally done and getting one at a Piercing Pagoda, Claire's, or other shop where they use piercing guns is not comparable at all. Piercing guns cannot be autoclaved, and therefore cannot be sterilized. Using a piercing gun and a sharp earring causes crushing pressure on the ear, meaning more trauma to the tissue, and therefore, longer healing time.

Employees of these stores who perform piercings don't receive medical certification for what they do. Consider that piercing means handling bodily fluids and open wounds. Getting pierced in a busy shop is not as safe as getting pierced in a studio that is meticulously sterilized and has a separate area for piercings so that visitors don't contaminate surfaces. And you should never, ever turn your jewelry. Doing so tears apart new tissue and clots, meaning more bleeding and longer healing time, and introduces more bacteria to the area.

Silver is not suitable for a fresh piercing. Implant grade steel is great and a good piercer will have plenty of it on hand. Remember- you get what you pay for. You could get anything from a mild infection to full-blown staph or MRSA from one not done in proper conditions. Do your research.

I had my ears pierced four weeks ago. Although I was worried at first about infection, swelling, etc., I am fine! I can take my earrings out in two week and no earlier. It's worth the wait. My sister has piercings all up her ears and has only had a problem with one (which she did herself).

I'm sure it will all be fine, but always use the solution provided, only use sea salt and warm water if the solution irritates you or is too harsh! Hope this helps.

Everyone gets so confused. I go to claire's. People say it's the worst method, but it's the quickest and it's painless. I have seven piercings done by them. My first holes when I was 8 months, second holes when I was 12, third holes when I was 13. I am now 14 and I just got my cartilage piercing done today. From experience I can tell you do not spin the piercing! People say that if you don't it will stick. No, it won't. It's just bacteria and pus working its way up to the surface. Use a solution, or sea salt water twice or three times a day.

If you use hair spray or something in the morning, then use the solution. Same with if you swim or go in a hot tub, get something icky inside of it, etc. etc. No spinning necessary. really. It'll just mess up the healing process. If it feels like it "sticks to the post" don't you dare spin it -- ever. Like, seriously, ever. Just take care of it and you'll be fine.

If you take it out and it has blood coming out, you have taken it out too soon. If the post end is too sharp and hurts to put it back in, quickly change the stud and let it continue healing.

It can take up to a year for a piercing to fully heal, so just stop messing with it.

I've had my piercing for six months now. It still gets red at times and hurts a lot at times. I had both done, but the left ear got infected, where the earring eventually entered by earlobe, and I had to remove it by pushing the stud out. It was very painful, so I'm planning on getting that one re-pierced in a couple of months from now. However, the right ear still gets infected whenever I change the earring and the earring is a little heavy or is not real silver. After six months, my friends are telling me my ear should already have healed and all this should stop happening. They said I should get it checked out, but I'm hoping this is natural and some of you have a solution.

I clean my ear everyday with dettol, twist, turn and take out the earring. Sometimes it hurts a lot when I take it out. Advice, thanks!

You have to twist your ear piercing or else the ear will get stuck on your ear! And do not use alcohol, peroxide or anything like that; it makes you piercing shrink. Use the cleaning solution they gave you.

Just got my ears pierced by a dermatologist in Santa Monica, CA. It was as very pricey ($130) but I wanted to make sure it was done right and spaced evenly. The doctor said to not twist your earrings and clean one or two times a day with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. I always heard to twist your earrings but I specifically asked her and she said not to.

Get an ez-Release Earring Remover for when the time comes to remove your starter earrings. It's available on Amazon and removes them painlessly without touching your earlobe.

I got my ears pierced and no one noticed. I even had my hair up. I don't think that earrings will freak people out if you just get lobes done, or even get them to notice. The girls I hang out with didn't freak like she did for someone else. Only one was happy with me: my friend who moved a town away that only comes to wednesday church group. My only true friend. I might get another piercing in my cartilage. We'll see.

I'm getting my ears pierced at costas hair salon tomorrow. My friend got her cartilage pierced there and she was fine. I live in a smaller town so it's either this place or another hair place.

I just want to say whether it's a needle or a gun, as long as it's clean, I think you're fine. I wish someone would say, "If you have sensitive skin, use this cleaning stuff" or "If you have regular skin, this is fine to use as a cleaning thing." Stop confusing people!

I'm still having problems with my ear piercings done five months back. I had double piercings on each ear, but they grew up. So, I went back to Claire's to have them pierced again. The girl who did it was an idiot. She was nice, but she talked so much she failed to pay attention to what she was doing. I had asked for stainless steel with the longer posts. When she did my right ear (which she did first), she put in the wrong earring. She had to yank it out and it hurt like crazy. She then shot in the correct earring. I think it messed up my ear.

I haven't had any problems with my left ear, just that right one that she had to redo. I did the cleaning process for the full six weeks and it seemed OK. But every once in a while, it still gets red and swollen. Thankfully, no pus though -- just red and it kind of hurts and gets hot. Is it ever going to heal? When it gets like this, I will use some of the solution that I have left and I'll put it on my left ear just for good measure even though it is OK.

I really don't want to have to let my right ear grow up and have it re-pierced later on. Is there any way to save it and correct the problems I'm having?

If you have newly pierced ears then right now, you should wear some very light weighted or almost negligible weight hoop earrings. You will not feel pain and the hole on your earlobe will also not close. It will, rather, enlarge. You should wear hoop earrings for at least the first month on your newly pierced ears.

This post slays me with the number of comments on it! Okay, on topic, I have three piercings, all lobes.

The first two were done at a shop similar to Claire's- took about a year to heal fully (had little lumps of scar tissue in my ears) I used the special ear cleaning liquid they gave me.

I just had the third one done about two days ago. It's been healing beautifully, and I twist, and use rubbing alcohol.

My advice is to (maybe post 245) do whatever the piercer tells you to do, and to stick to it! If you think there's a problem, then there probably is- at that point, get your butt to a doctor.

But really, lobes are the most difficult to heal. It's the cartilage, tragus or helix you need to worry about. So relax! If you're wound up, Murphy's Law practically states that something will go wrong!

Warm sea salt soaks: it should taste like your tears, not too salty or it'll dry out your piercing too much.

Don't touch your piercing unless you're in the shower and your hands are clean. You can wash your piercing lightly with a non scented soap such as Dr Bronners Castile Soap (I find that Lavender works the best and doesn't sting).

Hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, etc. are no-nos.

Piercings don't take that much work. Leave them alone, wash them one or two times a day, soak them every day one or two times in sea salt water (warm enough but not so that it burns your skin) and you're set!

If you're worried, go to your local piercing place (that's reputable) and ask them how to heal it! or ask them for a brochure on healing.

It's not rocket science, but piercing your body in biology class is a very stupid thing to do. Guns can harbor bacteria (as you can't clean the gun 100 percent every time and they are not autoclave-able like needles in a piercing studio are) and there is a reason eyebrow piercings and lip piercings aren't the size of regular piercings (20g). It's because they can easily rip out of your flesh or slice their way out. Your piercing will close if you take it out within the first year.

I just got my second hole about five days ago and my right ear is really swollen. it hurts when I touch it, and it's red. When I clean them, I can't really see the steam. But, on my left ear I can. I don't really know what to do. When someone hugs me it hurts. Advice anyone? Oh, and I got them done at Pagoda.

I am 12 and had my ears pierced when i was five. they got on my nerves and i took them out. but now i want to have them pierced again and am getting scared and confused because of the guns are OK, guns are horrible and don't do this, don't do that. i got my first ones done with a gun and they were fine besides me not wanting to clean them. Someone please help me!

I have two ear piercings. I got one done when i was one year old, and i just got one done. Now i am 13. Both times, there was absolutely no need of any particular care required. Of course, the ear has to stay clean, but that's always. So just close your eyes, get your piercings done, and don't get freaked out. It's no big thing. They don't hurt!

You have to use natural methods. Just wash your ear with warm salt water.

i pierced my earlobe four days ago, at home with a friend and an IV Catheter (same way i pierced my brow a few months ago). it was painless and easy (heavy researching done previous). no infections, the brow piercing completely healed. never had any discharges or crusts on the jewelry, pain was gone within minutes. with the brow pierce i got scared the very next day, on the street, i thought it actually fell off.so having no trouble whatsoever i thought I'd say what i did so far:

Washed my hands before touching it.

Cleaned the jewelry with betadine (not the skin as it makes new formed cells to burst and impairs healing)

Used an antibiotic ointment every other day

Used Bepanthene spray (dexpantenol, recommended for burns so i think it'd be good for regeneration) to clean it about four or five times a day (pretty much every chance i got). I'm not a doctor, so don't take this as gospel, but by doing this, i had absolutely no problem with either pierce.

Please help me. I'm really confused. It has been six weeks since i got my ears pierced. and it got infected five weeks ago. so my friend told me to use hydrogen peroxide, and i did, and it got all better. but then about a week ago, it got infected again. so now, it's OK because i used hydrogen peroxide again, but I'm wondering if i can wear fake jewelry now. i really want to, but since it was infected few weeks ago, I'm afraid to. and the directions say that i can start wearing fake earrings after six weeks. so can i? or should i leave it on for little while more?

My 4 year old daughter had her ears pierced nine weeks ago. We followed the directions of cleaning three times a day and then waiting the eight weeks before we removed them. Now a week without the earrings and it seems like the holes have closed up. I can't find an opening for the new earring to enter. Has anyone ever heard of this happening?

You should not use hydrogen peroxide on new piercings (or old ones!)! It kills the germs, sure, but it's also killing the tissue that's growing back to heal your piercing. Use a wound wash saline (available at drug stores in the first aid area) instead.

And please, if you're reading this before you get your ears pierced, do it at a piercing studio, not the mall. Piercing guns are bad for lots of reasons. Research it.

so i got my second piercing done. and my earring fell out of my ear. i thought i it back into my second piercing but i accidentally put in the first. it's been about eighteen hours. and i have had my ears pierced for about a week now. it seems like my ear has closed up but I'm not sure. what should i do.

i got my ears pierced for the first time three weeks ago. They stung a tiny bit straight after, but then completely normal. i can't feel the earrings anymore.

I had mine done with a gun an it is over and done with in one second. also i cleaned mine with the water stuff two times a day (every day) and twisted them at least four times a day.

now i put it on (water stuff) twice every two days but twist a lot more. Whoever said you shouldn't twist is being daft. my friend followed that advice and her ear grew to the earring and she had to have an operation to get the earrings out! trust me it works. i have had no pain whatsoever.

i just got my ears pierced today and my friend did it he said to turn it occasionally daily, so there's my advice on turning it.

I got my ears pierced a week ago and I've had no problems whatsoever. I got told not to touch them for the first 48 hours and clean them with warm water and salt mixed together but not to twist them every day. some of my friends disagree with this and I don't know why but my ears are fine. I know it's only a week but I've had no problems.

I got sterling silver earrings because silver has its own natural healing process so it would be better to get sterling silver. I was given children's earrings with a special lock on the back so the backs won't come off. Hope this helps!

I got my ears pierced two weeks ago at Claire's. The lady that did them did an amazing job. She made sure that it did not hurt me at all. She told me to use the bottle of cleaning solution to clean my ears 2-3 times a day.

Well, I used it for almost a week and my ears got red and blistery. It also hurt for me to sleep on them and every time I went to clean them it hurt so bad I could almost not stand it to move them around so they would not get stuck.

So I talked to this one lady that I work with and she told me to use alcohol wipes. So I was glad that I had some at home. So I have been using them for about a week or so and now my ears do not hurt at all. I can sleep on them and my ears are not swelled or red and blistery. I think I was allergic to the cleaning solution. But I am not sure.

I hope this helps someone out. I normally do not have any reaction with things either so it kind of surprised me.

I just recently got my ears pierced and if you want some free info go and visit the hairloft on Granville island Vancouver BC. they told me to wait two months and to turn them two times a day in the morning and the night. They gave me rubbing alcohol to rinse my ear in with the earrings IN. Then they told me to loosen the back and pull it back and forth so that your ear gets used to the movement and so that the back doesn't get stuck on. By the way is it normal that it will sting occasionally when you turn it? I got them pierced yesterday.

i got my ears pierced a week ago, and every time i clean the back of my ear it really hurts, but cleaning the front doesn't hurt at all, and should i or shouldn't i twist them?

Make sure you don't get a backing that is cone shaped. I had earrings with a cone backing, and they actually went inside my ear. To remove it, I had to get a shot. Always get a normal backing.

I just got my ears done recently and they gave me a paper on how to take care of the piercing and it says to not use hydrogen peroxide or any alcohol. just use special ear cleaning solution or antibacterial soap.

I don't really agree with some of the posts on here but,

Do not twist your earring/stud. Let it heal. I've been cleaning my helix piercing with ear buds and surgical spirit which you can buy at the chemist. It might sting a little, and try not to use it too often, I just believe it helps sterilize the earring and it's how I used to clean all my other ear piercings and I didn't have a problem in the past.

My piercer recommended me to clean it in the shower and only to use non-perfumed shower gel such as sanex... and to rinse it thoroughly afterward with clean running water.

Don't play with it and try not to touch it as you're only going to aggravate the ear and it will be sore, and you're only going to encourage germs by touching it all the time. Hope this helps!

I had my ears done at regis the day before yesterday. They said leave the earring for the first 48 hours and then three times a day you must clean it with this special stuff they gave me. Did your ear-piercer person not give you guys stuff?

Just wondering. I pierced my ear yesterday in one of my biology class and it's started to turn red and swell just a little bit and it hurts just a little. is this normal or not. if it's not normal how should I treat this?

This is ridiculous. One post says "use hydrogen peroxide" one says "sea salt and water." Gosh, I'm confused. and not sure what to do!

anon,I think you should go see a doctor and get some medicine. It sounds like it got severely infected.

I got my ears pierced the day before new years 2011, and left them in for the full six weeks. The day the six weeks was up, I changed them right away, but It sort of hurt taking the starters out and putting another pair of studs in. So, I put the starters back in for another six weeks and took them out this morning. It didn't hurt taking them out this time or putting the new studs in. But, when I took them out tonight, pus came out one of my holes and it hurt again. Please help me!

Hey,can anyone give me some good advice? I'm really desperate. I haven't slept in a week more than an hour a night. I just got my ears pierced in both ears, three holes in each with a sterilized needle. A friend of mine did it and it really didn't hurt. She did warn me they'd hurt later. Thing is, I just can't sleep on my back, I can't. I have to sleep on my side to fall asleep but both my ears are pierced and they hurt so much I can barely touch them.

I had studs the first time she pierced them, but the pointy ends were getting into my neck when I tried to sleep, so I had to give them up and changed to silver round ones, very small, a week after getting them pierced and wearing the studs 24/7.

When my friend changed them, the upper hole bled a lot, like an hour. It wasn't anything major, but it was annoying. I didn't have anything to treat it with at the time and I was afraid the holes would close in a few minutes so I put the round ones in right away.

They say I should twist and clean them. Tough luck. I can't even touch them and twisting is kind of impossible since they're round. I want to know what I can do to clean them without taking them off because it's painful as hell and when I'll be able to take them off for just the night.

I'm scared to, because the last time I changed them it took two minutes to try to put the new ones in and the hole almost closed, and that was a week after I got them pierced so it wasn't that recent.

Can anyone help me? I just got my ears pierced three weeks ago. I wanted to buy some hoops for the six week mark. But, my mom says you have to wear posts for six months! I tell her that it's weeks but she refuses to believe it. Will someone tell me the real answer!

i got my ears pierced at Claires a day before New year in 2010, i kept them in for the full six weeks. i turned them a lot and i used the solution twice a day.

After the six week mark i took them out. They were a bit sore but didn't bleed. It's been over two months since i took the original earrings out and they are still painful and still bleed occasionally. What should i do? leave the earrings in and let them heal longer (which is what i'm doing to avoid taking them out as it's painful) or just take them out, let them heal and get them pierced somewhere other than Claire's? please help.

My daughter had her ears pierced at 4, and they fell out at one point a little past the point where it was safe to take them out. They grew back in within hours. It could have been due to how young she was and how fast her skin healed.

Now she is 8, and she will be wearing earrings continuously for a year, although we will let her get another pair and change them out in a month or so. Other than the few minutes it takes to change them, she's wearing earrings. I don't want her to have to go through repiercing them again.

I had my ears pierced with a gun about three weeks before Christmas. I used the lotion from the salon and twisted the earrings every day as told. They did not heal and seemed a bit sore. I went to a professional tattooist and ear piercer in February, who said I was probably allergic to the nickel in the 9ct studs and replaced them using a pin with titanium studs.

I was told to bathe my ears twice a day in salt water (boiled water as hot as you can stand it 250 fluid ounce to quarter teaspoon of sea salt).I was told to keep my hands clean. My husband inspects my ears every day and uses cotton wool buds to gently clean around the stud. It is now several weeks later and my ears are still bleeding. Any advice please? I don't want to give up on this.

I had needle piercings done some years ago and they were a disaster. Somehow the needle handler managed to direct the needle upwards in both ears and particularly the hole on the back side of my right ear was almost impossible to locate. My lobes are chunkyish and believe me, I was sometimes in tears prodding and trying to find the "out" hole.

Contrast that with getting them redone with a gun in the mall a few months ago.

Hint: Call before you go and order anti-allergic studs with extra long posts. They might look a little weird but they allow for swelling and mean you can easily clean the length of the posts and twist them.

The hygiene with regards to the gun could not have been better. It was surgical gloves and gel sanitizer before anything was touched.

The right ear was ever so slightly inflamed that night after gunning, but I used the solution they give you, and I used it twice a day and after showering. (The piercer told me to always use it after showering as shampoo, etc, can cause reaction and swelling).

For about five nights I was aware of them when I put my head on the pillow, but the healing was quick. As I had had years of problems I decided to tough out eight weeks of piercing studs to make sure. After that I only used light earrings for a month or two, and slept in the studs but very soon was able to handle heavier earrings and guess what? No problems!

My experience: The gun is better than needles any day. Result: Perfect piercings.

I had my daughter's ears pierced at Claire's, with a gun. Didn't seem to have any problems and we cleaned them and turned them as instructed. Somehow, in the middle of the night, she managed to get one out (not sure how - it was tough for me to even the back). So, the next morning when I found that, I cleaned both the ear and earring and put it back in with no problem. For fear that she would get one or both out again, I took them out for bedtime the following night. By morning, I could not get either back in. This happened one day shy of the six week mark.

The have now been out for 10 weeks now. Is it safe to get them pierced in the same hole? Will it be any more painful for her? She was 3 1/2 months when we got them done originally and is now 7 months. (I know, I know, she's young - but she doesn't mess with them either, so by the time she's old enough to be curious about them, they'll be a normal thing to her and won't have such a big risk of her pulling them and tearing the ear - which a friend of mine had happen to her.) Please help ASAP! We'd like to get them pierced soon before she starts running all over the place.

OK i got my triple piercing a few weeks ago and they got really red and sore and felt like there was a little lump inside the ear where the piercing was. That means they are probably infected. if you really must keep them in just clean them and leave them alone, but if you can take them out and put antibiotic ointment on and let them heal over. that's what i did, my ears have gotten infected several times and i just got my cartilage pierced a couple days ago and its a little red and swollen. I'm not sure if it's infected so I'm just trying to clean it twice a day and hope its not infected. i hope this helps!

cartilage piercings hurt like hell. Sometimes they take like a year to stop itching, being sore, and hurting.

can anyone help me out? had my cartilage pierced just under a month ago it is sore to touch and still randomly itches at moments throughout the day, it is not particularly red or anything, there may be minor swelling but nothing alarming or noticeable. cleaning with sea salt and on penicillin to prevent cartilage infection. Can I take this troublesome thing out? or will that make it worse. I've had enough of making it sore when I clean it because that's what's hurting me!

hey i got my top ear pierced by needle two days ago and was instructed not to touch by hand or turn/twist the earring. it is a stud and i was worried because all my friends had been instructed to twist theirs.

Claire's is good for your 1, 2, 3rd hole but when you get into tragus and helix you always use a needle --always. If you use a gun, it is going to shatter your ear.

i have been doing piercings for 12 years now i have worked at places like pagoda and stuff and i now own my own shop! You don't want to twist your new piercing as well. You're just going to scrape the sides and re open the wound. i promise it won't stick to the ring.

Sea salt soaks are always good and they help heal your piercing faster. Using hydrogen peroxide and alcohol will just dry your skin out causing the wound to become sore and itchy and delay the healing process. H2Ocean is always a good product to use.

i have many piercings and i have only had one infection ever and that was on my lobe because i took them out too soon. Always be careful and if you think it's infected, then it most likely is. clean it and if it gets worse then take it out!

I think it's really funny how some of you guys are like "guns are fine, trust me!" and you've only gotten your ears pierced at Claire's while there are professional piercers here who get paid for this and have done extensive training on body modifications telling you not to get your ears pierced.

Sure, there are people who have healed just fine with guns and hydrogen peroxide and alcohol and twisting. But what if you're the one person whose body doesn't handle it well? Then you've got an infection and you'll have to run to the internet to find help on getting that big swollen piercing healed.

Everything in this article is just wrong. Anyone who knows anything about piercings will be able to tell you to go to a professional piercer, who pierces with a needle, not a gun, who uses titanium jewelry and not a low quality stud from Claire's.

They will also be able to tell you that Claire's (and similar places) are not professional piercers, they do not know what they are doing and use the wrong equipment, give the wrong aftercare advice and are not trained.

Twisting the jewelry of a healing piercing is bad. It rips and tears the fistula (the hole) and prolongs healing.

Hydrogen peroxide states on the bottle that it is not to be used with puncture wounds. What is a piercing? A puncture wound. Don't use it, it's too strong. Instead you should be soaking the piercings for about five minutes with a sea salt solution - using 1/4 teaspoon to a pint of very hot water (don't burn yourself).

And that's not even the half of it.

I took my earrings out two days ago and the backs closed and the front didn't. What should I do?

I re-pierced my ears in early December. After almost 39 years of no problem, they closed up. Now, they are still runny and sting! Are they infected?

I am going to get my ears pierced tomorrow and I have just read every single post on this article. I'm so confused!

I think I will go with whatever claire's tells me to do. All this controversial stuff has got me worried. Gun! Needle! Peroxide! Alcohol! Turn it! Leave it! Use the serum! Don't use the serum! Titanium are the best! Gold are the best! Antibiotic! No antibiotic! Use ointment! Don't! Use soap! Soap will make your ears die!

There also seem to be a large number of people with large numbers of piercings on here. I beg of you experienced people: is it worth it? Please tell me soon! (Although I'll probably have decided for myself by then).

So i have my nose pierced and my ears and i recently got my cartilage pierced a few days ago. How long is it going to take before i can sleep on them without them hurting?

I tried to take out my earrings yesterday and they started to bleed. Now I really regret it. Also, they hurt now and I'm scared of getting an infection. Is this normal?

I got my ear lobes pierced for the first time about a year ago at Claire's. I followed the instructions they gave me for cleaning and the right piercing healed just fine, but the left earring must have gotten pulled because when I went to change the earrings the hole had been pulled way down to the bottom of my ear. So I let them both close up and got them re-pierced once the holes were gone about a year later.

Now it has been about seven months since I got them re-pierced and it seems as though they are still not healed. How is this possible? Is it because not enough air is getting to them since I must leave earrings in all the time or they will close up? Can I try wearing small hoops?

I've had my piercings a while now, but they still haven't healed. It's been twice the amount of time the piercer said they'd take to heal. I don't know if maybe it means there is a problem. They don't look infected or anything.

Just got my second ear lobe piercing today with my friend. It was actually really surprising. Before i got my first lobe piercing (i was 9) i cried for about 10 minutes until my mum convinced me to go in. i thought the pain would be so unbearable that i would die. HA! Turns out it hardly even hurt at all.

Just afterward it felt kind of hot, and when a strand of hair somehow managed to get wrapped around the jewelery - that hurt! Anyway, so i got my seconds done today. I'm 14 now, and i didn't think anything of it. I was trying to concentrate on the pain actually, to really get what it feels like. It hardly even felt like a pinch.

I got some after-care spray that i have to use morning and night (and any time during the day if i need to) for general care. I got told that i need to thoroughly wash my hands if i want to turn them, because the germs from fingers can get transferred onto the piercing and get infected. I have to leave them in for six to eight weeks, but i think i'm going to leave mine in for nine or 10 days just to make sure they're fully healed.

Next piercing i'm getting is a nose stud on the left side.

Can someone help me? I got my ears pierced at Claire's, and I just took them out. I didn't have much of a problem taking them out, but when I tried to put my new earrings in, I saw the back of the hole had closed up. How is that possible since I was able to take them out? Someone, please help.

Well i disagree a bit with this, i had my ear pierced a year ago. i remember at first it was red. I cleaned it well with alcohol and after about a week or two it became absolutely fine so what you need to do is clean it with alcohol. Don't overreact about it. Just take care of it only if it hurts you and you see some pus; then it's infected.

I want to get my ears pierced but my mom won't let me. she says The Bible says i shouldn't. So it is religious but she had hers pierced or her mom did and she didn't have a choice about it, but why won't she give me a choice? Any help on how to convince her to let me get them pierced? Also, can someone list all the pros and cons of getting them pierced and having pierced ears?

P.S. I'm 12. Thank you.

Why is everybody going after guns? I had mine pierced with a gun and had absolutely no problems. Plus I think I have the worst immune system ever, so it must have been extremely clean.

I want to get a second hole, but I have sports pretty much all year round. I'm thinking about doing it right when school gets out and then having them in over the summer. But in the fall I have volleyball and I would have to take them out for an hour and a half to two hours a day. Plus gym if I have it that day. And I also don't know if I could have them in and just taped for track and field. I just throw shotput, javelin and discus and I've never hit myself in the ear with one of those and I have been doing this for about five years now.

I just got my ears pierced three days ago, and I have to get surgery in six weeks. Is it OK if I take them out for five hours for my surgery, then put them back in? They won't close up or anything will they?

I pierced my left lobe a few days ago. It's not as red as it was when I first got it done,and it doesn't itch or anything.

My friends told me to put salt into a warm cup of water and soak it with cotton and put it on my ear to clean it, which I did, but then my cousin and a few other family members told me it will get infected. Now I'm really worried. Will my ear get infected?

I got my helix pierced Monday, and it's Sunday, and it is already starting to feel better. I have two lobe piercings also and one cartilage. The initial piecing (got it done at Claire's) did not hurt. I only felt a slight pinch. They are doing great and I am keeping them extremely clean with the stuff Claire's gave me. I love it!

People who are for guns are dumb. You may think it's safe to use, but it's really not. It can really damage your ear by how fast it goes. Infections occur only when you don't take care of them.

And for the sports people wanting to get their ears done, you have to make sure it heals or else it will get infected if you keep taking it in and out so just wait until the season is over or whatever.

Plus, I've used bactine, neosporin, and triple antibiotic ointment whenever my piercings got infected and they healed right up! sea salt soaks help promote healing, not get rid of an infection. if it gets super bad go to a doctor.

I had two cartilage piercings about two months ago, and it was fine. It wasn't infected or anything. But then I added two more piercings to my lobe. It's red, itchy, but there's no drainage. I try to take it off but it really hurts! The solution I'm using isn't helping at all. I don't know what to do.

My friend told me if a bubble grows onto your piercings you may have to chop your ear off. Please help me! I can't even have jewelery on for volleyball games.

My three year old had her ears pierced a week ago, and I have been cleaning and turning them twice a day. She cries like crazy every time I do it. How long should I clean and turn them for?

I got my ears pierced about a month and a bit ago and took them out at only two weeks. They were fine from then on but they've just started to get pus and are swollen. Is it an infection? What do I do?

I am a professional body piercer and have been doing it for many years and have been to conventions and took many courses to learn as much as I can on the subject. The main problem with piercing guns is that the cleaning process is what comes into question and the piercing, of course. The risk of getting hiv or aids is very low even if the gun is cleaned improperly, but hepatitis is another story.

Hepatitis c can stay alive for over 24 hours and then goes into a dormant stage that can be reactivated by moisture for over a week. Sure it's not as scary as hiv but dying from liver failure is no joke. Then you get some girl out of high school who probably doesn't know what hepatitis is and doesn't care about cleaning properly. As far as it wouldn't be allowed if it wasn't safe, the health department can't watch everyone all the time.

Another thing: cartilage piercings are a bad idea with a gun because they tend to break the cartilage rather than pierce it and that is why a lot of people's cartilage will hurt even months or years after the piercing. I personally don't care how you get your piercings but I just would like to give you some information so you can make an informed decision.

Most of the people sticking up for claire's probably don't know anything on the subject but ignorance is bliss. As for people getting their baby's ears pierced, you should have claire's do it because I sure as hell won't and will tell you to get the hell out of my shop.

Let's wait until your kids can at least want it done or give their opinion on it before you start poking holes in them.

To # 171: My doctor said not to use peroxide because it will just irritate them. The pain will go away. Everyone's different but they should feel better soon. Mi

Mine were sore from just putting T-shirts on and having them pull on my ears. I was very careful after that to take my shirts off carefully.

If you feel that you must clean them, then I would use what Claires gave you. I believe what my doctor meant by leaving them alone was that cleaning them and turning them just irritates them more.

It's been just about a month now and I haven't turned them or cleaned them, other than taking my regular showers and washing my hair. I swear to you that they are fine.

As for phys ed, I don't see a problem unless someone actually hits you in the ear somehow. They are sore, but you just had them pierced. Be patient, as long as you don't have any discharge or bleeding they should be fine. If they get worse go back to Claires or to your doctor.

Unlike what some others have said on here, you do need to leave them in for at least six weeks.

Good luck.

I just got my ears pieced at claires five days ago. It hurt for a few minutes, and then suddenly, the pain went away. But just a few hours ago, my ears have been hurting so much! I put on the claires antibacterial stuff on three times a day every day, but it still hurts. I've been thinking about putting peroxide on, but I've been reading theses comments and they say i shouldn't do that. What should I do? (I go to school and my first class is PE).

I am answering #168 and #169. I'm not sure how to handle a 5 year old but earrings were uneven and I couldn't wear certain earrings because they didn't hang correctly. I do know of people who have gone back and had them re-pierced immediately without any problems. The first hole will heal much more quickly if it's done sooner rather than later.

You are supposed to wait six weeks before taking them out and even then, my doctor told me to put the original studs back in at night for a year! That surprised me.

It sounds like you did the right thing by putting the earring right back in after cleaning it. Hopefully you got it strait through the original hole. Just do whatever works for you but do not take them out for six weeks. You are going to have to wait an extra three weeks because you removed one earring too soon.

Good luck.

My daughter got her ears pierced for the first time yesterday and one side looks higher than the other.

What should I do? Leave it alone and just hope it never causes a big deal being slightly uneven or take it out and redo? If we take it out and redo, should it be done now or wait? She hasn't noticed just her dad and I have.

She probably would be crushed if we took it out but I don't want it to be an issue later. She is only five right now.

I took my earrings out after three weeks like they say to. I took out the first and it was bleeding. Is that normal? So I cleaned the earring and put it back in. I didn't do the second one. Should I? Help me!

To #166: Your Mom may have scraped or poked at the new opening, especially if she couldn't find the entire hole.

Your best bet is to not take the earrings out again for a while. Sadly that might be as long as the first time, especially if you want that ear to heal correctly.

What my doctor told me, was to leave the studs in for six weeks. After that I could take them out in the daytime to change earrings but to put them back in at night. She also told me not to mess with them, no cleaning, no turning. I have followed her instructions and I have had absolutely no problems.

I was surprised at her instructions but I figure she's a doctor, an M.D. so she must know what she's talking about.

This has been much easier than the first time I had them done. No extra cleaning, no turning, nothing to worry about. I did turn them once just to see if they would stick but they turned just fine.

Maybe the person who pierced them could advise you.

Good luck.

I got my ears pierced at the mall in July. I've waited the proper six weeks, and have done the sterilizing procedures in the duration of that time, if not more.

I changed my earrings on Friday, but when I took them out, the hole was a little sore, and the area around it was, (and still is) red. I changed my gold ones with metal ones, and the new pair has these rubber backings. Last night, the left backing fell off, resulting in the loss of my earring.

I went to the washroom, but when I looked in the mirror, I couldn't see the hole. I got my mom to put another back in, but it kind of hurt when she did. Are these normal circumstances? Please reply.

I got my ears pierced a week ago at claires. the catch is too tight and I can't loosen it help! how do you get the stupid thing off?

#144, I realized your post wasn't answered at all. You asked if a fresh piercing can be taken out for cheerleading practice twice a week for an hour or so. I wouldn't recommend taking them right out, because they can close within the hour.

You could, however get something called a retainer. It's a clear plastic earring and is basically invisible, and will keep the hole open. You can get them at any culture craze or hot topic, and I believe claire's also has them. Good luck!

If anyone is still reading the comments, please listen to mine. I'm a grandma who pierced my own ears when I was in high school. I used a needle the way my mother said she did.

Several years later, I did end up with a pretty bad infection in one of my ears. I don't remember how I got rid of it but it did go away.

Anyhow, the ear never was right so last March I just stopped wearing earrings. I felt sort of naked without them and thought I probably should get pierced so I could wear all my earrings again. Well, last week I did.

I actually went to my dermatologist and she did it with a gun. They were sore but it went away pretty quickly. The thing that shocked me the most, was that she told me not to clean them or turn them like I had been taught! She also told me that showering itself would keep them clean!

I haven't done any of the "old" stuff, I've followed her instructions, and so far they are fine. Very strange and I called her on it but she insisted that this was the correct procedure.

Maybe you should ask a doctor if you have questions. It wasn't cheap, but if, after all these years it works, I'll be really, really happy.

As for Claires, my daughter worked there for a time when she was in high school and they taught her to pierce ears with one small lesson! They left her alone and a woman came in wanting to get pierced. My daughter wasn't exactly sure what to do so she pierced them and they came out crooked. True story. So if you don't know how experienced the person doing the piercing is, and you're nervous you might want to go somewhere else.

I know lots of people who have had their ears pierced at Claires and they were fine. In fact, I took my niece to have hers pierced in the mall and they've been fine ever since and that was a long time ago.

Good luck to all you young women. Honestly, it really is no big deal. Just make sure it's done correctly and ask questions.

I'm anon107523. my earrings are doing fine. I'm probably going to get second holes when these heal.

I'm getting mine done today. is there anything to be scared about? I'm having them done at Claire's, probably with a gun. Thanks.

No! This is wrong information! Never use hydrogen peroxide to clean a piercing, and never use antibiotic ointment! Both are very bad to use for a piercing, especially a new one, because they are too harsh!! Rubbing alcohol is also too harsh.

Go to your local piercing shop, or drug store, or even claire's and purchase a bottle of piercing cleaning solution there. Whoever posted this information is obviously not experienced at all with piercings.

Warning: Don't take the newly pierced earring out until its set date. I took them out a week and a half early and put smaller vnes in. The next day the stud had disappeared into my lobe and I had to get it removed. They removed the scab and pushed it back through, which was quite sore and I was only eight. Trust me: I definitely won't make that mistake again.

After five years, I've had them redone and I've had no trouble with them. But must keep them clean. Hope this comes in handy.

i got my ears pierced like two weeks ago, and it didn't hurt much. One morning i woke up at 6 a.m. and i felt a terrible pain. My ear was sore, red and swollen.

Now this still continues. This morning i checked my ear and saw that there is blood underneath the butterfly. It feels like it's on too tight. I got my ear pierced at Claire's. The women said everything would be OK and there will be no problems with it. I don't think she was trained very well and she seemed unsure of what she was about to do.

At the end i asked her, 'Is this it?" She had not even explained to me what i should do or what might happen. I'm so unsure on what to do now? I feel like taking it off! I was reading that little letter they give you from claires and it said something like, 'if you are unsure, pop back and find out how your ear is healing.' So i think that's what i am going to do.

I'm going to go back and cause a lot of trouble and i am going to hassle them until i find out what to do and why she put it on so tight. My ear is so sore! I hate this. I am like 100 percent sure the women is going to say: "oh this is what's supposed to happen. Nothing's wrong, blah, blah, blah," just to get me off her case.

For me it's kind of weird, I got my left ear double pierced two weeks ago in a jewelry store and the guy there told me it will take about one to two weeks to heal. But now I'm scared if I take them out my ear will get infected. Please help!(Note:I haven't been using any medicine for my ears and they have been healing perfectly.)

I got my ears pierced about seven weeks ago but they still hurt. I clean and turn them as I'm supposed to. When my friend tried to get them off they started to bleed, which hurt super bad!

Warning: If they bleed, leave them alone.

They still hurt and I'm super afraid to try again.

OK. for all the people who are scared about the gun/needle piercing, the gun never touches you. there is a device in it that pushes the earring through your ear. the gun is safe. and as for the removing the piercing early, removing your stud can do a few things. some people's holes close instantly. others can become infected. it all differs. if you are thinking about changing the piercing early, then wait at least two or three weeks, and use another earring to push the stud out of your ear, so that there is no risk of it closing.

as for rubbing alcohol, don't use it on piercings. you can use it to clean your earring, but not the wound. studies show that rubbing alcohol /peroxide, can cause infections. i hope i have answered enough questions to have helped a few people.

I am like scared now. I'm getting my ears done for my 13th birthday, and i don't know whether to go gun or needle. I don't want my ears getting infected! And I have to change earrings four weeks after getting them done, just for about two hours (because of dance). Will this affect my piercing? -adelle

Okay, so on the topic of guns vs. needles, I say needles are better. They are way more sterile and clean, and hurt quite a bit less. I think that the professional piercers are the way to go. Otherwise you can't be positive about not getting an infection.

From reading many of the comments posted here, it seems like the main problem people experience is infection after the piercing. This is most probably the result of poor behavioral control on the part of the person who is getting the piercing.

A piercing is a wound, and you have to keep it clean, use anesthetics like alcohol on it, and use antibiotic cream if necessary. The most likely reason many people have infections after a piercing is that they simply expect it to get better on its own and do not clean it or tend to it.

OK, everyone who is dissing claire's has a reason to! The first time i went to get my ears pierced, they didn't pierce it right! i had to take it out, and let it heal.

I went back to get it pierced and they didn't clean their hands and it got infected. I waited for the infection to heal and once it did, i took out the earrings. I let it close up. That was about six years ago.

Two years ago, i went to a professional and i didn't have any problems whatsoever. I now have my ears covered in piercings, all by trained professionals. I also have snakebites, my tongue, eyebrow and my belly button pierced. All done by professionals!

Also, they gave me cleaning supplies and little packets of sea salt to mix with warm water. I didn't use that and i used peroxide and i had no problems. Also i twisted the piercing and had no problems.

For those who ask if you can take your piercing out and put a new one in immediately, i say you can. Just be prepared because there might be a slight pain but nothing serious. If your ears get infected do not, I repeat do not take out the piercing. Just clean it about four or five times a day and you should be fine.

If you take it out, the piercing will close up keeping the infection inside and that can get ugly. Guns, no matter what people say are not safe! They aren't clean and the people at claire's are not very good as piercers. Take the time to go to someone trained to put holes in your body, not some unlicensed teen! Good luck!

I'm getting my ears pierced today. All my friends have had them done at one particular claire's. Everyone used a gun. One friend had them done at the same time, and she was shaking but didn't even realize they had been done.

My mum got them done with a needle, and they become infected with green gooey stuff. Later she realized she was allergic to silver.

I don't think im allergic to silver, because I wear a danish silver necklace.

I had mine at Claire's and they did a great job. It was three weeks ago. Can I take them out to just untangle my ear?

I had my ears pierced yesterday, and have been doing everything, but why use hydrogen peroxide to clean you ears? That stuff is horrible.

I had my ears done at Claires and they seem to be fine, so I should be able to put the other gold studs in just before I go back to school.

I had my ears done with a gun and I don't like blood and consistent pain (who does?) so this was the ideal option I thought, so I'll just have to wait and see.

Does anyone have any tips?

I don't see why guns are so bad. People wouldn't be using guns if they spread infection and HIV! They put the earring in and make the hole with the earring. No one else uses the earring, and I'm sure they clean it anyway.

I got my ears pierced four days ago and no one gave my and disinfectant. I'm using rubbing alcohol and I use that to clean my cuts if I get any big ones, so it's okay to use it on my ears right?

i had really sensitive ears when i was younger and had to wear solid gold earrings. do you think i still have to?

I really want to get my ears pierced. But I have cheerleading and I can't wear earrings. Does anyone know if it's okay to take my earrings out for two hours a week after I got them done and then put them right back in after practice? Help! I want to get them done Tuesday

I'm 15 and wanting to get my ears double pierced. Now is the only time I will be able to get my ears pierced for a full year, due to sports. I got my first piercing when i was three and, as far as I know, they were fine. I do have really sensitive skin though.

I have a cheer camp in three weeks that I am not allowed to wear jewelry at. I would have my earrings in for three weeks, then I would have to take them out (I could put them in during breaks and at night) for three days. Then I could leave them in for another three weeks.

Also, I have kept my earrings out for at least five months at a time, and they have never closed up. Would this work? Oh and do I take my earrings out when I clean ears?

Please i need answers as soon as possible! Thank you.

Piercing guns are not preferable. You cannot sterilize the gun. In my experience, guns hurt less than needles but seriously, the pain is like pinching yourself for five seconds. my first piercing was done with a gun, and it screwed up and scarred my ear lobe. Plus all the starter studs are really ugly.

I know, right? Rumors about piercing guns are that way too. it's just as safe as a needle! the back of the earring isn't 'blunt' as some know it alls have said. It's quite sharp, and it doesn't make any more scar tissue form than sticking a needle through your ear! the gun was made to apply the same amount of pressure as a hand! it doesn't make you 'internally bruise' either.

I would actually say guns are preferable to me! i have four piercings on each lobe and two in each ear cartilage. i got my second done with a needle. it hurt just like a gun when it was put in, but it lasted so long! i tried again for my third set and even went to a different piercer -- still horrible! and i have a high pain tolerance! For my fourth set i went to claire's, and it was over fast! i went there for my two cartilage piercings too.

I don't see why everyone is suddenly dogging claire's? millions of ears are pierced there every year. if it was bad enough to be scared about, claire's would be shut down, but it is a very popular place. You should do what they say. They aren't "professional" piercers, but they are trained. Plus it's not that hard to make two dots that are even and then press a button. trust me. Use their ear care antiseptic. listen to their advice. they know things. and remember, if you get your ears pierced at claire's, then get an infection, its not claire's fault. you may be prone to infections.

It really doesn't matter if you use a gun or a needle. Obviously, using a gun is a much better choice because it goes quickly and painlessly. When getting your ears pierced with a gun the only part of the gun that touches you is nothing. The only thing that touches you is the sterile stud.

I got my ears pierced at Claire's about five months ago. I recently received my first infection and it was nobody's fault but mine and only mine.

So get your ears pierced done any way. Just don't do them yourself.

PS Misty gel works great on newly pierced ears and infected ears. I found it in a Simply Whispers catalog for 1.89.

There are some serious idiots here! You have to twist your earrings every day! I have piercings and that is rule number two! Rule number one is peroxide. I can't help but think people are trying to be mean!

The people in front of me said the same things I was going to say, but i looked it up and i have answers! you should put the serum into a spray bottle and spray it onto your ears because you want to minimize the hand contact to the new piercing.

you may want to get another spray bottle and weekly brew a sea salt spray to put in it. basically you put 8oz water in a pot, put it on a burner on the stove, add 1 tbs of sea salt (not table salt--sea salt) and mix it until it dissolves. then pour it into the spray bottle. plentifully (like very generously) spray it on. You may even want it to be a little warm when you spray it, to soothe. this nourishes the 'healing cells' and makes the healing process faster. Good luck with the piercing!

If you were wondering about pain, it really doesn't hurt! i got my second ones when i was seven (yeah, I know) and it was fine! but if you don't get both done at the same time the second one you do hurts way more, but it's not bad! trust me, if a seven year old can do it (by the way, I'm almost 13) you can do it too! o

_____

I've been wanting to get my ears double pierced for quite some time now. i love the look and I've finally convinced my parents to let me. (I'm almost 14 by the way)

I don't remember how to take care of the newly pierced ears. please help. is there anything i can do in addition to the claire's cleaning serum?(don't say anything about not using the serum because i am. claire's is very sterile and the piercing gun mishap only happens seldom. professional piercers make mistakes too!) Anyway, first, should i do anything in addition to the serum? Second, I've heard of salt soaks: how do you do those? Third, I've also heard of putting the serum in a spray bottle? should i? any other tricks to help with healing? Thanks!

I got my ears pierced in February. They've been giving me a lot of problems. They hurt and when ever I take them out for a soccer game one of them

closes up a little and I have to push it back through. They are so irritating! Is this normal? What should I do? P.S. They were done at Claire's

I'm not against Claire's -- yet.

I want to get second piercings in my ears. I got my first when i was five. (I'm 13-almost 14- by the way) I'm going to get them pierced at Claire's a week from now. Ddon't say anything about not going to claire's because i am.)

Is there anything i can do for aftercare in addition to the claire's antibacterial serum? I've heard of sea salt soaks. how to do that? are there any other products i can buy to help? Any other remedies to pain? (I live in England by the way so any products here would be great?)

Any other things i need to know? Thank you!

i got my ears pierced eight weeks ago and took my earrings out today. it was a little hard and it did hurt a little but that's no big deal.

my advice would be to keep them in for six to eight weeks, clean them twice a day and turn them. Do not keep fiddling around with them because they will get infected and if you don't clean them they will also get infected.

i have had no problems with my ears. i did the right thing by cleaning them and it turned out perfectly. please take my advice. good luck.

It's ridiculous to claim that having ears pierced by a "professional" at a tattoo shop is any safer than with a stud gun!

Typically those who make those claims either support someone who works at a tattoo shop or had a bad experience with a stud gun. Stud guns today are very safe, very sterile and in fact, in many cases, safer than having them pierced with a needle because there is no contact with the earrings.

I've talked with people who had issues when having their ears pierced with needles and talked with many who had no issues with the gun.

So this is nothing more than opinion. And based on what I've seen in tattoo shops, I don't think they are all that clean!

If I clean some new earrings with antibiotic gel, can I change training studs after four weeks?

Whoever wrote this article is severely misinformed. Don't ever twist or move the piercing while it's healing.

Flesh sticking to jewelry is normal during initial piercing, and twisting causes the flesh to become torn and forcefully separated from jewelry, causing trauma and a possibly extended healing time to accommodate for trauma.

Never, ever use rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or anything similar because these products are too strong and will only serve to slow down the body's natural healing process.

Today I'm getting my ears pierced for the second time. I got it in second grade and it closed, so I'm getting it again. I need some advice. When you people say turn the earring, do you mean, take the earring out of your ear and turn it the other way. Please reply and help me!

I've had all my piercing done with a gun at piercing pagoda. I had no problems with them what so ever. I had five total but I stop wearing earrings and I let some of them close. They used a gun every single time and the earrings came packed in a protective case so that case was the only thing that touched my ear and not the gun. Of course it's to each his own but I had no problems with the piercing gun.

I got my ears pierced twelve weeks ago. My left ear bugs me a lot. It bleeds a little too. Especially when I change it. Just don't worry about it. It's not terrible.

I got my lobes pierced at Claire's. There is nothing wrong with them! Guns aren't bad, so quit picking on claire's, pick on somebody else! They are very sterile. I'm only twelve but hey, I can tell.

So all you people picking a claire's- give it a rest, all right? Jeez.

When I was a baby, I had my ears pierced. After leaving the earrings out and letting the skin grow back over (about seven years) I decided I wanted to wear earrings again. I just got one of my mom's and stuck it back through the original hole by myself. I didn't clean it or anything, and it was never sore or anything like that. So I don't think it's really necessary to go get them re-pierced.

Two days ago, I decided to put another stud through my ear, right about the first one. I didn't numb it, I just put pressure on it and eventually got it all the way through, making a new hole. I've been cleaning it with alcohol, taking the earring out to do so, and I've been turning it as well. It hasn't given me any trouble so far.

If i get my ears pierced, can I switch the stud out even the very next day with a clear one if the switch is immediate? Guys aren't allowed to have their earrings in while working at my job. So is it worth the pain and possible infection?

i got my piercing done at claire's about four days ago.

For the first two days it was all right but after then it started swelling up, and it is still swollen.

i went to a doc and she told me not to touch it anymore just use the solution they gave you and it will be all right, but it is hurting seriously very bad.

I used coconut oil today. Now we'll see what will happen tomorrow. If there is any other better way to cure it, please let me know. I will be very thankful to you.

i got my ears pierced almost four months ago and i left my studs in for about seven weeks and when i took them out it start to bleed and so i put it gold sleepers and they hurt for a bit but them they healed and now all of a sudden they have started hurting again. i don't know what to do and how to heal them.

if you could, please help me -- that would help me heaps! i bathe them in dettol every day, i turn them and i put paw paw ointment onto the sleepers and then turn them to get the ointment in the hole, but i don't think that it is doing anything.

What the hell am i going to do? Please help me.

I just got my ears pierced in March and it's been four weeks since I had my studs in and I have been taking care of them but now my right ear is swollen. it hurts really bad and it itches. My mom says it's not a Keloid. I hope it's not though, but it hurts around the earring. What should I do? Should I got to the doctor or what?

i have just had my ears pierced. it was surprisingly painless but i am worried about getting an infection. i had it done with a gun but it shot the earring straight into my ear. they are sterling silver.

I had my ears pierced with a gun and had absolutely no problems. Also I got mine done in the summer because we aren't allowed earrings in school so I had six weeks.

I was in the sea a lot and when I went back for my check up she told me the piercing was the best she's ever seen, so sea water helps a lot.

I took my earrings out before six weeks and I just put some other proper silver ones in that were studs so they were still thicker posts. I've had no problems at all.

I'm going to get another hole in the summer and I'll be going back to claire's because it worked out great the first time. So long as you keep your ears clean there's a smaller chance of infection.

I have 14 piercings and I'm an EMT. I clean them with sea salt mixed with warm water twice a day, Do not use a gun. It can scar a lot easier and you can't clean the gun properly. Needles are designed to be sterile and they prevent scarring because they remove all of the skin, unlike the gun which moves the skin to the side.

Never use hydrogen peroxide or anything like that to clean your ears. You don't clean your cuts with it (it can kill the tissue!), so why would you clean your ears with it?

If they don't use needles then they were not properly trained to give piercing. Crusties are normal, just clean it more often, and turn your earring, but wash your hands first.

If your body rejects it, listen to it (your body) and take out the metal and clean you ear, if it stays infected go to the doc, they will give you antibiotics. If you leave it, it will leave a nasty scar. Hope that helps.

i got my ears pierced four or five weeks ago, but my friend tried to get a caught hair loose and pulled one out. it's back on with an eraser holding it there but it hurts. the other ear feels great, but I'm not sure what to do.

Is it OK for after the three week period to take the earrings out for one or two hours at a time? Because I am considering getting them done but I play sport in which no jewelery is allowed and I was wondering if my ears could get infected in that amount of time?

I am 12 and i just had my ears pierced by a gun today and i am afraid because of all the comments it will get infected because when i first had them done when i was 7 i took them out and i refused to put them back in. now i have no idea what to do. should i clean them as soon as i get out of the shower tonight? and advice

i have had my ears pierced for like six years now and i haven't put earrings in for like that long. if i suddenly start to wear them again will i have to like go through the whole process again?

Yeah, a needle is obviously a more safer way, but guns aren't that bad. I had mine done with a gun four days ago. I have a small stud, and i haven't even noticed it's there. I didn't even clean it at first because i wasn't given the stuff; i just twisted it a little.

I spray some antiseptic wound wash on it, and twist it again to make sure the liquid gets inside. I've even pulled it my mistake, and played around with it, and i haven't felt a thing.

I love my ear piercing and would say this: it's not how they do it, it's how clean they do it. the gun must be clean and my piercing was straight off the pack, no pus, no blood. i guess I'm lucky.

Good luck to everyone else and don't worry too much about it. It's an earring, an dif it gets sore, oh well. It's not long term damage, just go to the doctor and get some stuff to keep it healthy, oh and by the way, machine oil? What?

can i put fake earrings in my ear after three months of piercing in it?

This is the deal with ear piercing guns and why they are dangerous. You can clean the gun, but mistakes happen, and you are reusing it on all sorts of people.

Getting your ears pierced with a piercing needle is safer because you can use a new needle every time. Piercing guns have all sorts of nooks and places that can be very easily missed while cleaning. Do you want your ears pierced by the same gun that pierces everyone else's?

The risk of infection is higher, and the risk of blood-borne diseases are also higher. You can get HIV/AIDS from sharing needles, and piercing guns are no different if they can't be completely cleaned.

Piercing guns are not safe! Not only that, but the earrings they use to punch through your ear are too blunt and can kill the tissue surrounding the hole.

Piercing needles are very sharp and make a very clean hole. Using a blunt earring with a gun is quick, but it doesn't heal as well because of the trauma to the area.

Always go see a doctor if you are not sure. They are the ones with eight years of medical school plus two years practical training, not like most people commenting on this forum.

The back of my earring is kind of crusty. Is it infected? Help me

I got my ears pierced on Tuesday, however since my ears have been sore. is this natural, or should I go see my doctor.

yesterday, I got my ears pierced with a gun. it was my third time getting them pierced in the same hole (twice previously i had let them grow over). All three times I had it done with a gun, and the gun just shot my earring through no problem. I don't get how everyone thinks that the guns are dangerous if it shoots the earring through? Or are you guys talking about a different kind of gun that makes a hole and then puts in the earring?

Is it possible that my ears could be bruised. inside the hole and around the hole there is a bruise like color to it. They just got pierced yesterday. I did make the mistake of using a gun. please help

Those that are putting down Claire's and other places like that really don't have any right. If you actually read the agreement you or a parent has to sign you would know A) what they did to prevent infection B) how to prevent infection at home.

If your piercings got infected after getting pierced, it's either your fault for not taking care of them or it's your body rejecting them.

Either way, don't blame it on the jeweler/piercer.

I've had my ears done a total of four times at Claire's and only had one infection. Either way, that infection was a partial allergic reaction to nickel studs I later put in.

And, also, at Claire's, you will not be sore for more than five or six hours after the piercing. They will cool it down and clean it before you leave, so you hardly notice it. My ears were fine after half an hour! But others I know have had it longer.

And, never use fish hook earrings! They can drag your ears and hurt, a lot.

Whoever said Claire's is a bad place to get them done is wrong. Well, in my area it's great. Six of my friends have had theirs done at Claire's at they were fine. One of them had two piercings done there, and I, myself have had my ears pierced there. Mine have just healed and they are fine, no infections at all, that applies to my friends too!

I advise anyone who has just had their ears pierced and they have healed, do not leave out your earrings for a long time otherwise it might close up! You don't want to pay for another piercing, do you?

And, my mother insisted I use solid gold earrings *If you can afford it* when mine healed, because they make the hole bigger, so there is much less chance of it closing up.

It does hurt when you first take them out, my friend and I both screamed at the time, she had them done when she was 7, and needed a parent to help. Though, I'm only 10, and I was able to take them out by myself.

Blood came out of my left ear, don't worry about it, it just hasn't healed fully, so leave your earrings in for just a while longer.

Never, under any circumstances, use plastic, or fake earrings. They will guarantee infection, or soreness and pain. They can't be any less than Sterling Silver, which is all the earrings at Claire's.

Strangely enough, my name is actually Claire. Lol.

And, by the way, as it says in the text, using a gun will need a few more weeks healing time. Don't disobey that, or it will be even more painful and bloody.

Quit cutting down claire's! yeah, we use guns. But we are educated to do it, and know just as much about ear piercing as you friendly neighborhood piercers. The healing time for a gun may be a week or two longer, but it is quick and inexpensive. It's not our fault if you don't know the proper ways to clean them. You run the risk of infection whether we do it at Claire's or if you get it done by Johnny Piercer.

That being said. Clean your rings twice a day morning and night. Use the solution they give you and a cotton ball. Squeeze a little in the front and a little in the back and give the earring a twist. Every other day i suggest cleaning them with dial antibacterial soap (the orange kind in the pump bottle).

Never use alcohol or peroxide, but if you have stainless earrings and they get crusty you can dip a q-tip in peroxide to clean the crusties off your earring, but do not get it in the piercing (it will dry it out) and if you have gold earrings do not use peroxide or alcohol on them at all or it could cause a reaction.

any questions? -Tay

Also, sorry to whoever checks the anonymous comments! It's a really long comment, I know. I didn't realize that if I registered, I would have my post instantly show up, and that was what I wanted. Instant gratification, y'know. :P

No offense, but whoever wrote this article obviously does not have any knowledge on professional and safe piercing procedures and aftercare. Now, if I may, here's much better advice that you all might find helpful.

Firstly, I'm going to cover how and where you get your earlobes pierced. Never, ever get your poor lobes pierced with a stud and piercing gun combo. In other words, do not go to a place like Claire's or anywhere in a shopping mall! I suffered years of infections with my first holes (14g) due to this method - not fun. My other two lobe piercings (both 16g), done by a certified piercer at my local tattoo shop? No issues at all!

So yes, that's just a bad idea. Not only are guns impossible to sterilize (needles are sterile, and much more simple, thank you!), but the studs used to pierce your ears make it difficult to clean the new holes you've just acquired. Unwanted gunk gets stuck behind the backing of the stud, causing painful infections you'll want to avoid.

It is true that a new earlobe piercing requires cleanliness, of course, but do not use either of the products mentioned! Both hydrogen peroxide and antibiotic ointments are irritants for your piercings and can lead to healing issues and longer healing time overall.

Generally, your best bet is to go to your local drugstore and find a generic sterile saline solution, otherwise known as contact lens solution. Then, simply squirt some saline solution in a small cup and dip a cotton swab into it - use as many you need to. Gently clean your piercing by clearing away any debris, but once clean, allow it to dry on its own. Note: To avoid irritation, only clean when needed - if the piercings got "crusties" or is otherwise dirty.

Showering every day is generally a good thing, mind you, but if you refuse, you social deviant, you, then at least flush out the piercing with mild soap and some water once a day. It is also very important to remember to always wash your hands before touching your new piercing!

Even earlobes are delicate and this could cause unnecessary damage to the flesh, causing longer healing time. Do not start off "winding" the jewelry like a watch, as it says to up there. I recommend not doing this until at least a month after the initial piercing, and even then, don't do it unless the jewelry feels "stuck". Again, it's better to have a curved barbell for this because you can easily recognize that feeling, since it will, rightly so, be stuck and not move. You wouldn't know with a stud, trust me.

So, tl;dr? Well, basically, my points are... Go to a tattoo parlor! Get 'em done with a needle! Use contact lens solution and Q-tips for cleaning! And don't mess with your lovely fresh wounds too much!

I've gotten multiple ear piercings myself, so I do know what I'm talking about. Please, people, properly take care of your ears and do some research first, and good luck!

also keep using your sterile solution that most places give you when you get the ears pierced. if you don't have any you can get it at wal-mart, or clairs, and any other places that pierces ears.

anon58117 it sounds like it may be your earrings. i just got my ears pierced again and this makes my fifth time and i used the titanium, nickel-free earrings this time and my ears are doing great.

if you used something different your ears my be sensitive to certain kinds of earrings. if they are still red, swollen and itching, you might want to try some alcohol and peroxide. Not everybody likes using these items but i am leaving that up to you. If that doesn't work, you may see about getting the place you got your ears pierced at to help change your earrings out to nickel-free if it is not already.

i had my ears pierced yesterday and they are red, swollen and itchy. suggest something please.

to ravennxx 94: i have never heard of using machine oil in all the years of having my ears pierced and i am 43.

You turn them about two times a day and use the sterile solution for ear piercing and you can get that at any ear piercing place like wal-mart or claire's etc. but i would not use the machine oil it might get it infected.

i have just got my ears pierced again and this makes my fifth time and i don't use machine oil.

i had my ears pierced today. i'm wearing studs now. do i have to clean them every morning and evening?. i was told to use machine oil by the person who did the piercing. is that OK? and do i have to turn them, too? wouldn't that be too soon, the first day?

First off, don't get pierced with a gun, no matter what kind of piercing. there are plenty of people with success stories about them, but you're taking a huge risk.

the needles are sterilized and one time use. guns can't be sterilized. also, ears can be sore for many days, depending on your body's healing and if you've hit them, banged them or whatever. just be careful with it.

Whitish "pus" coming from your ears is normal. it might not start at once, but a few days into it, and all this is is a lymph, they are natural and are actually apart of the healing process. if your ear gets tender, red, hot to the touch and/or produces yellow, green or red pus, you have an infection. clean your piercing with sea salt water; H2ocean is a great way to clean.

it's about $15 a bottle. but dial antibacterial liquid soap is good too. don't use alcohol and peroxide based cleaners may help for infections, but for regular cleaning, they can dry out the piercing, which makes it take longer to heal. don't ever take out a piercing if you have an infection. keep it in and get antibiotics from your doctor. you're trapping the bacteria inside your ear if you take out the piercing.

I'm 14 and i just got my ears pierced three days ago at claire's. It's been feeling sore the whole day. is that normal? I've been cleaning them three times a day like the lady told me to. My ears aren't really red but just really sore. should i go see a doctor if this continues?

I just got my ears pierced today. The lady said they had to be hoops, which I have never heard of before - everyone else I know got studs first. She also did the actual piercing with a needle - not a gun. Everything was sterile, and the earrings are surgical stainless steel.

She told me not to use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, but anti-bacterial soap (Dial or Bactex, without fragrances or colourants). Hope everything turns out fine. Any advice on the best ways to keep hoop earrings and these new piercings clean?

I like the guns when getting your ears pierced. Like i said, I have four already done by guns and have not had any problems with the piercing but with the earrings i had used.

It's your best bet to get the piercing done in the winter time because it helps to keep the infections down because during the summer it's hot and that's when most infections can happen when its called dog days.

That's the old saying. i have had my ears pierced during the december month every time and it has worked for me. i don't know about anybody else, but good luck. i am also thinking about getting another one this month.

i have had my ears pierced four times and that's including my cartilage with a gun at wal-mart and i have had minor problems like wrong earring in cartilage. but i like using the guns -- they're quick and easy. i use the cleaning solutions that comes with the piercing also use peroxide and alcohol and it works.

Getting pierced with a gun is cheap but they don't use high quality earrings. Even though getting pierced by a needle seems painful and "dangerous," it's not. It's actually much safer and cleaner to get pierced by a needle because they either use sterilized needle that's only a one-time use or needles that undergo the disinfecting machine that heats it up to a super high temperature.

The piercer is much more educated in the subject, unlike the random people that do it in jewelry stores and Claire's. My first two piercings were done with a gun as a kid. The first one got infected, but the second time turned out fine. Then I wanted a cartilage and did a lot of reliable researched before settling on getting pierced by a needle. And I had a second pair of lobe piercings shortly after my cartilage with a gun and it got infected, not because I wasn't cleaning it but because I think the jewelry and procedure was not clean enough.

Also, getting pierced by a gun causes shock to the body and causes scarring more easily compared to piercing with a needle. It's OK to get pierced in the lobes with a gun but everything else should be done with a needle.

Hey i got my ears pierced like two and a half months ago and i cared for them well, but after about one month i took them out for the first time and saw some brownish stuff on my ears so i washed it off and cleaned my earrings and ears and put them back in.

Then last week i got new earrings at the mall and put them in and noticed my ears bled a little, so i went home and cleaned them, and left them in, and today my and my sister were messing around and she pulled on my ears a bit and they started to hurt so i took the earrings out and my ears were bleeding a bit.

So i cleaned my ears and put the earrings back in because I'm afraid they might close up but i don't know if something bad might happen because it really hurt when she pulled them and i don't want them to get infected.

I had my daughter's ears pierced last Nov. If she sleeps one night without the earrings, will her ears grow up overnight after almost a year?

I have been piercing people's ears for 20 years at Rothstein Jewelers of Beverly Hills. I use the gun (I sterilize it after every use). I recommend 91-99 percent isopropyl alcohol and Neosporin creme -get these into the ear hole and twist the earrings every day. This works- tried and true. You need to keep bacteria out of the holes! You need to keep your hands and ears clean! If you take the earrings out too soon, the holes can close up. Be patient and diligent.

There is some seriously bad advice floating around this discussion board! First of all - guns are cheaper, quicker, and more common at cheap accessory stores. They may "clean" them before, but you cannot properly disinfect a piercing gun because it would cause the plastic to melt in the disinfecting machine leaving lovely second-hand blood plasma all over them for the next lucky person, greatly increasing your chance for infection or disease spreading. Guns also cause trauma to your place of choice because of the force used. This can damage the tissue and cause scar tissue. The backing on the studs can harvest bacteria because of their shape. Professional piercers (who do not work at Claire's and never will) use studs with flush backs which also don't stab your neck. Second - hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria, yes, but it also kills white blood cells which are needed for your piercings to heal! Use an antimicrobial soap that contains no creams or moisturizers (I use neutrogena). Use saline solution on a q-tip to clean your ears or a sea-salt bath on the piercing site. Third - if your ear is infected, of you think it may be infected - do not take out the earring. The holes will close up and trap in the infection. It is best to leave it in, wait for it to heal completely and then take it out. Fourth - leave piercings in for at least three months to be sure the area has properly healed. Fifth - Turning your earrings will tear any new tissue and prolong healing. Sixth - White gold contains nickel and 25 percent of the population is allergic to nickel. Use pure metals or titanium - it is very important not to cheap out here! Cheaper is not better! Spend the extra money and save the suffering!! I learned ALL this the HARD WAY!!!!!

I've had my ears pierced 3 times already. should i get them pierced again? if so, how do I take care of them properly?

i need someone to really help me! is it OK if i don't clean it for like the two days after i pierced it? cause i went to pierce my ears, and i didn't have enough money to buy the antiseptic liquid thing. my friend is giving me a new bottle on tuesday, which is two days from now. but during these two days, i am scared that i could get an infection. what should i do?

i have just had my ear lobe pierced for the third time every time has been in the same hole. i have now had them in for about a month. these seem to be going much better. i would say that you should get your ears pierced with a gun because they *will* clean their hands and the gun before they pierce your ears. if you do it with a gun it is fast and almost painless. if you do it with a needle it is very painful and dangerous. anyway i say clean it twice a day -- once when you wake up and again before you go to bed. always use surgical spirit because it cleans your ears and hardens the skin around the hole. you need that to be hard so it is not painful and won't close up when you take out earrings. also always push the earrings back and forth to make sure the surgical spirit goes into the hold then twist the earring so that they don't stick. if it is your first piercing you should keep them in for up to 6 weeks. however if you're like me and it is your second or more time and you have had it done in exactly the same place you need to wait 8 weeks because the old scar tissue needs to heal up. if your ear gets infected just keep cleaning it every day and do not touch and it should clear up, or go to the doctor's and get some antibiotics. these are tablets to take that and clean out your body of any infection. if one or both of your ears is swelling up (this happened to me) all you do is get some ice cubes and hold one on either side of your ears and squeeze your ears until the ice melts. do this until the ear goes back to normal. it could take a couple days but it will be fine, i promise. just keep doing the ice before it embeds. if you do this your ears should be fine. ;D

I may have twisted my ear stud to much and it seems I can't feel the bottom of the stud. would it require surgery?

I am about to get them pierced. Is there anything else i need to know.

I got my ears pierced a little over three weeks ago. ever since i got them pierced one ear seemed as if it was a little more swollen than the other. i just figured that ear was fatter. but it's been very hard to clean because the earring is surrounded by the ear and there's no room to move it in and out like the other earring. i've also noticed because the earring sits on the piercing the hole in that ear is bigger, but when i woke up this morning the stud had gone into my ear. i've seen this happen to someone else before from wearing to small of studs so i just pushed it back out, then took the earring out completely. but should i be worried that the hole in that ear is much larger than it should be? should i just find longer earrings to put in that ear? or should i see a doctor or go back to claires?

Hi i got my ear periced a three days ago and it is still a bit red. is that normal?

i got my ears pierced about seven months ago and i occasionally use peroxide to clean them. I've tried rubbing alcohol which works really well, but i almost fainted because of the smell. I'm trying to take off my safety backings because i need to take them out to clean them and because i'm starting school next week and i can't wear my studs to P.E. One of my safety backings is almost off. It's right at the bottom of the earring and it's kind of locked there. I need help taking them off before next wednesday so someone please help me! oh yeah and if any people want to get their ears pierced i recommend getting 14 karat gold posts and backings too. or you can use white gold. sterling silver could infect your ears easily if they're sensitive. anyway, someone please help me with the safety backings please!

After taking out earrings and cleaning them thoroughly at the 3rd week mark, inmmediately put them back in the ears. I don't know about the spirit stuff, but I swear by hydrogen peroxide. Also, it may sound odd, but when a big "lump" developed in my right ear, after the 3rd week cleaning, I rubbed gold bond in (the green container), and it went right away! I then put the earrings back in, and no further problems.

i have my ears pierced and they were done about 3 weeks ago and i knocked my earring the other day with my hair brush. i carried on cleaning it, then yesterday it became swollen and red and sore to touch. i have been bathing it in surgical spirit. is that OK? also when i had my ears pierced the lady never told me to take my earrings out after 3 weeks and clean them and then put them back in? i'm really confused should i go to the doctor and find out if there's anything he can give me? also i'm going on holiday on thursday and i want it to have gone down by then. any suggestions welcome.

After three weeks when you take them out to clean, how long can you leave them out?

For ease in turning the earrings when newly pierced or crusted, use a dab of petroleum jelly, then turn gently. Also, try antiseptic mouthwash to cleanse the pierced holes.

anon38133, I had trouble with my first ear piercing, but not the next two. The next two I had done in a salon, and took really good care of my ears. Have it professionally done. Keep ears clean. Enjoy!

I need help guys. im a guy and i want to get my left ear pierced but im worried it might get infected like before because the last time I've had my ear piereced was 6 years ago and was infected and my aunt took it out and it closed up. so if i get done again would it be infected again

I have had my ears pierced 3 times. I have started each time to use the stuff from Claire's, but then went to hydrogen peroxide (*no* alcohol!) as it worked better. This last time, I took the earring out after 3 weeks. I cleaned my ears thoroughly with the peroxide, and also cleaned the posts completely. I then applied gold bond ointment to my ears and the posts, and put the earrings back in. My ears felt so much better, and I haven't had any problems with them. I would always recommend hydrogen peroxide, and I'd also recommend that midway "cleaning". I have *never* gotten any pus in my ears, and they haven't tried to close up because of the peroxide. Claire's told me not to use it this last time, too, but their stuff was not working and my ears were sore, and my right one had a big lump in it. So I started using the peroxide, and did the cleaning bit. No more soreness or lumps!

Do not use peroxide or alcohol. It makes the holes try to grow up. It's proven! Also, when they say guns are bad, they are wrong. Guns are proven to be the number one most sanitary way to get piercings.

I have had my ears pierced 4 times now. Every time, I just went to Claire's and I got the bottle and stuff. I always have gotten pure gold earrings, used their santiation stuff and peroxide and or alcohol.

But, after like 2 months, i get giant purple balls of puss on both ears.

This time, I'm going to extremes. The woman was really nice, and said that peroxide and alcohol were my problems before. They say to apply their stuff two times a day, the woman said to do it 3, but i'm doing it 4. I just got my ears pierced friday, and today is sunday! I am not going to go in the pools or ocean or anything because I am afraid of bacteria irritating it. My mom had her ears do the same thing her whole life and couldn't get them to be OK until age 34. Her ears are fine now, and my little sisters ears have always been fine. So this time, I'mnot going to use the stupid myth of peroxide and alcohol. I'll tell y'all how it goes! Just didn't want anyone to use that! Also, don't take them out for 6 weeks! guns are the best way to get them done! I recommend Claire's to everyone!!

By all means, take the earrings out and replace with something you're not allergic to.

im 15. i recently got my third holes done in my ears 3 weeks after i got my cartilage pierced. i've had my first hole since i was 6 weeks old and they never bothered me nor did it hurt when i got my second holes done when i was in 5th grade. my cartilage is fine but my third holes are sore inflamed and swollen. they do leak some pus and blood but they also are showing signs of embedding but the earrings are on the safety notch on the bar. i've been cleaning it with a 3 step remedy. i clean away and dry pus, skin or other stuff with rubbing alcohol then i do a warm salt water soak for 5 to 10 mins on each ear. the last thing i do is apply claires ear antiseptic to make sure it stays clean.

the lady who pierced my ears told me the earrings were sterling silver but the owner of the shop told my mother that the earrings she was going to use were surgical steel which irritates my ears but my mom didn't know. i want to know if its okay if i take the earrings out and change them if it will help with the fact that my ears are freaking out on me or will it just make the problem worse?

I just got my six year olds ears pierced today. I clean them like I've been told. However when I try to rotate them like they tell me it causes her lots of pain.. should I do this or not? I don't want to cause her pain but I want her ears to heal correctly.. Any advice?

Well, 35408, I disagree with you completely. I used the stuff from the salon, and it was not working. finally, I took the studs out, cleaned my ears completely with hydrogen peroxide, then used a little Gold Bond ointment, put the earring back in, and they never bothered me again. Also, I think it very unwise not to keep turning the earrings.

First, you should never clean a peircing with anything but a sterile sea salt and water mixture or you will get huge amounts of swelling and infection. You should never turn your earrings, it grinds scabs and infectious material into the wound. And it is unwise to ever take your earrings out for two months, the time it takes to fully heal.

Also, the guns used to do these piercings in stores are -bad-, horrible in fact. They only shove broken tissue into the sound and it essentially rots there in the wound, very often causing massive infection. They should -only- be done by a professional, in a studio, with stainless steel medical grade jewelry.

Clean your ears with hydrogen peroxide. It doesn't hurt to take the earrings out, do the cleaning, then put them back in. I did that, and my ears felt so much better. Also, you might "paint" the studs with clear fingernail polish. Or better yet, get the product L'Protect. It's sold on the internet; that's how I got it.

Hi, i pierced my own ear (cartilage) about a week and a half ago, and its become very peel-y and wet like puss stuff but other that that its fine i think :s but the only problem is i pierced it with a real gold earring but it broke so now im wearing some cheapy old thing not gold or silver (real) the color of it is silver, but i have never worn them, i thoroughly cleaned them with antibacterial spray and wipes. any advice?

I had my ears pierced twice, the first time was a horrible mistake and my ears just got infected and I had to take out the earring and it just closed up again, but the second time I pierced my ears, I was extra careful, and it was fabulous, at first I had to keep on the same earrings for four to six weeks, but now, I can change earrings as long as I want!

My ears used to get really sore after I'd worn the earring for awhile during the day.. Especially when I wore dangly earrings (which I love!), and they would swing back and forth. One day I was watching TV, and I glanced over at my tube of Gold Bond. (I swear by this stuff!) I impulsively rubbed some into the front and back of both my ear lobes. My ears *never* got sore again! I couldn't believe how well it works.

Also, I sometimes fall in love with "cheap" earrings. I used to use clear fingernail polish to "paint" the wires or studs, but now I use a product called "L'Protect" by Earrs.

The best advice is gotten from a piercer and not done with a gun but a hollow needle. Why ask a doctor or a chemist(which is the last person i would imagine going to)?

talk to someone who is a piercing professional.

A lot of people here are asking about itching ears. *Yes*, you can be allergic to gold. I wasn't when I first got my ears pierced several decades ago, but began reacting to gold earrings later. My ears itched but did not become infected. Eventually the diamond posts I wore the most became black around the post and began to thin as it seemed my body chemistry began to eat away at the post. If you are allergic to a metal in your ears, it is a safe bet you will react to it in your navel as well.

Most people's ears to grow back a thin layer of skin if they go a long time between wearing earrings. You may have to 're-pierce' the hole a bit to get the earring in. It may get angry and sore for a couple days, but infected? It's important to watch your hygiene with your earrings. If your hands or earrings are germy when there is a slight 're-piercing' then bacteria can get into that opening and begin to get infected. With proper care, an infected ear should clear up in a few days. Once that hole has opened up (bleeding) it is a good idea to keep good quality earrings in your ears until the infection is gone and they re-heal. Otherwise, you'll be tearing through skin every time you go back to wearing the earrings and starting the potential-infection process all over again. In the old days, we used rubbing alcohol and peroxide. Now they say that damages the metal in the earrings - and maybe it does. Most shops that pierce ears carry a sterilizing liquid for daily cleaning.

Sometimes after wearing the original piercing earrings for several weeks, it can tear the hole a bit when they are removed. One of the things it seems they don't tell you when they pierce your ears is that it is important to turn your earrings in your ears and slide them backward and forward. You don't want the hole healing with the earring exactly in one spot or it will tear your ear when you go to remove it for the first time.

Finally, even after having pierced ears for well over 30 years, my ears sometimes get mad and bleed a bit or even seem a bit infected. It is rare, but it can happen - especially with studs. It is easy to fasten studs too tightly, get a cheap metal, or just wrench the earring with your hair, pillow, etc. Just like cutting your finger, the earring hole will heal. If it takes more than 2 or 3 days I'd say you might want to see a doctor. I remember a friend who kept trying to get her navel piercing to heal and it just always looked angry and infected. This went on for weeks until it was just pretty gross and puffy looking. She was probably allergic to the gold or something and just kept wearing it. After a while it was positively sickening to look at, and I think that piercing eventually healed into a puffy mess. Yikes - not everyone can wear gold or silver. I have *never* had a reaction to surgical steel - but body chemistry is a funny thing and your body chemistry can change slightly (acid balance I'd guess) and your allergic reaction can go away or lessen. If you've got earrings that freak your ears out every time you wear them, it would be better to get rid of them than deal with the pain and mess of a chronic irritation and infection.

My sons recently got their ears pierced and they freak out whenever they see a bit of blood or pus. Relax, be smart about it, keep them clean and be a bit patient. It will be OK. Hope this helps.

i've had my ears pierced for one year now.

after approx one week after piercing, i took the studs out and wore clip-on earrings instead of the post types. i think it was put on too tight, so it was a little sore that night. the next morning i tried putting my trainer studs back on, it was too sore.

eventually i put the studs back in. then i wore just plain metal earrings and again ears got a bit sore. not sure whether it was because i wasn't used to dangling earrings. they weren't that heavy either. again i removed and put on studs.

then after that i kept on getting infections. i do use earcare spray, but it seems to get worse. recently, my ears got infected, when i tried to remove the studs, i accidentally poked a second hole through the back, so I've got three holes on my left ear lobe. what should i do?

ps i hardly take my earrings off and jst keep to the same one the past year without changing.

please help

I got my ears pierced by a doctor Friday. Yes, that includes numbing, needle, and etc.

Recently, my ears started to itch, but my ears aren't infected and the earring is at least 18k gold. Yes, I clean them. No I do not twist the earrings.

Any help?

The best thing to use when getting your ears pierced is a piercing gun and to get the chemist to do it. I got mine done 3 times, the 3rd one today. None of them hurt when they got done. The gun was clean and sterile so I have never had any problems with them.

Doing your own ears is dangerous and unclean. I have never had any problems with them because the chemist did them clean and quick with minimal pain. I always use a antiseptic spray on my ears for after care.

i got my ears pierced about 9 weeks ago. still sometimes they are swollen and have pus. my right ear is OK with every earring i have tried, but the left one keeps bleeding and is swollen all the time.

i have tried gold earrings, gold plated earrings, loops of threads and even silver, but nothing seems to work.

recently my right ear got better but the left one kept on bleeding and was swollen. i got pierced by a gun and i wore a stud for like 2 to 3 weeks, but no effect. we have also tried old remedies like putting onion fried oil onto the earlobe, but no effect. i have also tried antibiotic creams, but to no effect.

can you please help me?

I want to get my belly done, but i went on this web site and it said that it's best to have titanium or steel bc it's less likely to get infected. But when i got my ears done, i found out i can only wear gold or silver bc it gets infected.

What shall i do ?

I got my ears re-pierced with a needle at a local tattoo shop. Instead of a stud, they put in a small hoop. Kind of like the one you see on people who get their brow pierced (hoop with small ball in the middle). It has been over 15 years since I have worn any pierced earrings. I have had them done 6 times before I was 15 and they always became infected. After much research I have found out that you should *never* get them pierced with a gun. They cannot be sterilized therefore that is where a lot of infection comes from.

The guy at the tattoo shop told me that the best aftercare is to use 100% antibacterial soap, clean them and rotate them and to leave my hoops in for at least 1 month, before taking them out to change them. Just wanted to give my two cents on this issue due to the fact that I have had so many issues in the past with getting my ears pierced, but this time was different.

I would definitely recommend calling around tattoo/piercing shops to see their pricing (mine cost $40 total, usually varies from that price and up). Also, check and see what the age guidelines are (here in Kentucky, you can not be under the age of 13 to get a needle piercing, it is illegal. Other states may be different. It has something to do with getting a needle stuck through your ear being a form of minor surgery. Hope this helps any potential people looking to get a piercing done.

hey. I was wondering what type of metals are good for starters that do not stick. Would stainless steel be good? my friend said gold or silver only, but i want to stay cheap.

i don't have to worry about any allergic reactions. im immune to having any allergies: never have had one, never will.

Emily I think you might be allergic to the stainless steal earrings and that might be why the doctor said it was an infection but I'm really sorry to say this but once you get an infection you can't really stop it. Just try to clean it every time you think about it and don't get any weird crap in it. Like don't get shampoo in it when you're taking a shower or something..

hey i got my ear pierced 2 days ago, they are now very swollen and red and has pus, it stings and i get a burning sensation. i went back to the people who pierced it and they said it was the stainless steal earrings that they pierced it with but the doctor said it was an infection? can anybody tell me whats wrong and how to treat it?

And for anon13346 I had to get surgery too on my first piercing. It was on my left ear. (I'm prone to ear infections on my left ear :[) and the backing of my earring was INSIDE of my ear and i went to the clinic to get it fixed and it was red after a while but i decided to be stupid and try sticking an earring in my ear. I think i got really lucky because it went through with like no problems. Now it's all good because I have an earring in. I think you can get another piercing but i really would suggest getting it done in a different place. because if you want to get it done in the same place, you would probably get an infection really easily. If you do get another piercing and you want to prevent infections use penicillin! It works! It's a pill that prevents any kind of infections. I hope that kind of helps you. If not i'm sorry i'm just a kid so i can't really help you that well..;]

my friend's dad just pierced my ears yesterday. He had bought a special gun thingy when my friend was born in the intention of doing her ears for her. (she got hers done about 2 months ago) he told me that all i needed to do was to keep them dry... im no so sure about that, because my friend got an infection after following his instructions. my mom said to just turn it and put rubbing alcohol on it. i've heard that sea salt and water is good too. which one is best?

they're not even red anymore, except when i touch them. i think they're doing fine so far, but i don't want to mess up...

I pierced my own ear, used a hot safety pin. the only cleaning i did was take a shower. I Then played with it continuously for 6 weeks, and it had pus leaking out it for about a week. after about 3 weeks i cleaned it with a warm cotton pad. now, 2 months on, its perfect. however, i don't recommend this method, as it has a 99% chance of infection. guess i just got lucky. happy piercing.

i just got my ears pierced 3 days ago. it is my first piercing and i am 16. i got titanium earrings, because i know im allergic to cheap metals-like some rings will turn my fingers green. but i have noticed that on my ear lobe behind the front of the earring my ear is actually like a purple color. i have no idea what this is, my ears don't itch and are not swollen or red or anything and they don't hurt. I've been cleaning them with the stuff they gave me for it. I've asked my friends and some of them think im allergic to the titanium and some said its a bruise. i have no idea what it is. should i take my studs out or leave them in? the purple color it only right behind the earrings it doesn't go beyond them. what is this purpleness on my ears?

honestly encouraging people to get pierced with a gun is a very very bad thing, needles are the only thing you should consider getting pierced with.

guns cannot be autoclaved so are not sterile no matter what anyone tells you, they cause blunt force trauma, scars and just aren't worse the risk.

oh and using a gun on anything besides a standard lobe is just a disaster waiting to happen!

i have six ear piercings; one in each lobe, two on right cartilage, one on left middle, and my tragus. here's the deal; when the people tell you to clean it and only twist it while cleaning, please listen. if you touch your new piercing all the time, it's guaranteed to get infected. only touch it with clean hands or, this means, when you clean your piercing. second, if it's a new cartilage piercing, sleep on your opposite side for a couple nights. third, if you have posts in your lobes and its causing your itching and burnings, you're allergic to the type of metal your earrings are made out of; look for "nickel-free" earrings because they are made for extra sensitive ears. if your piercing is infected, i've found it's okay to keep your earring in as long as you DON'T TOUCH IT or play with it, only when you clean it. you should clean it a couple more times a day. if they are infected, you can also try a piercing/tattoo parlor and ask for sea salt. you can mix sea salt with water to act as a cleanser. if you get a piercing at parlor, they usually give you little packets of sea salt. if you're having problems with getting the back of your earrings off, the back could be a little too small for the post, causing it to be hard to get off, or you can buy the clear, rubber backs which i find are the easiest back to work with, and decrease risk of infection.

I'd say that self-piercing is a great alternative for ear piercings. I did that about a year ago, and they've turned out great. As long as you sanitize what you use and keep your ear clean, it should be fine. All I used was rubbing alcohol, boiling water, and a needle. You boil the needle first and after that you let it soak in rubbing alcohol, swab down your ear, and pierce. It is really less painful than you would expect, and since you're in control of it, it usually turns out good.

Dear anon15757,

what you should do is take hydrogen peroxide and a cotton ball to clean it. Make sure you lift up the top of the earring when cleaning, and push the top down into the ear when cleaning the back. Wait about a day. If puss is still coming out of the ears, your best bet is that your ear is infected. You should take out the earrings immediately.

I got my ears pierced a few days ago and for three days now they have been red and swollen! They hurt a lot! It's my right ear by the way, I haven't taken my earrings out yet and I clean them 3 times a day. I got them done at Clarie's. They used a gun and I have post in. They messed up because both my earrings are slanted down and my left earring back part is at the bottom of my ear lob. I want to know why my right ear hurts so much! My mum said she will take me to the doctor after school tomorrow. (BTW I am 12) My earrings are on really tight too, The back is right up against my ear and worse is the front of my ear ring is sinking into my ears! I went to the nurse Friday to see if she could loosen them but she wasn't aloud to touch my ears. I try twisting the back left (While holding the front of the earring) but it feels like its getting tighter, please help they hurt like heck!

Hey people. I got my ears pierced to days ago it did NOT hurt at all. All i felt was wind. After a few second she put something with a cotton ball on it not sure what it is. She put that when we started the piercing also. When i sat down with my friend my mum was paying. My ear got a bit red and was burning a lot. After a few hours it healed up. Now its all fine im twisting it and applying a spray thing 3 times a day it feels fine but weird. I was thinking to let 4-5 weeks pass till i take my studs of. I was thinking to buy a cheap earring after that. No more then $50 dollars. Do you reckon it will have titanium or nickel?

twisting or moving your earring, or piercing in general is NOT good care. Your skin will not fuse to the metal in the piercing and irritating the sensitive skin can cause lumps that I think everyone would like to avoid.

I just got my ears pierced 6 weeks ago and I just took them out to put new ones in, but whenever I put in a new earring, it will never go through the back hole. I have to dig around in my ear with the earring to find the hole. It hurts when doing this but it goes in after 5 mins. Whats wrong?

i've had my newly peirced earrings for like 3 weeks and 3 days. and the only problem i've had with my ears, is my ear has itched. Only one of them though. It start happening, ehh, like maybe a week and a half ago. And idk if its infected or not cause its not red, or doesn't hurt, it just itches. my mom is going to get me that antibiotic ointment for my ear and see if that helps. does that ointment really take it away, or is the itching a sign of slight infection? also. i got my ears pierced for the first time when i was 11. but after four days it got infected. But i'm 15 now, and have used the cleaner three times a day, you no, like after showering, running. when i wake up and before bed. are you more likely to get an infection if you already got an infection for previously peirced ears?

hi i ahv had my ear pierced today and it is a stud, but when i try to loosen it, it hurts because the gun put it nin to tight how do you tke studs off do you twist or do you pull??? and can i loosen it because it feels raw and it is red comment asappplzpleasexxx

I just got my ear pierced today and it got knocked out while playing a sport. I quickly cleaned the hole with the cleanser that was prescribed to me and then I quickly put the earring back into the lobe with ease. The ear doesn't hurt, and there is minor swelling due to the fact that the earring got ripped out. Was it a smart move to put the earring back into the lobe after being taken out... even if the lobe and the earring was thoroughly cleansed with the disinfecting prescription?

i just got a newly pierced ear like a week now and i just got a swollen ear and its been swollen all day i'm worried it is infected b/c after my shower i found the puss was coming out....what should i do???

everyone heals differently. what I find best to do when piercings are healing is sea salt soaks twice a day for around three minutes *using warm water* you can use regular table salt if you want but do that and turn them a few times a day but always wash your hands before touching a fresh piercing! If not it could get infected. Do make sure to always have fresh pillow cases on your pillow. Another thing that helps with healing and reduces swelling is after you clean the piercing put ice on it for about ten minutes it also helps with the pain.

Hi, I need advice! I got my cartilages on one ear pierced in March and it's not July and I haven't taken the earring out. Simply because it won't come out! The "first earring" is so tightly clamped that I can't pull them apart to remove them from my ear! Any advice?? Its really sore and feels raw when I touch it...

I got 2 cartilage piercings done about 5 weeks ago and haven't had any problems. They were both done using a gun in the mall. I clean the piercings in the shower with antibacterial hand soap [bath & body works] and i apply the 'ear care' stuff they supplied twice a day with a cotton swab. Honestly, I haven't had pain since the first day, and it looks to be healing perfectly. I think its better to just clean them, turn them a few times, and leave it alone...

well i have kind of newly pierced earrings [5 wks.] and i took them out once to clean them [after 4wks] then just put them back in. it was fine...it hurt a little but whatever. but the thing is that i only took one out because i was afraid one would close. this was my second time getting my ears pierced because that one closed before. i had surgery on it when i was i was like 9 because i had a double earlobe. so now that ear lobe is thicker. should i wait longer than normal to take that one out or just do it the same?

I pierced my ear about a week ago from today. Today i decided to clean it like any other regular day and i saw there was some puss, but not a lot. So i decided to remove the backing but accidentally pulled out the the earring from my ear completely. It was so hard to try to put it back in and it bled a little. I got it back in and and it looked fine but a little red. Is it all right what i did and will it heal properly so i will be able to put in different studs later?

i have 7 piercings combined...i have 5 piercing all together on my lobes and 1 on my cartilage i also have my belly button pierced, none of which are infected.

when i first took my cartilage out it started bleeding and was also red what happened was that the gun they used to pierce my ear put it on too tight. putting the earring back in was painful because it wasn't completely healed so i ripped the inside of my ear the first time. when i took it out a few weeks later it was easier and less painful to take out and put back in.

my lobes didn't bleed at all but they were sore for once again the piercing gun put them on 2 tight. but you have to twist your earrings so that your earring won't get "stuck" make sure you move it also when you clean it so the cleaner gets all the way through your ear by moving it back and forth.

when i got my belly button ring done i was scared because i am allergic to steel. turns out what they used was surgical steel which i guess is different? but my body isn't allergic to it. make sure to soak it in a sea salt and water mix for 5 minutes about once a day to help it heal.

don't move this piercing!

OK, so i have two earrings in the bottom of each ear and my cartilage pierced as well. I had a needle for the cartilage and a gun for each bottom. I've had piercing eat the earring, had my ear grow over the backs, and every other thing you could think of happen. im kind of an expert now. this is what you do: first off, get the needle. second off, get it done professionally. buy 100% antibacterial soap. get cotton balls. a lot of them. mix 2 parts water and one part soap and clean your ears with it. and i mean drench them. then, just using the soap and a q-tip, push your earring forwards so the back is still on but you can see the post of it. clean it. if soap stays on the post, good. leave it on for like... 15 minutes and then rinse it with your mixture again. turning your earrings, is a good thing. don't do it excessively though. only in the morning, at night before bed, and when your cleaning. some crusty things are normal. pus is an infection, use one of the creams described above BUT wash it off with your same mixture i told you about. good luck!

I have had my ears pierced about three years ago and have had to get surgery because my ears "ate" them and was a big, gross-looking mess. I am now considering to get my ears pierced again, but I am very unsure and confused on how to take care of them. Should I twist or pull them back and forth, use prescribed peroxide or antibacterial ointment, have it pierced with a needle or gun?? I don't want to end up with elephant ears again:(

I just got my second hole done (on my ear). And trust me the best thing to do is to clean the ear around the hole with the special cleaner that the place you got it done gives out. Twist the stud after you clean it, but don't do it with your bare hand (so you don't get an infection). I have found no problem with the gun, but I have never gotten it done with the needle so I really can't compare.

okay. i just peirced my ear about three days ago it is super red and hurts like crazy, how long does it take before it starts to calm down a bit?

About six weeks have gone by since I got my ears pierced. Is it all right to wear earrings that aren't post earrings now? Will the piercing not continue to heal correctly if I don't wear post earrings?

What type of metal post earring did you have? You may have had a allergic reaction to that metal.

I just got my ears pierced about 2 months ago and the back was filled with gunk. When you take them out it might hurt a little. I did not twist mine enough and they were hard to take out. I just started wearing new ones though and when you take them out and replace them you want to make the earring go straight though the hole otherwise the earring will poke you somewhere in your ear and that will hurt! Take good care of your ears!!!!!!!!

I had my ears pierced today. Now, after checking the web sites, I'm more confused than ever. Twist the stud, Don't twist, Use Alcohol, Use medical grade soap only, use antibiotic ointment, don't use ointment, use Peroxide, Don't use Peroxide, it dries. oh my, My Virgin ear lobes are compromised forever and right now I'm praying I don't grow grapefruit size infections.

Never use hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, or antibiotic ointment on a fresh piercing. These are all unacceptable treatments for a puncture wound (which, as someone has already pointed out, is essentially what a piercing is). Never allow yourself to be pierced with a gun/starter stud. Even if the whole operation is sterile, which is doubtful with this method, the gun/starter stud causes more damage to your ear (crushes the flesh) than a simple needle piercing (glides right through). Furthermore, a starter stud does not allow the fresh piercing room to swell, and traps bacteria between the earing and the flesh (particular at the back). A captive ball ring, commonly used by professional piercers, allows space to swell, room to breathe, and can be cleaned thoroughly while healing. Also, a stud is not necessary for "turning" the fresh piercing. A captive ball ring can be moved back and forth through the piercing, causing less irritation than the "turning" of a starter stud. Talk to a professional piercer.

If your earlobes become sore and inflamed when you remove the starter earrings and start wearing other earrings, after they had previously healed from the piercing, it's usually because you are allergic to nickel. (14K gold earrings contain nickel.) In that case, you may have to wear only earrings that are labeled "nickel free." Sometimes it works as long as the posts and backs are nickel free. Or wear other earrings only for a few hours before switching back to nickel free. I've discovered that I can wear my beautiful 14K gold diamond earrings for just a couple hours at a time.

Hydrogen peroxide dries a new piercing out; piercing guns can not be sterilized (not even a sharp point earring is better than a needle), ointment or cream will not allow the piercing to breath. It is not meant for puncture wounds, which is what a piercing is. Twisting it irritates it.

And by the way, yes, it did hurt when I removed the diamond earring after three days. I was a little gruesome. Let's leave it at that.

I had my ears pierced over 20 years ago and seldom wore earrings. When I did, my left ear would become sore and sometimes inflamed. I didn't give it much thought, but in the back of my mind I knew that it hadn't healed properly. This Valentine's Day my husband bought me expensive diamond stud earrings with a screw back. OK. Let me tell you, my left ear grew around the screw...I kept them in my ears for three days without taking them out because I loved them so much. Now I am treating my ears, especially the left ear, as if they are newly pierced. I went out and bought a pricey pair of studs without screws and plan to follow the procedure posted on this site. I want my ears to heal, but I also want to wear my diamonds! Thank you for the advice!!

My ears were pierced when I was a baby at about 2 years old. I am now 17 and have rarely worn earrings throughout my life (ironic), maybe once every 2 years, but my holes have never closed up. I've recently worn earrings a lot though for special occasions and my right earlobe is very puffy and itchy and when I last pulled the earring out it hurt and was very sensitive. There was blood and a kind of pus on the earring's bar, the part that sticks in the ear.

How should I care for this one earlobe?

if you continuously wear your earrings after getting them pierced for only a month, then have to take them out for a couple hours, is it likely that you holes will close up?

how do you know if you're allergic to silver in your ears? if you are, does it mean you will be allergic to silver in your belly button? if so can you just were white gold?

i pierced my ear more than 2 months ago, i believe, and didn't take them out until now... now i think that it was a big mistake.I thought it would be better if i kept it on longer..Anyway, when i took my earrings off for the first time,i saw blood come out of the holes and it was red only on the back of my ear. When i tried putting on new earrings it really hurt. Now it's okay but it feels weird when the earring sometimes shake. I didn't want to wear the post earring again because it's sharp on the end.I thought it would hurt even more if i tried to put them on my ear. I don't know if i should take out my earrings often of not. Plus i'm worried it might hurt every time i take them out. Any suggestions? oh yea my sister pierced her ear with me but nothing's wrong with hers. she did take her earrings out a little earlier but it was still after one month had passed. So why is this happening to only me?