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Original poster

Piercing miracle needed

16 replies

Pickingmyselfup · 13/01/2023 19:49

I don't think I'm very well suited to piercings. As a back story...

Lobes 1&2 done in childhood, no issues.

Top ear #1 done in teenage years, didn't heal, took it out.

Bellybutton done at 18, had issues then it just grew out.

Lobes #3 done 2021, 9 months later still not healing despite the proper aftercare, took them out.

Daith done early 22, had ups and downs even now but it's currently on an up. Got lumps on the holes but despite it being controversial hydrogen peroxide cleared them right up. I stopped cleaning last month and it flared up, lumps came back, started bleeding but again hydrogen peroxide cleared it up again.

Double helix and conch in other ear done August 22. Initially using salt water to clean but after 2 weeks my conch was angry looking despite using a travel pillow to sleep on so my ear wasn't (consciously) touching a surface. Switched to hydrogen peroxide but they've been up and down. Was recommended a healing kit from piercing mania, started using it last Saturday and yesterday (Thursday) my ear was hot, red and swollen, it's never been like that before! Stopped using and given it a good cleanse in just plain salt water and a camomile tea bag.

I'm becoming desperate now, I want to keep my piercings but it's tough. The last couple of days I've flinched when anyone comes anywhere near my ear, it's so sore right now and I'm sure it's the healing kit because it's not been this bad since I had it done.

Help! My piercer was the one that recommended a sea salt and tea tree spray which came in the healing kit along with a healing oil and butter but they are no longer in the area so I can't go see them.

OP posts:
eloquentsilence · 13/01/2023 20:09

Have you tried colloidal silver gel/spray? I've heard it's supposed to be quite good at helping with healing treatments like microblading/SPMU so might be good for piercings

Miracle29 · 13/01/2023 20:15

I sometimes suffer with my cartlidge piercings. I had my conch and side helix done January last year and they still aren't healed. Both got lumps on, which is the norm for me I always suffer lumps but I thought this would have settled my now. They do say cartlidge piercings have the tendency to flare now and then. My tragus and daith took a year to heal aswell. I was ready to give up on my tragus but now it's healed fine. Firstly I'd go to a piercing place and see if your bar is the right size. I now use prontolind spray for my piercings. My dd has ear lobes pierced and she's also having trouble with hers and the piercing mania kit is slowly working for her but didn't really work for me. Salt water seems to dry my ear out and make it sore. It's so hard when you think they're OK then you knock them,like I did an hour ago whilst washing my hair so now I have a red, sore ear again. Give prontolind spray a go.

Original poster
Pickingmyselfup · 13/01/2023 20:17

Miracle29 · 13/01/2023 20:15

I sometimes suffer with my cartlidge piercings. I had my conch and side helix done January last year and they still aren't healed. Both got lumps on, which is the norm for me I always suffer lumps but I thought this would have settled my now. They do say cartlidge piercings have the tendency to flare now and then. My tragus and daith took a year to heal aswell. I was ready to give up on my tragus but now it's healed fine. Firstly I'd go to a piercing place and see if your bar is the right size. I now use prontolind spray for my piercings. My dd has ear lobes pierced and she's also having trouble with hers and the piercing mania kit is slowly working for her but didn't really work for me. Salt water seems to dry my ear out and make it sore. It's so hard when you think they're OK then you knock them,like I did an hour ago whilst washing my hair so now I have a red, sore ear again. Give prontolind spray a go.

I've tried that spray and something beginning with r...recurren? That doesn't make them worse but they don't get rid of the bumps.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pickingmyselfup · 13/01/2023 20:19

eloquentsilence · 13/01/2023 20:09

Have you tried colloidal silver gel/spray? I've heard it's supposed to be quite good at helping with healing treatments like microblading/SPMU so might be good for piercings

No, I feel like I've tried everything else though so could be an option.

OP posts:
eloquentsilence · 13/01/2023 20:23

Also could it be the type of metal that the bar is that's irritating your skin/cartilage? Maybe surgical steel might be better?

bitoffrostbitethere · 13/01/2023 20:23

My upper helix took about two years to heal properly, it was playing up on and off all that time. It's been three and a half years now and it's only recently I've been able to change earrings without a bit of pain. Had third lobes done in June last year and they are still a bit sore and bleed occasionally. I think it's just takes more time than you'd expect in my experience. I nearly gave up on my helix but glad I kept it in now.

Miracle29 · 13/01/2023 20:24

I sometimes find leaving them be for a little while. Just let water soak on ot when showering then just leave it. I don't use the spray every day I use it mainly when it flares up or if I knock it. Many of my piercing have had bumps that have stayed for a year and slowly started to shrink and disappear unless I knock it again in the meantime then it does flare it back up. Cartlidges are so tricky

Original poster
Pickingmyselfup · 13/01/2023 20:29

I don't want to give up yet, my 3rds annoyed me all the time, the last couple of days aside these don't bother me. I do get a bit twitchy if someone goes near but not as jumpy as I am now. Either way I can't take them out whilst they are this painful so I have to wait until they are better and then I may as well wait longer to see if they heal.

I want the other ear doing too but I'm not even contemplating it yet. If these heal I might consider it, if not it's just a waste of time and money.

OP posts:
lurker2003 · 13/01/2023 20:43

Switch to straight bar surgical steel jewellery, order sterile saline solution because putting too much salt in water to clean the piercing can also irritate it. Also buy sterile gauze as anything with cotton can leave fibres which will also irritate it.
Only clean it once a day because cleaning too much can cause more damage, if you’ve got bumps use hot compresses on the bumps.

Original poster
Pickingmyselfup · 15/01/2023 15:33

Well my piercings are a mess, so sore, bleeding and swollen. God knows what they put in their "healing kit" but even a mix of hydrogen peroxide and tea tree combined has never made them like this. They are awful and potentially infected!

I've switched to saline and giving them a really good clean a couple of times a day for now and a really good rinse in the shower to make sure none of weird stuff is left. A hot compress a couple of times a day too.

I'm so annoyed that the stuff l thought was the answer to my prayers has made them 10x worse.

My poor ear 😔

OP posts:
lurker2003 · 15/01/2023 15:42

Don’t clean them more than once a day it will make them worse. What sort of metal is the jewellery?

Original poster
Pickingmyselfup · 15/01/2023 15:56

lurker2003 · 15/01/2023 15:42

Don’t clean them more than once a day it will make them worse. What sort of metal is the jewellery?

My conch is titanium, helix one is titanium and the other surgical steel I think.

OP posts:
reelcat · 11/02/2023 15:57

I know this is not recommended but the only thing that heals my piercings is savlon. Neat or mixed in a spray bottle with water

Miracle29 · 13/02/2023 15:25

@reelcat I remember this many moons ago when I had my first piercings. I wonder why it's not recommended now?

Original poster
Pickingmyselfup · 13/02/2023 19:12

I don't know about savlon but things like hydrogen peroxide aren't recommended because they are too harsh. For me though that's the only thing that got rid of the big lump on my daith and now I can't find the stuff anywhere!

They are feeling so much better though and they look better. I think it might have been the "healing" butter or oil that irritated them because I was using the spray with no issues.

I've also started using aspirin paste on them too from time to time which has also helped. They still have bumps on them, not really sure how to tackle them but for now the main thing is they barely hurt at all!

OP posts:
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