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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:
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.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 18/08/2023 17:10

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

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

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

@SliceOfCakeCupOfTea it was at a f hinds branch

OP posts:
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

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

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.

JanglingJack · 18/08/2023 17:16

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

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.

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.

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:
AlanJohnsonsBeemer · 18/08/2023 17:27

Definitely complain then if you choose to get it redone go with for a needle piercing. Recently DD got her second set of lobe piercings and I got my nose done and the piercer was so careful and knowledgable. She measured how big we would needs the bars on our piercings to be. She could answer any questions we had confidently, even mine about using Tret on my face. She really took her time, before, during and after and told us to get in touch with any questions at all afterwards.

Original poster
Cliorio · 18/08/2023 17:33

I did go in and speak to them and the lady said she’s not going to attempt to remove it. She said they can’t take fault as they can’t foresee this happening, she said they do thousands of piercings and have never had any issues. But it’s just the fact that I tell him of my previous issue with my lobe piercings and he said there will be no problems this time so I went with his advice

OP posts:
Abbimae · 18/08/2023 17:43

Go to a tattoo piercing store or similar. Get a flat back labret fitted that’s longer and just leave it in until if’s healed.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 18/08/2023 17:46

Did you sign a waiver or anything before they did it? Ask to see it or look online for their T&C's.
They should have done a proper consultation which includes ensuring the jewellery they have is compatible, in this case it was too short.
They also informed you as fact that it wasn't the same as a new piercing. This is inaccurate.

purplecorkheart · 18/08/2023 17:48

I was shocked a few years ago when visiting a newly opened salon in my area. The person I normally got my nails done with had cancelled on me last minute so the new place squeezed me in but said that there would be staff training going on in the salon next to nail desk.

It was an ear piercing course. I was getting a removal and french gel so was there longer than the full course. The instructor offered me a cert to say I had completed the course.

RedHelenB · 18/08/2023 17:50

Maybe forget about piercings altogether.

pictoosh · 18/08/2023 17:51

Stud guns cause a lot of damage to the tissue bluntly blasting through it. The needle is fine, sharp and slides through, preserving the tissue surrounding the hole.
The needle is far superior. Next time go for that method. Good luck sorting the ear out.

gamerchick · 18/08/2023 17:57

You could always treat it as a sign that your ears don't like to be pierced.

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

@Abbimae I just signed to say that I had no blood clotting issues etc. they didn’t measure the jewellery up

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

It’s a shame as the other ear lobe is completely fine and healed well and I could get my earring back in fine in that one, it’s just the left one that I have problems with

OP posts:
Original poster
Cliorio · 18/08/2023 18:20

I also have other piercings that have heeled fine it’s just my ear lobes as they are definitely on the thick side. The piercer told me they only have standard size ear rings and it’s one size for all, I wasn’t informed they could order longer back ones in, was only told this when I went back in today

OP posts:
Original poster
Cliorio · 18/08/2023 19:29

Called 111 and said I would have a call back within 4 hours. Been about 4 hours now. Back of my ear in a mess

Would you complain?
OP posts:
SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 18/08/2023 19:30

In which case it absolutely is their fault.
Write a detailed email including exactly what you were told during your consultation, what has happened and what you've been told now.
At the very least you want your money back so you can pay for it to be pierced correctly.

PostageAndPackaging · 18/08/2023 19:49

Absolutely 100% their fault.

You literally told them your concerns based on prior experience.

They literally ignored that, said it wouldn't happen, then told you after that they can't forsee this........

Their fault.

Though please, go to a reputable piercing saloon next time. Never use guns.