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Original poster

For the love of God, dd's piercings are never going to heal

86 replies

twosoups1972 · 01/03/2019 15:54

Dd had her ears pierced 10 months ago. I followed all the advice, took her to a reputable piercing studio to have them done with a needle. Cleaned them carefully twice a day and left them in for a good 8 weeks.

They did appear to heal at first but nearly a year later we are still having problems. Tried a variety of different earrings - titanium, stainless steel etc. I don't think they are infected but they are sore, especially one side, and she keeps getting a crusty lump at the back.

She is ASD and has a very low pain threshold. She has to take the earrings out for PE so now we have this twice weekly agony of me putting them back in, her wincing and me trying not to lose patience.

I have suggested to her taking them out and trying again in a few years but she really wants to have earrings and after all this palaver it seems a waste.

We have prontolind spray which we've been using intermittently but maybe should be using it more regularly?

Any advice please? And what have I done wrong??

OP posts:

LemonBreeland · 01/03/2019 15:56

Some peoples ears just don't cope with being pierced no matter the type of metal the earrings are made of. I think you are right and she should just take them out.

However is it possible that when she is removing them for PE that she perhaps doesn't have clean hands and that is causing it.

Original poster

twosoups1972 · 01/03/2019 15:58

lemon I'm taking them out and putting them back for her, she can't manage it herself at the moment.

OP posts:

Original poster

twosoups1972 · 01/03/2019 15:58

I wonder if a small ring/hoop earring might be better to allow the back to breathe a bit more...?

OP posts:

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Cleffa · 01/03/2019 15:59

Could she wear silicone retainers for a while? She wouldnt need to take those out for PE and that might help them heal back up

DippyAvocado · 01/03/2019 15:59

I suddenly got an infection years after having mine pierced when I started wearing earrings made from silver instead of gold. Even though I switched back to gold, they never recovered and I just let them close up.

I've got a child in my primary class who won't take her earrings out because one of them has never healed which means she hasn't done PE for months. I wish her parents would just make her remove them altogether.

ATowelAndAPotato · 01/03/2019 15:59

Some people do take longer to heal, and if she is constantly taking them out and putting them back in again, then it will take even longer. Is there any way the school will let her cover them with tape instead of removing them?

Original poster

twosoups1972 · 01/03/2019 16:01

cleffa I did buy some clear plastic retainers but as far as I can see, they are just 'earrings' so doesn't the safety rule still apply?

She's at secondary (Year 7), I think they're pretty strict. I will ask about using tape though.

OP posts:

BarkandCheese · 01/03/2019 16:05

Have you taken her back to the piercers to have them look at it and advise? They tend to be a font of knowledge on the subject and in my experience are happy to give advice.

TheTurnOfTheScrew · 01/03/2019 16:05

dd1's ears took a good 6 months to heal, and that's without the original piecing earrings being removed even once - we were fortunate in that the school allows them to be covered with tape for PE. In the meantime if she wants to persist (rather than letting them close) a twice daily saline soak is better than all the products. A proper soak, not just a swipe, which we never worked out how to do without getting messy.

Ultimately they healed really nicely, and she can wear any old cheap crap from Claire's without irritation.

RedPandaFluff · 01/03/2019 16:06

Have you tried 18ct gold earrings, @twosoups1972 ? My mum is allergic to every other metal, she can only wear 18ct gold jewellery.

Or maybe that's just what she says . . . 😄

Original poster

twosoups1972 · 01/03/2019 16:08

screw do you make your own saline solution or buy it ready mixed? What do you use for soaking, cotton would pad?

OP posts:

Knitclubchatter · 01/03/2019 16:08

I’d suggest lots of air, tiny hoops or hooks. Solid 14K gold minimum. The cleaning solution might be too strong, irritating, try salt water.
I expect even with hoops/air it will be summer sunshine and leaving it alone before it heals.

Palominoo · 01/03/2019 16:11

Witch Hazel might sting but is good for healing.

Sardonicsnape · 01/03/2019 16:15

My nose got a horrible lump after it was pierced- an ear bud soaked in warm, salted water each night got rid of it.

Badcat666 · 01/03/2019 16:16

When I had my first ones done when I was 14 they took about 16 months to heal and then they would still react really badly to cheap metals (That was in the early 80's when I longed to wear novelty earrings (remember the parrot shaped ones!) like my friends!)

A saline soak is the way forward. I did mine twice a day until they healed and I remember the relief from the pain using it. Every day morning and night with soaked cotton pads on front and back (or loo roll if I had run out).. you have to stick to that. For pe I remember my mum getting me a little plastic lidded pot that would be filled with salty water and I would pop them in that during pe and then pop them back in again. They did sting at first but I was determined!

Now I have 5 in one ear and 6 in the other and none of these gave me any grief at all.

Original poster

twosoups1972 · 01/03/2019 16:17

How long do you hold the salt water pad on for?

OP posts:

Beamur · 01/03/2019 16:19

Will school allow them to be covered instead? My DD's took ages to heal.

Dextrodependant · 01/03/2019 16:20

Dd kept getting gungey and it was salt water soaking that helped clear it up.

RatherBeRiding · 01/03/2019 16:21

As others have said, some just refuse to heal, or else take absolutely ages. My DD was the same. She tends to only wear surgical steel or gold and it's been years and years since hers were pierced, but if she switches to anything else she gets problems. One ear piercing - there was nothing doing with it at all and she had to let it close up in the end.

I'd ask the school if your DD can have her ears taped for PE - constantly taking them in and out won't be helping unfortunately.

GerryblewuptheER · 01/03/2019 16:22

Dds never healed properly either

First time they were done by a tattoist/piercer she disnt use a gun but used the studs that you would put into a gun and used pierced by hand with the sterile packaging. Bled every night for weeks.

Second time they were done with a needle. Kept them in for months and months then one fell out ( ball came loose and came off) and it was impossible to get them in again without alot of pain.Raised lump at the back too.

Meanwhile all her friends had them done at Claire's and were able to change them after the 6 weeks were up and take them out for pe no problem

Defective ears clearly

I'd probably just take them out tbh

Original poster

twosoups1972 · 01/03/2019 16:24

Thank you all.

gerry as you say it's bloody annoying that having thought I'd done it right to have all these problems!

Not sure I'll be able to persuade her to take them out. Will try the saltwater soak. And have just emailed school to find out if they can be taped.

OP posts:

southnownorth · 01/03/2019 16:29

My dd had hers done in Claires last May and it's only in the last few weeks they have properly healed. I just kept bathing them in salt water and got some small small gold 9ct studs and left them in. They are fine now.

Original poster

twosoups1972 · 01/03/2019 16:34

Thank you, I always thought metals like titanium, stainless steel etc were better than gold but maybe gold is worth a try....

OP posts:

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 01/03/2019 16:35

My lobes were done with a gun years ago, I never had any problems. I also have a conch and another I forget the name of - what helped with healing wasn’t actually saline (although I did use that) but an oil mixture. It came ready mixed and had tea tree and lavender in it. That combined with the saline worked really well.

That being said, I had two helix piercings in and they never healed. Just painful and crusty all the time - unsure if that might been the placement though?

IdontknowwhyIcallhimGerald · 01/03/2019 16:49

Dettol wound healing spray is the only thing that worked for me. 3 times a day, no touching the piercing. Took 3 weeks to go from massive oozy lump to healed (nose piercing) and I'd used salt water for 4 months prior with no joy.

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