Removing earrings

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

That's it really. I had my ears pierced 6 weeks ago and last night I tried to take them out but it was too painful and they wouldn't come out. Does anyone have any advice?

Have you not been rotating them every day? When I had my ears done (long time ago) I seem to remember the application of a dilute solution of dettol with cottonwool, maybe that would help unstick them? If not, you might have to get advice from the place that pierced your ears, or the local GP nurse. Good luck.

Do you have studs or sleepers in?

Whichever, you should have been told to turn them every day and bathe with salty water to keep the hole clean and stop the earrings sticking.

Get some warm water now and bathe them with cotton wool - front and back and gently turn or pull them. Have you taken off the butterfly if they are studs?

Did you have them pierced at Claire's by any chance? My DD2 (10) had hers done there and had the same problem, along with a few others I have heard of. They actually pierced the one ear at an angle which made it impossible to put in a new earring once we did manage to force the original one off (with pliers!) On medical advice DD had to let that hole heal over and 18 months later she has still not managed to get the other original earring out! It's a long story, but basically, because of the hard time we had getting the one earring out she has now developed a phobia and won't let anyone near the other one.

Claire's have advised us to try uncurling the butterfly back of the earring with the tip of a nail file but it's very tricky, particularly as DD won't let me touch her ear! We're just lucky her ears have never been infected and we followed all the instructions eg bathing and turning.

Please OP - if you do manage to take your earrings out painlessly would you please let me know how????

I had issues with cartlidge piercings. Had them for a number of years and they got infected. Basically my dh took them out as i bit down on my hand. Ouch...so very painful...but if someone else does it, its over in minutes.

Thanks for everyone's replies. I followed all their instructions and cleaned them religiously 2 times a day. Trying to move them so so painful that it brought tears to my eyes.
Hi release no they were not done in Claire's. O.M.G your poor d.d. I can well understand why she wont let anyone near her ears. I promise if I do get them out painlessly I will let you know, even if I have to p.m you.
OOh green. How brave. I am an utter wimp when it comes to pain.

Salt water is better than any other solution. Morning and evening.

You might have an allergy. I persisted for years trying to wear silver, god mix etc. got them repierced with titanium a year ago and no problems since. I don't have allergies other than to earrings.

Releasethehounds, your DD's experience sounds awful

Probably best keeping them in for now with turning and cleaning. They shouldn't hurt once healed.
Once you need to take them out if the butterflies are on too tight slide your nail between the butterfly and the post on both sides of the post. It will help loosen the butterfly.

Thanks for the support - I really would appreciate any ideas to get this other earring out for DD. Don't want to hijack this thread though. She had her ears pierced for her ninth birthday in Dec 2012 and now she has one ear healed over and the other earring still in place - it drives me crazy and I really would like her to get it out before starting secondary school next year!

I might try your suggestion TheWoman if I can get DD to give it a try.

My DD had her ears pierced last year (in the summer holidays before Yr 7) then a second piercing in one ear (skin not cartilage) this year.

I had her ears done with the highest carat gold they had.
She kept them clean with the solution and twisted them as directed.
Now she wears either high carat gold or sterling silver.

She has had no problems apart from one particular pair of earrings which had a really rough bit on the post.

She had hers done at Claires, no problems.

I can only wear 24 ct gold, surgical steel or platinum (I don't have very many pairs!) and it was AWFUL when I got them done because we didn't know this... took ages for them to heal and lots of infections before we got 24ct earings.

You do need to twist the earings round every day when you clean your ears when you've just had them pierced.

My DD1 also had her ears pierced at Claire's several years ago with no problem. However, Claire's have admitted that the problem with getting the original studs out appears to be with one particular set of earrings (of course DD2 had to choose those as they are her favourite colour). Since DD2 had hers pierced we have come across three other girls who had the same problem with the same earrings. On the plus side, as I said, at least we've had no infections.

It's best to leave them more than 6 weeks to make sure the holes are fully healed. If you try & take them out now then you might have trouble putting in a different pair. Do not put in any cheap costume jewellery earrings in as they usually make your ears sore.
Continue bathing in warm salty water. The butterflies are usually very stiff on the piercing studs & the post is a bit thicker. You really have to pull hard on the back & hold the front tight & pull at the same time to get it out.

If mine ever get sore and inflamed I find a few drops of lavender oil heals them better than anything. I can only wear silver and gold earrings, but have no problems with metals anywhere else on my body.

When they are pierced with a gun they use earrings with butterflies that are very difficult to remove- presumably so there's less chance of the back coming off.
Give it another couple of weeks and try again.
Also bathe your ears in boiled salt water (sea salt not table) and a weak solution of camomile tea.

*My ears have been lovingly pierced 16 times.