Ear piercing help?

Question

I got my ear pierced 2 weeks ago. Been cleaning them regularly and there was this bottle of stuff the store gave me that I put on my ears regularly. Almost everyone tells me that I should try to remove the original studs after 2 weeks, so I tried. Removed them and wore another pair of earrings for a day. But felt my ears were too sore and took them off. Kept my ears free for a day (today) and found that there is slight pain when I place pressure on the holes. Also feel that the skin is 'raised' where the earhole is...I am afraid it's infected. How do I make the swelling go down? And my holes are still sore when I try to put earrings into them. N I got slight bleeding when I tried to put my earrings back after leaving them free for a day. Is that normal? Help, very worried now.

Just to check...anyone knows what the bottle of stuff is? Coz they gave me a really mini bottle...I dun think it will last me for another 2.5weeks at the rate I am using it. :)

Answer 1

Generally that bottle of stuff is a mild saline solution. Sometimes also containing a rubbing alcohol type product. Either way, that alone was not enough to clean your ears. You should have used an antibacterial or antimicrobial soap (Dial, Proven) and sea salt soaks. Those two things are best for all piercings, they are gentle and generally will not irritate your skin and piercing.

Another issue you have is that you are not supposed to remove earrings in your lobes for 6-8 weeks. Chances are you removed the jewelry way too soon and this cause slight healing in your piercing which would explain the bump that is forming. That bump may be a keloid AKA scar tissue. The earring you put into the holes were probably cheap metal or containing a material that you are sensitive or allergic to...which is why your ears started to hurt, that and changing them too soon would do that anyway. The bleeding is from irritation. I doubt you have an infection, but if you aren't careful now, you'll get one quick.

Here is what you should do:

STOP taking advice from your friends, the things that worked for them are not for everyone. If you ever again encounter piercing issues, you need to call or better yet, visit a professional piercer and have them tell you what's right from wrong.

Put the original stud or jewelry back in. Go see a professional piercer so they can insert better jewelry because posts with backings (I'm guessing that's what you were using) are going to make healing harder. Pick up some Dial soap and non iodized sea salt. You are going to start washing your ears twice daily with mild soap and warm water. Use a wet q-tip to remove any buildup on the piercing. Once you are done washing the piercings, use about 1/2 teaspoon sea salt for 1 cup of warm water (should taste like tears) and SOAK your ears in the solution for 10-15 minutes.

Do not take out or change the jewelry for the next 8-12 weeks to ensure proper healing. For the first 6 months in general wear earrings daily. Do not pick at or play with your ears unless you are cleaning the piercings.

For the swelling, keep the area clean and take Motrin or Midol for pain and swelling.

Keep a close eye on the area. If at any point your ears become red, start leaking a greenish pus, feel heated to touch and are painful and if your lymph nodes are swollen in your neck then you will want to go to the doctor and get antibiotics to clear up your infection.

Answer 2

Just to clarify--are you talking about your lobes? If you got your cartilage pierced, I hope you used a hollow needle, not a gun. If that's what you did, it may never heal correctly and you may have already shattered the cartilage.

Also, make sure you're not over-cleaning your ears. That can dry them out too much and irritate the skin. I don't tend to trust/like any of those cleansers from Claire's/Icing, etc. Use Dial (only once a day!) with warm water and make sure to rinse thoroughly. Also, get sea salts and do the soaking every two days or so. Most of all, don't play with the piercing! At all! Stop changing the jewelry! Keep you hands off of it until it is heals. And be careful with any hair products that may be getting onto your piercing and infecting it even more.

Answer 3

You have to put the original earrings back in. You cannot wear other earrings for six weeks. It is good to take out the earrings and clean them (soak them in peroxide). You can put some neosporin on the posts before you put them back in your ears. You cannot go without your earrings this soon, your holes will close very quickly. The raised area you feel will always be there, kind of like a little knot. The bleeding may signal a little infection, but if you keep cleaning the earrings in peroxide and using neosporin on the posts everyday, you will be fine.

Answer 4

Okay well they might be getting infected but don't worry. You should have NEVER taken out the original earing until after a month or so. I would put the earings back in and continue to use the stuff they gave you. I would also suggest you going to a store and getting some sea salt. You need to but sea salt into a little cup with warm water and soak cotton into the salt water and apply that to your ears. That will def take away any infection and it will sooth your pain. Sea salt is the best way to go. GL

Answer 5

its not infected yet. u should have left the original studs in for much longer. if u dont want them to grow over, deal with the pain and put them back in. The bleeding is normal because they are trying to heal. and its like you are just making a new hole. try cleaning the hole with alcohol. deal with the pain for a few days and if they are really hot and still swollen, go to a piercing professional. they can really help. I've had nose, bellybutton, and 7 ear piercings

Answer 6

I've had a TON of piercings!!
You should wear your studs for 6-8 weeks. You took them out too early. This could have caused an infection. You should sterilize your studs and leave them in. Continute to clean them and turn the studs when you clean them. The bleeding is normal. Your ears tried to heal while your earrings were out. You should be okay. Just leave your studs in and continue to clean them. :]

Answer 7

Mine did the same thing when I took out the piercing studs too early. They get really sore. Use alcohol to clean them and try ice cubes to dull the pain reduce the swelling for about 30 minutes before you put the studs back in. That works really good.

Answer 8

They dont sound infected just not healed yet. You are supposed to keep them in for 6 weeks and turn them a lot. They will be sore and hard to get back in because the ear hole hasnt been made permanent yet its still just a wound in your earlobe. If it was infected it would be leaking greenish, white or yellow liquid and would be like burning on fire even when you havent touched it in hours.

Answer 9

I think you should have left them in longer and maybe that is why the infection ~ keep on applying the solution they gave you - and I would also call them and let them know - they should also be able to give you some suggestions. good luck


Go to Claires they have that ear peircing solution in big bottles as I just had my one ear did there

Answer 10

You probably took them out to early and they weren't healed yet, When I got both of by daughters ears pierced they told me not to change them for 2 months... Just keep using the solution but don't leave the earrings out or they will close up and you don't wanna have to do it again..