Ear piercing

[takotsubo]

I figured: what's the point of being a healthcare professional if you don't get to make some potentially stupid health related decisions? With that in mind me and my wife turned our kitchen into a temporary piercing study and pierced my ears. I guess time will tell if it was stupid to do it at home, but it looks good for now.

[janetcgtv]

Just as long they do not get infected with germs or cysts?

You will love having pierced ears as I had mine done in 1969 by another TG in the catskill mountains(called Casa Susanna connected to the old Transvestia Mag. Then a double piercing in both ears by Merle Norman Cosmetics in 1992.

Pieced Earrings are the best.  No more clip ons.

Have a nice day

Janet

[sparrow]

Search for "ear piercing aftercare," find some instructions that look reasonable, and follow them.  Key points: don't touch your ears except when washing them, and watch for signs of infection.  Lots of people pierce their ears using (for example) a safety pin and a potato, and it seems to go fine.

Edit: "it seems to go fine" is NOT to be interpreted as a recommendation for this method.  I only know about wound care; I won't weigh in on DIY methods 'cause I'm ignorant there.

[Sigyn]

Claire's (the teenager-aimed accessory store in most malls) has a wonderful product called "Claire's Ear Care Solution" that is free with their piercing, like $5.00 for a giant bottle if you go in and get it.

[Mods, please remove link if inappropriate]

http://www.claires.com/us/products/claire%27s-ear-care-solution-92718

I just got my ears pierced with them 4 days ago, and so far so good! Ironically, I had it done at Claire's 29 years ago, and the person who peirced them this time went right through the scar tissue of the last one.

[takotsubo]

You will love having pierced ears as I had mine done in 1969 by another TG in the catskill mountains(called Casa Susanna connected to the old Transvestia Mag. Then a double piercing in both ears by Merle Norman Cosmetics in 1992.

Pieced Earrings are the best.  No more clip ons.
Janet

Mine used to be pierced a couple of years ago, but I neglected them for too long so they healed. Feels good to have earrings again. :-)

[takotsubo]

Search for "ear piercing aftercare," find some instructions that look reasonable, and follow them.  Key points: don't touch your ears except when washing them, and watch for signs of infection.  Lots of people pierce their ears using (for example) a safety pin and a potato, and it seems to go fine.

Thanks for the tip, I googled it, and it seemed pretty straightforward. I used a sterile syringe, and the rest of the equipment was near-sterile, so the initial risk of infection should be low. No sign of infection today, but obviously I'll keep my eyes open. I've seen a fair deal of nasty infections that could have been easily avoided, so I know what to look for.

[Serenation]

They gave me a bottle of antisceptic spray to use, and to clean ear rings with when I had mine done.

[ClaudiaLove]

I've done them myself in a moment of depression . It hurt a lot but i was happy to wear my favorites earrings .

[RoseH]

Thanks for the tip, I googled it, and it seemed pretty straightforward. I used a sterile syringe, and the rest of the equipment was near-sterile, so the initial risk of infection should be low. No sign of infection today, but obviously I'll keep my eyes open. I've seen a fair deal of nasty infections that could have been easily avoided, so I know what to look for.

Phew, I twitch when I hear people do at-home piercings because it's often with a very blunt 'sharp' object like a safety pin. So I was happy to read that you used a syringe and everything was close to sterile.

Now I don't have to make a rant about all the risks 

[takotsubo]

Claire's (the teenager-aimed accessory store in most malls) has a wonderful product called "Claire's Ear Care Solution" that is free with their piercing, like $5.00 for a giant bottle if you go in and get it.

[Mods, please remove link if inappropriate]

http://www.claires.com/us/products/claire%27s-ear-care-solution-92718

I just got my ears pierced with them 4 days ago, and so far so good! Ironically, I had it done at Claire's 29 years ago, and the person who peirced them this time went right through the scar tissue of the last one.

I don't think we have any Claire's stores in Sweden, but I'll look for something similar!

[Mariah]

I got my first bottle free when I had them done and then the bottle I never finished I don't recall what I payed but yeah it gets pricy, but it's true it's a big bottle. Find the proper after care instructions you will be fine. Watching for infection is just one thing, but making sue they don't adhere to the skin inside or out is another. Hugs
Mariah

Claire's (the teenager-aimed accessory store in most malls) has a wonderful product called "Claire's Ear Care Solution" that is free with their piercing, like $5.00 for a giant bottle if you go in and get it.

[Mods, please remove link if inappropriate]

http://www.claires.com/us/products/claire%27s-ear-care-solution-92718

I just got my ears pierced with them 4 days ago, and so far so good! Ironically, I had it done at Claire's 29 years ago, and the person who peirced them this time went right through the scar tissue of the last one.

[katrinaw]

I have done my ears 4 times, 3 times myself and once at a piercing studio... and will again very soon
Also FWIW twice got my navel pierced (at a studio)... infected, despite all the care in the world both times.

Back to ears, I used Dettol wound wash solution and surgical spirit, ears were fine, better than the belly button  but was caught out in an embarrassing way... wife "you look ridiculous" aya... aah very soon that will all change 

Maybe do the belly button again, and... cover it up showering!

Katy xx

[emyrinth]

I've heard that piercing through places like Claires leaves a different hole? That it is better to go to a piercer and have it done with a needle over the guns. Any thoughts on this? Experiences?

[RoseH]

I've heard that piercing through places like Claires leaves a different hole? That it is better to go to a piercer and have it done with a needle over the guns. Any thoughts on this? Experiences?

Never get piercings with guns, no matter what kind of piercing it is.
The guns are not sharp like a piercer's needle. The needle cuts a hole while the gun presses a hole because it is blunt.
Having piercings made with a gun leaves you with nasty scar tissue and might increase the risk of infection and prolong healing time.
I know this because it used to be a hobby of mine. I have had 8 piercings where I did 5 myself + 3 on others (with professional equipment), had one done with a gun at a 'professional' and 2 made by a professional piercer with a needle.

[emyrinth]

That's what I thought I read. Good to get confirmation

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[RoseH]

That's what I thought I read. Good to get confirmation

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You're welcome 

[kittenpower]

It looks good, and well placed. The first time I had my ear (back in the 80s when I was in the army; that's all a guy could get away with if you claimed to be straight, and it had to be the left one, lol) pierced, I had it done with a gun, and it was ok, but I ended up getting an infection. The second time I had my ears  pierced, I had it done at a piercing studio with a needle, and it was super comfortable, barely any pain, and no infection. 

[takotsubo]

They gave me a bottle of antisceptic spray to use, and to clean ear rings with when I had mine done.

The pharmacy I went to suggested chlorhexidine (an antiseptic), but I recall a surgeon teaching me that chlorhexidine should never be applied inside a wound, since it interferes with the healing process. There seems to be different opinions regarding this. I chose to trust my teacher and bought a sterile saline solution.

[takotsubo]

Watching for infection is just one thing, but making sue they don't adhere to the skin inside or out is another. Hugs
Mariah

But isn't that avoided by moving and rotating them during cleaning? Hasn't been a problem so far, except for first day when there was some minor bleeding.

[takotsubo]

I've done them myself in a moment of depression . It hurt a lot but i was happy to wear my favorites earrings .

Unless you numbed the earlobe with ice before the piercing I imagine the pain must have been significant. Though now that I think of it I pierced my lower lip (at a studio!) in my teens, without any anaesthesia, and while it wasn't pleasant, it wasn't insufferable either.