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An ear piercing query

15 replies

ispymincepie · 28/02/2016 13:38

Apologies that this is somewhat trivial compared to some health concerns but wondered if anyone had any experience to share. We let our 9yo dd have her ears pierced last weekend as she had been thinking about it for the last few months and had decided she was ready. I was adamant not to have it done at Claire's but after contacting many salons and jewellers in several local towns we couldn't find anywhere else so I decided I was probably just being a bit snobby and we went ahead at Claire's. We paid £50 for the 18ct gold studs though in the hope she would be less likely to react to them. After a few days it became apparent that one of them was becoming embedded in her lobe, the actual stud not the back. I know the obvious answer is to take it out and get her some antibiotics. However, it's not actually stuck, we can rotate it and push it back and forth. We are keeping it exceptionally clean with tea tree oil and cooled boiled water several times a day. Mostly though, it's not hurting her and she really doesn't want to take it out especially as the other side is fine. It is obviously red and swollen though and I'm keeping a very close eye on it. My question I suppose is, am I fighting a losing battle or has anyone managed to overcome this? I'm totally kicking myself for going against my better judgement now as some googling has shown apparently this is quite common with the guns they use at Claire's. When I had my ears pierced they were done with hoops so this couldn't happen.

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HairySubject · 28/02/2016 13:43

That happened to DD, we just loosened the back as much as possible and kept bathing it in salt water to reduce the swelling hers was quite gungy and oozing at the time but we stuck at it and it was fine within a week.

TeaStory · 28/02/2016 13:50

Stop pushing the earrings about as that will cause more damage on top of what has already happened. Stop using the tea tree oil - it's much too harsh for healing piercings. The best way to heal new piercings is just to rinse gently in the shower every day and then leave them alone.

Your best bet is to get a professional piercer to have a look - not someone in a salon/jewellers/Claire's. Swapping the jewellery for implant-grade titanium labret studs will probably help. Butterfly backs collect bacteria and the earrings she has in now probably aren't big enough to accommodate swelling.

VimFuego101 · 28/02/2016 13:56

Can you not pull the back of the stud off? I agree, lay off the tea tree oil - salt water will be fine. A proper piercer could probably switch out the earring for one with a looser back to allow the ear to heal.

hollinhurst84 · 28/02/2016 13:57

Stop moving it and don't twist it
Ditch the tea tree, use warm saline
Get a piercer to have a look, they might suggest changing the earrings

ispymincepie · 28/02/2016 13:57

Wow, thanks for the non-judgy advice, I was a bit worried about posting! Reassuring that your dd's healed well Hairy. I was a bit peeved when I realised the expensive solution they sold me was just saline but perhaps that's best then. I have been diluting the tea tree obviously. I did wonder whether it was possible to change the stud out. I think I shall be making a lot of phone calls tomorrow to find someone who knows about this stuff! Thanks again.

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hollinhurst84 · 28/02/2016 14:08

Are you able to say roughly what area or what your nearest town is?

SquirmOfEels · 28/02/2016 14:17

If you don't want to make up your own saline, the cheapest way to buy suitable stuff ready made up is contact lens solution. Bottles are many times the size and a fraction of the price compared to what is sold for ears.

ispymincepie · 28/02/2016 14:23

We do have a bottle of the saline stuff, I just can't believe how much I paid for it! I'm in East Sussex hollin but quite a long drive from Brighton where there seems to be a couple of places. Obviously worth it though if we can get it sorted. Will make a few enquiries and hope it improves this week following all your recommendations.

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hollinhurst84 · 28/02/2016 14:31

My friend says there's extreme ink in Hastings (I don't know the area so no idea how close that is!)

ispymincepie · 28/02/2016 14:46

Ooh great, that's much closer!

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HairySubject · 28/02/2016 14:51

We used cooled booked water and sea salt, I think loosening the back is key though. Only one of dds ears was affected and it was the one where the back was on too tight.

ispymincepie · 01/03/2016 22:05

Well a quick update-took her to Extreme Ink, you were all right, studs too tight, have been switched out for titanium bars which have much more room and now to just soak in salt water. She is very pleased so thank you all very much Smile

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hollinhurst84 · 01/03/2016 22:22

Fab, glad they were good

HairySubject · 01/03/2016 22:30

Glad it's all sorted.

TeaStory · 02/03/2016 11:51

Excellent, hopefully they will feel better very soon.

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