Questions about Ear Piercing Maintenance

[Junside]

I got em pierced yesterday and strangely enough, it had a higher pain level than when I got my lip pierced(which didn't hurt at all and I practically felt nothing) but when I got my ears pierced, they were still numb/burning(?) after.

They feel okay now. I forgot to ask all this to this blonde girl who did my piercing at the store. (All that talking and flirting we did and silly me forgot to ask about the most important stuff). I'll text her additional questions later if needed but I don't trust her cuz she put me in pain. -_-

So here I am cuz we have lots of ladies on the forums.

I got witch hazel and cotton balls. How often do I clean them?

Is it normal for me to still feel like they're there?

Is a month and a half okay or do I wait longer?

How long till I notice if anything is going wrong? They're not pink or red right now.

Do I have to twist them?

Can someone give me exact instructions to clean the piercing? Do I get the witch hazel inside into the piercing too?

Thanks in advance. I only needed to use mouthwash for my lip so this is new to me.

Hopefully they'll heal okay. I'm starting to get mad tanned too. (Steph can't call me a vampire anymore :p) but if I get any darker I'll look like a jersey shore guido -_-

[Gluttony]

Ok well I'm not sure where your piercing is, but I'm going to answer this question as if it's through the cartilage. I personally have the industrial piercing (both ears), so if it's the lobe then all of these answers may be void.

1. I didn't use witch hazel so I cannot help you on that, but from what I understand it's used to dry things out (which makes it a good blemish fighting agent), so this could actually be bad for your piercing since drying it out will irritate the skin around it and may cause pain. I just used hypoallergenic/unscented soap, but again soaps may dry out skin so I just used it once or twice daily. Now a days I would try to use a saline solution to clean the wound as they're made to be isotonic and not remove moisture from the body.

2&3. I have a high threshold for pain so for me I didn't really feel them after a few days... unless I hit/rubbed them against something (ouch!) but that's personally. Cartilage takes quite a while to heal so I would give that between 6-9 months to heal. Are you sleeping on them?

4. How long until you notice something wrong, well that would require a picture or something. I would suggest going to a dermatologist if you have doubts. Usually infection is obvious (unusual discharge, usually yellow in color but may also be green or even brown) if you find anything like/similar to that I would visit a doctor. I don't know your race, but keloids (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keloids) may develop around the piercing and are more prominent in people with darker skin.

5. Should you twist them (I assume you mean when cleaning them), definitely! I didn't the first couple of days because they were throbbing while doing it, but I endured it after that. It's important to remove as much harmful bacteria from them as you can. If there is anything on the stem of the jewelery and it gets transported to an open wound, the chance for infection is greatly increased. Also, try not to touch the piercing or around the area if at all possible (other than when cleaning); the hands collect tons of bacteria daily and it's quite easy to transport it from one area of your body to another this way.

[Junside]

Yep I got piercings on my earlobes. So some of those answers definitely helped! Thanks so much. There's nothing secreting out of them yet, its only my second day. I don't feel them being numb anymore either, compared to yesterday, it felt bothered that something was going through my ear.

I would guess that if I was playing sports, sweat could bring bacteria to the opening. But people told me cleaning it too often is bad too, though my body usually never gets sick at all and has a strong immune system. So they feel kinda comfortable for now. I can't help but wanna move it around though lol

Again, thanks for your help

[Junside]

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/fantomz06/IMG_20110602_220843.jpg

I have both sides pierced but here's a shot of my right side. Looks clean?

[Zeus]

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/fantomz06/IMG_20110602_220843.jpg

I have both sides pierced but here's a shot of my right side. Looks clean?

OMG, Erik. You have fiery eyes? Well, Hello Mr. Erik Cullen. Didn't know the Cullens got another vampire.

[DawnInfinity]

You are not mad tan. Lmao.

[Junside]

OMG, Erik. You have fiery eyes? Well, Hello Mr. Erik Cullen. Didn't know the Cullens got another vampire.

They have fiery eyes? And dammit I do not wish to be compared to a glittering vampire >.> lol

You are not mad tan. Lmao.

Its the flash lol I used it for purpose of making the observation clearer.

[DawnInfinity]

They have fiery eyes? And dammit I do not wish to be compared to a glittering vampire >.> lol


Its the flash lol I used it for purpose of making the observation clearer.

Right. I still gotcha beat on the tan-ness.

[NoTT]

Well, No my ears didnt feel like that.

Did my lip myself... That hurt quite a bit... Although i think things always hurt more if you do it yourself....

Eyebrow hurt quite a bit.... But it looks good ^.^

[Junside]

haha I've tried to do my own lip before. I got dizzy

I just couldn't find the other side when I was putting the jewel in so I quit that. Kinda crazy trying to pierce your own face xD

[KingFu]

Right. I still gotcha beat on the tan-ness.

I'm pale and proud!:D

Nice peircin man. Red eyes are creepy though O.O

[Junside]

I'm pale and proud!:D

Nice peircin man. Red eyes are creepy though O.O

Haha thanks. She's just jealous :o

[DawnInfinity]

Haha thanks. She's just jealous :o
Of your glittery vampireness? Nahh.

[Junside]

Of your glittery vampireness? Nahh.

You damn right you be jealous of my glitter!

[DawnInfinity]

You damn right you be jealous of my glitter!
A lot of grammatical sense right there. :)

[Sigkill]

You should ask the girls about piercings :) like Steph or Brooke

[Junside]

Yeah, but steph only wants to comment on my skin color xD

[LADYHADASSA]

Witch hazel is fine to clean your ears with

Three times a day

Also twist them three times a day

The discomfort is normal first day burning can last several hours

If you are still having discomfort this can be caused from the piercing earings backing being snapped on to tight wait a day if you still "feel them" you may want to remove the back leave stud in ear and gentley put back on the earings are tight.

In some cases the ear lobe is a bit bigger than the norm and you have to purchase a gold earing to replace just be warned make sure if you have to do this that the stud pole is not to thin, try to match the pole to a simular size gage.

If your ears become red dilute rubbing alchohol and use in place of witch hazel for disenfectnt :)


I have 5 in one ear 3 in the other my worst piercing was my cartalage so the care i am familiuar with i have also been an RN for 17 years ( chief of nursing) have seen many infected ears in my time any other questions feel free to pm me

[Junside]

Twist three times a day? D: I only did once. But okay. Whatever the nurse says lol

[LADYHADASSA]

Twist three times a day? D: I only did once. But okay. Whatever the nurse says lol

Lol lol twisting thre times a day keeps the ear from forming a scab and sticking to the post that hurts a bit lol, another thing i have alwayse done is use neosporin or bacatracin at night keeps the piercing clean and keps it from healing ur ear on the post lol in a couple days you should notneven remeber the earing exists ( thats for the sensitive ears )

[Junside]

Someone said neosporin isn't good.

[LADYHADASSA]

Neosporin is only good if you begin to have irritation that is abnormal in general a sign of infection, thats why i said after a few days, bacatrcin can be used any time :) the neospoin ointment not cream if signs of infection... How is the ear today?

[Junside]

My right side is a little red, maybe some shampoo got in there...

I'll check in the morning if its still red.