Why are my lobe piercings taking so long to heal?

[dementedpixie]

In February I got 2nd and 3rd lobe piercings in 1 ear and they still haven't healed properly. They were needle piercings done with labrets and I assume they're titanium.

I went back to the piercer a few weeks ago and she cleaned them and said they didn't look infected but they are still getting crusty at the back. I use nielmed spray on them daily.

Is there anything else I can do? Is it worth changing the earrings to see if it makes a difference? At least I can clean the crusty bits off easier if I take them out.

Two things - one, unless you have particularly large earlobes, at least the outermost may have crossed over into cartilage and the closest to your face is in a damper area with less air movement - and two - are you twisting and digging around them to clean them?

Possibly asking your piercer to switch them to straight barbells could reduce any dampness at the back, as labrets can hold moisture and it could make it easier to soak the crusting off (I am assuming you aren't picking and rubbing at it and turning them repeatedly, as that guarantees poor healing).

The number one rule of piercings is, after all, Leave it Alone.

I'm trying to leave them alone but I can see lots of crust on the post. They aren't sore, just crusty. No, I'm not twisting them. I never had this trouble on the other side although I think they had little balls at the back rather than flat backs

I've ended up buying threadless titanium labrets that are slightly longer (8mm instead of 7mm) and have changed them today. Not easy unthreading tiny gems and putting in new earrings; had to rope my dd in to help and had an insertion tool to assist too. There was a little blood that i cleaned off with neilmed spray on a cotton bud before putting the new ones in.

Fingers crossed they heal up soon.

Not easy? - that's why I said get your piercer to change them out for barbells, not start digging around in your piercings to put another set of labrets in.

I reckon you'll be better off using cooled but still hot boiled water and sea salt, soaking a folded up piece of kitchen paper and holding that against the piercings than a quick squirt with a cold spray. Do it 2-3 times a day, then pat it dry with more kitchen paper and leave them alone.

PS, In the future (like over six months, probably nearer twelve) if you need to take a piercing out, wear disposable gloves like the piercers do. They give grip as well as protection from any bacteria or skin oils on the fingers, meaning the piercing isn't further irritated by trying to get hold of it, turning it in the hole when trying to unscrew it, pulling it around and introducing further opportunities for infection in the process.

I did have disposable gloves. The piercer suggested it to make it easier to grip the earring. The worst bit was working out which way to turn them. Dont know my right from my left when youre wearing them!

Personally at that stage of healing I would actually stop cleaning them all together and just leave them alone completely. Make sure you dry them with a hairdryer after getting them wet but otherwise just don’t touch them.

Yes I was going to say maybe you keep irritating them. If you have a scab on your knee you wouldn’t keep picking off the scab everyday.

Maybe try gently washing with water when you’re in the shower but otherwise leave them alone for a few days.

Another vote for the LITHA method (leave it the hell alone). Run water over them in the shower, but nothing else.

Someone else also mentioned that thirds are likely to have some cartilage in them, which will also mean they take longer to heal (mine certainly did).

I will give the LITHA method a try 😁 and see if that helps. Bending my ear lobe forward to see what was going on probably wasn't helping!
Thanks for all your input

@dementedpixie how are your lobes now? I got my thirds done last November and they only felt healed towards the end of August so a good 9-10 months! I don't remember them taking so for my first two sets when i was young but I'm finally there!

My third lobes took longer to heal than some of my cartilage piercings.

@Yorkshireteaalwayswins I think my 2nd lobe is just about there and the 3rd lobes is lagging behind still. Went back to my piercing pillow for a few nights as it had bled a little again.

They can take a while - I got stacked lobes done in August and they’re only just at the point where they’re not tender after being slept on or irritated.

Same for me. Got 4 lobes (2 + 2) re-pierced in July and one ear is not healing. The other is fully healed. Have got them downsized and been back to piercer a couple weeks ago and she said to stop using neilmed and just leave them alone at this stage. Obviously water can run on them in the shower but not directly and dry afterwards but aside from this leave them x

Leaving my (ancient) first out helped my second and third (done together) to heal I reckon - less jousting at the back when I was in bed

and Hibiscrub. After 8m they were still manky on occasion but regular washing with Hibiscrub cured that