To be so confused about my super old piercing

[PatrickTheStarfish]

Very boring one here, but I'm hoping someone in the know can advise.

I had my upper ear pierced when I was 14 (so over 15 years ago)
I had it done at my local hairdressers, he did it with a piercing gun.
I've only recently learned it should never be done with a gun.

Anyway, I love having my piercing but most earrings look kinda crap in it
With studs, the butterfly back looks pretty stupid. It also inevitably gets pulled out by my hair and I end up losing the whole damn earring.
I'm yet to find a nice decent hoop to fit in it as they all seem to be made for needle piercings.

Can anyone help a sister out? Recommend any decent earrings?
Should I get it redone with a needle? (I'd rather avoid that route if at all poss, getting rather wussy in my old age)

You can probably stick a 'proper' piece of jewelry in it without too much of an issue. It's still a hole, just get a smaller size - I would personally get it redone with a needle but it's your choice!

I also had mine done with a gun when I was a teenager. It's never closed up and the cartilage has collapsed making my ear look wobbly.
Also had my nose done with a gun too- pleased the rules have changed 😂

The only reason cartlidge piercings shouldnt be done with a gun is because the gun is blunt and can shatter the cartlidge. A needle is sharper and doesnt risk this problem. The piercing can fit any jewellery there is no such thing as a needle only ring.

If its in the wrong place then any jewellery will look off no matter how it was pierced. Either invest in good quality piercing jewellery that fits it or repierce it in a different location if its not sitting right.

Ignore any incorrect information that will tell you its doomed because it was a gun job. If there was no issues at the time then it just means placement on the ear is slightly off.

Find yourself a barbell / labret stud in the smallest possible diameter. If there is a hole then you can go to a proper piercer and they will probably be able to fit it for you without using a needle. They used a little stretcher to get a bar back into mine after I'd left it without anything for years. There was still a tiny hole that a normal earring fitted through so they could ram a bigger one through. Not sure if this would work if the hole in the cartilage isn't big enough though. How far away from the edge of your ear is it? I found some lovely tiny silver hoops in Sainsbury's a month ago.

I've had my cartilage done three times with a gun (years and years ago) and I've never come across 'needle only' pieces. Can you please explain what you mean by this? I just don't understand

Ohhh!
I thought the needle piercing made the hole bigger? I've been reading about different gauges and stuff... hence my confusion.

I must admit, I do like my piercing, the placement is perfect and I've never noticed any damage to the surrounding areas.

I just can't seem to find a decent flipping g earring for it

Can't see why redoing it would help

Would an andralok fastening work?

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/9ct-Gold-Swarovski-Elements-Crystal-6mm-Ball-Andralok-Studs-Earrings-Bday-GIFT/371179696299?hash=item566c08b0ab:g:oQEAAOSwrx5UVlRn

What's actually the problem, why do earrings look crap in it?

As a stupid teen I had a cartilage piercing done with a gun, and while it never settled until it had migrated its way out of the cartilage to sit only in the skin, it looks fine to this day.

Is it badly positioned so that earrings look awkward and feel uncomfortable? Take it out, get it done again elsewhere. It probably won't heal over at this point but it won't be too visible.

I have two upper ear piercings and both have flat backs. Butterfly backs will look ridiculous, I agree.

And there is no such thing as jewellery made for needle piercings - once there's a hole in your body, it's all the same. And a 15-year-old piercing will likely not get angry at having new jewellery, even curved hoops when it's used to straight studs.

I have had mine done with a gun 20odd years had not a bit of bother. I wear a coloured stud or a flat earring I used to get nose studs from a hippie shop they had clear fasteners

I had a screw in ball thing on my mid life crisis piercing, but when it fell out and only tree surgeon son with huge hands was home to help, I ended up with a small hoop I found in dd1's room. Still just use gold/silver mini rings as suits. Dc4 hates it - she wants hers done but loathes the fact I'm 54. It's hardly like I had a unicorn horn attached!

I think I know what you mean OP. Most rings for body piercings are slightly thicker than a standard earring. When you first get a piercing you tend to start with a thicker bar/ ring and unless you keep to these then the hole closes to the size of what you're currently using (at least when the piercing is "fresh"). If you want a hoop in your current piercing you'd need something like this

Lighthouse I have similar with ancient piercing sore if lying on stud at night Never heard of andralock - looks v promising! thanks!

I had mine done with a gun 20yrs ago and had the same issue with butterfly backs!

About 2yrs ago I went into a piercing studio and picked out a nice piece and they put it in for me, stung a little bit because it was bigger than my hole but only for an hour or so, they didn't need to use a needle or anything.

If you have Instagram have a look at Industrial Strength and Noah Babcock.

I'm surprised Andralock isn't more popular.