Earrings are fun to put on, especially the fun and bold pieces. They always have a way of tying everything together and adding more appeal to your overall look.
Most times all you need is just a great pair of earrings to accessorize. But if you’re not a fan of sleeping in jewelry, then you obviously can’t wait to get home and remove them. So, we can imagine the frustration of not being able to do that because your earrings are embedded.
Embedded earrings can be uncomfortable at the very least, if not painful. If left unattended they can also turn out to be a medical hazard that might even cost you your earlobes.
To prevent this, we will share with you everything you need to know about embedded earrings and what you can do at home before needing professional assistance.
Signs Of Embedded Earring.
Before jumping into the signs and symptoms, it is important to understand what embedded earrings are. It means that your earrings have become implanted or deeply fixed into your ear that it is difficult to pull them out.
It commonly occurs with new piercings or when wearing studs. The main causes of embedded earrings are infection or fiddling.
Infection is a result of you not properly caring for the piercing while it heals. That means cleaning and disinfecting it as needed. This leads to swelling and the skin enveloping the earring around it.
Fiddling on the other hand refers to playing around with the earring and constantly tightening it to a point that the earring would potentially get lost. This could induce the skin to overgrow the earring due to infection.
So, aside from the obvious, that is the earring being stuck, what are the signs that you should look out for to alert you of an embedded earring? They are as follows:
- Burning or itching sensation around the piercings.
- Redness of the skin around the piercing.
- Swelling and tenderness of the skin.
- Soreness or pain around the area.
- Pus-like discharge (a sure sign of an infection).
- The earring is no longer visible.
Can Urgent Care Remove Embedded Earring?
As you may know, Urgent Care refers to the treatment of conditions that are serious and require immediate medical attention but do not pose a serious threat to your life.
Having an embedded earring falls into this category. The longer you wait, the worse the infections get or at least chances of getting infected if it isn’t already.
Considering that this is a case that Urgent Care centers deal with frequently, the answer is yes, they can remove embedded earrings. They are in a better position to do so because they have the proper equipment, especially if there is a need to perform incisions.
With them, the process will be faster and painless because they numb the area. Moreover, they are cheaper than walking into an ER and you’ll have a better chance of being cared for there. What’s more, if you have medical insurance, then it should cover all the expenses.
Some people may be afraid of going to UC centers because of the thought of surgically removing the earring and the stitches and scars that come after. But this is not the worst thing that could happen. It is certainly not worse than what would happen if you let the situation get much worse.
How To Remove An Embedded Earring At Home?
While embedded earrings can be dangerous if left untreated, you may not even have to go to your piercer or an Urgent Care center if you act on it quickly.
The trick is to always be alert and look out for the signs. When you realize that your earring has been or is beginning to be embedded, here are some steps you could try from home:
Clean your hands.
This should be the first step because the area around the earring is tender and you don’t want to increase the chances of infection.
This is especially for new piercings that are still healing. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and water, to ensure you kill all the germs and dry them thoroughly before proceeding.
Clean and disinfect the piercing.
The next thing to do is to ensure that the piercing is also clean. For this you can use a cotton swab, wet it with warm water, and wipe the back and front of the earring post and ear lobe.
Take a fresh swab soak it in disinfectant and wipe the front and back of the earlobe try to get as far underneath the post as possible.
Loosen the clasp of the backing.
Now that your piercing is clean and disinfected, you can try loosening and removing the backing or clasp. With one hand, hold the front post and earlobe in place.
With the other hand grab onto the clasp or backing and try turning it gently in circles, using back and forth motion until it loosens. Once it is at the tip of the post, you can gently tag and release the clasp. You can clean up the area where the clasp was if it seems sticky or crusty.
Remove the post.
After the clasp or backing is out, grab the front of the post. Gently twirl it around in the hole until it is moving easily.
Wet the area some more with warm water and a cotton swab and lightly tug at the post until it eventually slides out of the hole. This may take a while based on how tight the hole is. You could also use baby oil to speed up the process.
Clean the area again.
Once you have successfully removed the earring, use the cotton swab to clean and disinfect the area again, especially if it appears swollen and red. Keep doing that until the swelling and redness goes away. If you notice any pus or if the swelling won’t reduce then seek medical attention.
Conclusion
The best way to fix an embedded earring is to do it as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more complicated it gets. If you can notice it on time then you should be able to do it yourself.
But in the event, that skin has grown over the earring back or the earring is far too embedded, then you should head to a reputable piercer or Urgent Care center and have it taken care of by a professional.
But as always prevention is better than, cure so ensure you care for your piercing. Follow the care tips and advice given religiously and try not to tighten your earrings too much.
Stephanie is a jewelry lover when she was a teenager. Her major was fashion design when she was in college. She is a jewelry designer at SOQ Jewelry and other design companies. Now she is also a writer for our website. She writes a lot of designs&brands posts with very actionable tips.