Quote from: Cindy on October 12, 2013, 01:51:05 AMA week before I got my ears pierced, and how I am now!!!
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,144104.380.html

My, how you have changed! You weren't bad in the before pic either, though.
Well, I don't have the luxury of having hair long enough to cover my ears yet. Only one DoD I ever have that, and it was so divine! But then, just after, I was taken to the barber and given a buzzcut.
Eventually, maybe Sunday when I have a down day, I'll post a pic. And then hopefully, in a month or so, I can start having some results to show after pics on.

I did have both ears pierced during my first transition, my left lobe x2... but the second one kept getting infected. When I threw in the towel on transition 1.0 I let the right ear piercing close (back in those days it was considered "too gay" for a guy to have both ears changed... how the times have changed!! lol). At some point I stopped using the left one and the last piercing closed up as well but you can still see the dimple where it used to be. I'm now considering getting one on each side again... wondering if I can still use the left dimple scar? Hope so, it's centred perfectly!

I went to Claires in the shopping mall for the first set.

I had three concerns: 1) Pain - I hate anything poking through my skin  2) Infections 3) Metal Reactions/allergy

What I Did ... and the Result:
1) Steeled my nerves, prepared for death by piercing
  ... It was quick and hurt less than getting a flu shot
2) Followed the cleaning instructions rigorously (some times doing one more cleaning-turning per day extra) and kept up the routine for 4 weeks extra, afraid I'd end up at the doctor's office soon.
  ...  No infection, healed nicely
3) Decided to go with 3mm white gold ball studs.
  ... all was fine for the first 4 months

  After 4 months, I started having itching and red earlobes. All my erring related problems stopped as soon as I stared using 3mm titanium ball studs with titanium clutches. I also had no problems with 18K solid yellow gold ball studs with real gold clutches. 
 
Under high magnification, I could see that the shafts of the original White Gold earrings were pitted and it looked like some form of plating was coming off.  The combination of the materials used in their piercing type earrings and the Stainless steel clutch (not White gold!) and my body chemistry was not so good.

Next time I started with Titanium.

  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

It is possible to have a reaction to any metal used in jewelry, in the most extreme cases, some have had to have a slightly larger gauge hole and use a plastic sleeve over the posts.

Brass and Copper are the most common metals that cause allergic reactions.
Nickel allergy is more common that many believe.

Most low cost jewelry has posts or wires that are a low cost base metal (brass, copper, "Nickel Silver", etc) that is  plated with another metal (tin, rhodium, nickel, silver, gold, etc), the plating can wear off and expose the base metal.

"Gold Filled" jewelry has a thicker coating of gold than "gold plated" and should stand up to use longer.

Stainless steel works for many people. Stainless steel is an alloy (made from mixing different types of metal), and often contains brass, copper and/or nickel. Many different Stainless alloys are used in jewelry.

Sterling Silver contains copper.

Pure Silver (.999 fine) works fine for most people, but does tarnish.

22K and 18K Gold works fine for most people.

Yellow Gold can be pure (24K - too soft for jewelry), when used in jewelry it is an alloy and often contains copper, silver, zinc, etc. As the karat number drops, the alloy contains less gold (18K is 75% gold ..... 10K is 42% gold) [18K means 18 parts gold to 6 parts other metal].

White Gold is always an alloy (karat numbers apply) and may contain copper, silver, nickel, zinc, tin, etc. The less reactive white golds are often alloys of pure gold and platinum or palladium.

Other colors of gold (Rose, Green, etc) are all alloys and use a wide variety of metals.

Other Pure Metals that rarely cause allergic reactions
Platinum - Very Nice, Very expensive.
Titanium - natural color is a silver-gray.  A number of colors are via anodizing (avoid ones that are plated)
Niobium - natural color is a silver-gray.  A number of colors are via anodizing  (avoid ones that are plated)

-Cindi

P.S. watch for posts or ear wires that have a burr at the end where they were cut, a burr can cut the inside of the hole in your ear and can lead to infection.

I had 3 piercings per ear in college.  Need to see if they are still open!

I have a single piercing in each ear. I prefer hoop earrings - large or small does not matter. I am considering a second piercing but i am going to wait until I get further along with my transition.

I did mine in the late '80s and early '90s.  Three in the left (one in cartilage), one in the right and my right nostril.  In retrospect, I guess it was an early manifestation of gender dysphoria.  The cartilage piercing closed up years ago, but the rest are intact.  I get to wear cuter nose rings and dangly earrings in them now. YAY! I love being a girl.

Just FYI, piercing guns are disgustingly unsanitary. The best thing to do is go to a tattoo/piercing parlor.

I have both my lobes pierced, I stretched them, and have since downsized back to a standard 18g. Over the years I've had six other cartilage piercings, and plan on having some redone soon.

Here's a link to the APP (Association of Professional Piercers). Ignorance is really the reason they're still arround

http://www.safepiercing.org/piercing/faq/#guns

I'm a member of a well respected body modification forum, and the aftercare they (Claires, not the forum) reccomended is pretty bad too. You don't need backing or aftercare spray or some other array of potions. Saline soaks are best for sensitive healing tissue. Additionally, twisting/fidgeting with the jewelry is damaging to the forming fistula, and only prolongs healing. The aftercare most accepted as the best is LITHA and LIMA (leave it the hell alone/leave it mostly alone.) getting pierced by a professional already eliminates 99% of the risk of infection. Keeping your nasty hands off is just a continuation

I suppose it would depend upon where you go    When I was ready to get my piercings I investigated and checked around to the various places that offered piercing services

Some places did look kinda scary so of coarse I wasn't going to go there    The shop I went to is independently owned and would only allow piercings to be done by the two women who had been trained and certified and you had to make an appointment

Anyway, I'm happy with mine 

Quote from: Abby on October 23, 2013, 04:14:20 PM
Just FYI, piercing guns are disgustingly unsanitary.

Who knows where that gun has been...... I purchased a piercing kit from fleebay - $8 if i recall. 2 pieces, one for each piercing pretty gold stud included. I soaked the kit in rubbing alcohol using a small bowl. While it was soaking I read the instructions. Marked where I wanted it on my ear lobe, placed the piercer up to my ear lobe and applied force as required. Heard a snap and wham bam thank you maam I had a pierced ear. No pain what so ever. I did the other ear and my ears were pierced with pretty little gold balls. It was so simple to do.

Quote from: Abby on October 23, 2013, 04:14:20 PM
Just FYI, piercing guns are disgustingly unsanitary. The best thing to do is go to a tattoo/piercing parlor.

I have both my lobes pierced, I stretched them, and have since downsized back to a standard 18g. Over the years I've had six other cartilage piercings, and plan on having some redone soon.

Just wanted to add my support to this. Piercing guns can't be properly sterilized after use and should, frankly, be banned do the potential to pass blood-born disease between clients. In addition, piercing guns cause far more trauma to your body and the piercings take longer to heal. AND they frequently use too small a gauge which means the piercing is more likely to migrate (the hole can move to a different and less appropriate area). Worse, some idiots will even use a piercing gun on cartilage which can cause fractures and permanent damage to your ear.

Going to a proper piercing and tattoo parlour is MORE than worth the expense. Get it done right people.

Quote from: Sarah7 on October 25, 2013, 03:00:41 PM
Just wanted to add my support to this. Piercing guns can't be properly sterilized after use and should, frankly, be banned do the potential to pass blood-born disease between clients. In addition, piercing guns cause far more trauma to your body and the piercings take longer to heal. AND they frequently use too small a gauge which means the piercing is more likely to migrate (the hole can move to a different and less appropriate area). Worse, some idiots will even use a piercing gun on cartilage which can cause fractures and permanent damage to your ear.

Going to a proper piercing and tattoo parlour is MORE than worth the expense. Get it done right people.

*High five* we'll fight the good fight!

I got both my holes in my ears pierced with a needle at proper piercing parlor.

Its not sore, you feel a small pick and thats it.

My New Years gift to myself will be a couple of piercings. In Australia we have extremely strict regulations around hygiene for operators of piercing clinics, so I think it'll be safe from that angle. I once saw two school girls do a DIY ear piercing with a sewing needle which they "sterilised" using a cigarette lighter. That was pretty hard core.

I had both ears pierced 5 times each but have had to cut down what I wear to work as they think its unsavoury to look at. I have both of my nipples done and my navel has been done twice. I wear them caue I like them. And my nipples have def become my fav place for them.... Except if they get caught on a shirt. Then they suck :p

Quote from: chrissydr on November 03, 2013, 01:43:59 PM
I had both ears pierced 5 times each but have had to cut down what I wear to work as they think its unsavoury to look at. I have both of my nipples done and my navel has been done twice. I wear them caue I like them. And my nipples have def become my fav place for them.... Except if they get caught on a shirt. Then they suck :p

Girl friend you have more courage than me. An extra hole or 2 in my ears was a challenge. I just wanted to see how it looked, since then I'm back to just one simple hole.  Have fun, be safe.

The very first official thing I did about transitioning was to pierce my ears (even before therapy). I kind of like it now, because it's a permanent body modification to record the moment.

I also had them use the gun because I'd been prone to fainting at the sight of needles. (Yes, I know the gun isn't much different, but I didn't have to SEE how it worked and could pretend.) It didn't cause any problems, and I was meticulous about disinfection and care. I got over the needle phobia in the hospital for GRS, mind you. Kinda seemed minor by comparison, afterward.

Quote from: Jenna Marie on November 03, 2013, 02:16:25 PM
The very first official thing I did about transitioning was to pierce my ears (even before therapy). I kind of like it now, because it's a permanent body modification to record the moment.

I also had them use the gun because I'd been prone to fainting at the sight of needles. (Yes, I know the gun isn't much different, but I didn't have to SEE how it worked and could pretend.) It didn't cause any problems, and I was meticulous about disinfection and care. I got over the needle phobia in the hospital for GRS, mind you. Kinda seemed minor by comparison, afterward.

I do love that... physically marking your start. That may be something I do when I end up moving out -- which should correspond to something between AAs and E, so maybe E-day and my ear piercing should coincide. I think I'll plan for that!!

Quote from: chrissydr on November 03, 2013, 01:43:59 PM
I had both ears pierced 5 times each but have had to cut down what I wear to work as they think its unsavoury to look at. I have both of my nipples done and my navel has been done twice. I wear them caue I like them. And my nipples have def become my fav place for them.... Except if they get caught on a shirt. Then they suck :p

I have my nipples pierced too Have you had any hormones etc? Im scared growing boobs will mess them up/cause them to not be symmetrical anymore