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AIBU?

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Original poster

Would you complain?

36 replies

Cliorio · 18/08/2023 17:04

Posted about this before but NC. Not sure if I’m being unreasonable and it’s probably partly my fault but just feel a bit annoyed and I’ve wasted money too.

I had my ears pierced a week ago at an jewellers after having them done years ago and one closed up. The other was fine so I just had one pierced again with a gun.

My ear lobes are quite thick. I’ve had problem with some earrings in the past being too small and therefore with the swelling they have been way too tight around my ear and then have fallen into the hole. I advised the piercer of this and told them what had happened before. The piercer said it would be completely fine because my ear wouldn’t swell too much with it just being re pierced and not a new piercing. I told him I just wanted new piercings instead next to my old ones but he said I’m fine to just get my old piercing pierced through and reopen the closed bit at the back.

I’ve woken up this morning with a swollen and red hot ear, the stud has fallen in the hole and has embedded inside my ear lobe and can no longer see it. I went back to the jewellers today and they told me to go to an and e. They said they do longer back earrings but these need ordering in. I just don’t get why the piercer didn’t tell me this. He said because it’s not a new piercing as such that there would be no swelling.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cliorio · 18/08/2023 17:26

Thank you. I can’t retrieve the stud as it’s too embedded now and I can’t even see it now and it’s agony when I’m trying to get the back off to try and remove it so I have been advised to go to urgent care to have it removed and then possibly a cause of antibiotics incase it’s infected. My ear is also throbbing and I’ve felt quite clammy and unwell today. I’ll definitely go to a proper piercing place next time!

OP posts:
ManateeFair · 18/08/2023 17:20

You poor thing, that's a horrid thing to have to deal with. Sadly, this sort of thing happens a lot with gun piercings, especially if you've got lobes that are on the thicker/fleshier side.

When your piercer said it wouldn't swell up because you'd had the ear pierced before, they were talking absolute bullshit. It makes absolutely no difference whether it's a piercing or a repiercing of a closed-up lobe - the effect of the stud passing through the ear at speed with a stapler-like object remains the same, so swelling is always a risk.

Get rid of your current stud, let it close up again, and then go to a body piercing studio to get it done with a needle. Proper piercing studios don't use guns - guns are much easier for the piercer because they need almost zero training or knowledge to pierce with, but guns are actually brutal on the ears. A piercing gun stud is actually quite blunt, so the piercing is achieved with the force of the gun. With a needle piercing, it's the extreme sharpness of the needle that does all the work and there's almost no force involved - plus a proper piercer will size jewellery correctly for your anatomy rather than using a one-size stud for every client. If you're really prone to swelling, they can even start you off with a stud that has a longer post and then change it for you when the swelling's reduced.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 18/08/2023 17:19

I would not let them try to fix the problem. It's a high street jewellers. They'll have minimal training in piercings if they're using guns and not treating it as a new piercing, probably no more training Claire's staff get.

JanglingJack · 18/08/2023 17:16

First things first, try and get some antibiotics for the infection.

LauderSyme · 18/08/2023 17:15

Yes you should complain, you have good reason to; you got a shoddy service. What would you like the outcome of your complaint to be?

Seek medical attention too! It sounds sore.

Gizlotsmum · 18/08/2023 17:13

I would def complain, they should take it as a learning point even if they are unable to fix your issues

Gizlotsmum · 18/08/2023 17:12

Honestly nothing should be pierced with a gun. Find a reputable piercers ( often in tattoo shops) and get it done properly

Original poster
Cliorio · 18/08/2023 17:11

@SliceOfCakeCupOfTea it was at a f hinds branch

OP posts:
Gizlotsmum · 18/08/2023 17:11

Ouch. It sounds like the piercer wasn’t as experienced as they needed to be. I have just had my ears repierced and they treated them exactly the same as a new piercing. It was done with a needle and longer earrings which will be replaced with shorter bars in a months time after the initial healing period . Not much help to you but def avoid them in the future. Hope your ear is ok

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 18/08/2023 17:10

Duh, sorry I reread and see you had it done at a jewellers. Sorry.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 18/08/2023 17:09

Where did you get it done?

It should have been pierced with a needle, not a gun. A proper piercer should have given you a bigger piece of jewellery.

I probably would complain, but don't go back for them to fix it.