If you want to get your ears pierced but you are new to this. And then this post is for you. Ear piercings are trendy and discreet. However, there are various things to consider before getting your ears pierced. Here are some of them.
1. Choose the location
Some people consider piercing their ears as a rite of passage. It is a form of celebration that calls for friends and family to gather at the piercing shop or at home to congratulate the one going through the process. For others, it is a private affair that occurs in a beauty salon or the doctor’s office.
Depending on your personal preference, various machines enable these locations to conduct ear piercing procedures safely. Visit the location of your choice before having your ear pierced to check their sanitation level, prices, and consult on any other services they may offer.
2.Understand the type of equipment used
When getting your ears pierced, sterility and safety come first. Various machines can be used to perform an ear-piercing. As you look for an excellent location to get your ear pierced, it is best to ask their most preferred procedure.
Some of the most popular types of equipment used include:
- Spring-loaded ear-piercing guns that shoot the earring through the ear lobe.
- ‘Cannulas’ or hollow needles, commonly used in body piercing parlors. It involves removing some flesh to make the ear piercing
- Hand-pressured piercing equipment, like the Inverness system. It consists of using a fully-encapsulated and sterile piercing earring to create a gentle, accurate, and quiet piercing.
3. Choose the correct earring
One of the most exciting parts of getting your ears pierced is choosing your piercing stud. Regardless of it being your first, second, or fourth piercing, the piercing stud will need to stay in place for at least six weeks for a lobe piercing, or twelve weeks for a cartilage piercing.
When choosing your piercing stud, it is also vital to choose an earring with a proper adjustment feature that leaves its sharp part exposed. For those who prefer the Inverness system, its patented Inverness Safety Back ensures free airflow and safer healing by shielding the tip of the piercing earring.
Similarly, check that your piercing stud consists of top-quality hypoallergenic metal that conforms to the highest standards of nickel content. 14KT Gold, 24KT Gold, and Medical Grade Stainless Steel are one of the ideal choices for piercing studs. For those who might have nickel allergies, Medical Grade Titanium is one of the safest options for them.
4. Ensure you are dealing with a professionally trained and experienced piercer
After selecting your preferred piercing location, sit down with the piercer, and have a chat to find out about their experience and training. If it is your child who is having their ears pierced, be sure to ask the piercer some tips on how to prepare him/her for the event.
5.Healing and cleaning
Ear piercing aftercare is just as important as the process of piercing itself. It is vital to always keep the area around the piercing clean by cleaning it at least three times per day using aftercare solution.
You should also rotate your piercing stud at 360° at least three times every day. Make sure you wash your hands before touching the piercing and cleaning it to avoid infections.
Does getting an ear piercing hurt?
One of the most popular questions ear piercers get asked is whether getting an ear piercing hurts. In truth, every piercing comes with a different degree of pain.
The good news is that ear piercings are one of the least painful piercings you can get on your body.
Ideally, two types of pain that go hand in hand with having your ears pierced.
One is the initial pain that comes when you first pierce your ears, and the other is the subsequent pain that occurs after finishing the procedure. Many people describe the initial pain as brief and sharp. It is similar to a firm pinch on your ear lobe.
The subsequent pain after the procedure is a dull but throbbing one. It lasts for a few hours and is very tolerable. It s not the best feeling ever, but one can get easily distracted from it after a while. Once the pain disappears, you will be pain-free to enjoy your piercing for the rest of your life.
Pierced ear infections
Once you get your ears pierced, it is quite easy for you to get infections since it is still an open flesh wound. You have to exercise proper hygiene at all times. If your piercing is new, you must wash your hands before touching it to avoid exposing your piercing to any bacteria.
Piercings should be soaked at least three times a day in a salt or saline solution for approximately two to five minutes. Use clean and soaked gauze to clean the area.
Once your piercing is fully healed, sanitize your piercings and jewelry using an antiseptic cleaner whenever you remove your earrings, because any build-up around your ear can cause infections.
Often, dead skin as a result of infrequent earring removal or dandruff may accumulate around your ear, creating a nidus for germs.
Signs and symptoms of ear infections
If it is your first time getting your ears pierced, you may not know what the symptoms of ear infections look like. Often, ear lobe piercings heal faster than cartilage ones. Even after one takes the appropriate aftercare steps, an infection may still occur.
Infected ear piercings may also occur several years after getting the piercing. Generally, the infections are minor, and you can treat them at home without having any complications.
How to identify an infected ear piercing
- Pus-like yellow discharge
- Burning and itching sensation
- Redness and tenderness
- Swelling
How to treat infected ear piercings?
Often, you can treat these ear infections at home. However, some ear infections are more severe and require the use of antibiotics. Hospitalization is not frequent but may occur as a result of cartilage piercing infection.
Caring for minor infections involves:
- Properly wash your hand before cleaning, touching or handling the earring
- Clean the piercing area with aftercare solution, such as saline solution or distilled water and salt three times a day
- Do not use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or antibiotic solutions, as they slow down the healing process and irritate the skin
- Do not remove the earring, as it may allow the hole to close and trap infection permanently
- Clean both sides of your ear lobe and pat to dry with a clean paper towel
Consult your doctor if:
- You feel a fever along with the infection
- The infection does not improve after a few days
- The infection spreads to other parts of your body
- The earring doe not move once you perform the 360° rotation
- The earrings stay embedded in the skin
Prevention of ear infections
It is advisable to get a professional to pierce your ears rather than doing it at home. Piercings that are not on the ear lobe should be done with piercing guns rather than needles.
However, always ensure your piercer observes sterility and proper sanitation while using various types of equipment. It is also essential that they give you advice on aftercare protocols as well as tips.
Avoid playing with your piercing or handling it excessively before it fully heals. Be careful when wearing clothes to prevent the earring stud from getting caught on your clothes. In some instances, you may need to sleep on one side to avoid crushing the ear while it is still healing.
Old piercing infections
Infections in old piercings are similar to those found in new ones. Clean your earring and ear lobe on both sides using saline solution and with clean hands.
If the infection does not heal or spreads or you experience a fever, seek medical attention immediately.
If such infections happen so often, consider purchasing hypoallergenic earrings. Consult your piercer for popular hypoallergenic earrings and where to find them.
When to remove an ear piercing?
If your ears are newly pierced, it is best not to remove your earrings immediately.
Allow them to stay in for several weeks to allow the wound to close and avoid trapping infection in the skin.
Practice the proper aftercare procedures to avoid infecting the piercing.
If in doubt, consult your piercer on when to remove the piercing stud and how well it is healing.
In the case of ear lobes, healing may take approximately two to three months while cartilage piercings may take longer.
Wrap up:
If you guys want to know more ear-piercing related questions, such as:
How Long after Ear Piercing Can I Change Earrings?
What happens if you change your earrings too early after piercing them?
Can I change my earring after 1 day?
Can I change my earrings 5 days after piercing?
Can I change my earrings after 3 weeks?
Can I change my earrings a month (4 weeks) after piercing?
Can I change my earrings after 6 weeks?
How to look after a new ear piercing?
How long do ear piercings take to heal?
Easy ways to clean an ear-piercing.
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Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.