J Rothstein Co of Beverly Hills

It's best to keep any earrings in the ears. Some people heal so fast in general, especially children, so that the holes can close up after even one day!
I wouldn't take a chance, as re-piercing isn't that easy to do in the exact spot.
Keep something in there day & night. If the earrings are not comfortable to sleep in, push a thin piece of sewing thread thru the hole with an earring post & tie the knot. Always use alcohol before pushing anything new into an earring hole.
Happy Holidays, ~Janet

After 6 months you can take the earrings out for a few days, but put earrings in periodically (once a week) so the holes stay open. You can definitely wear hoops or lever-backs or fish-hooks after 6 months. Best to keep it not too heavy, say under 8 grams.

Yes, hoops with straight posts are perfectly fine.
A week before you need to remove the earrings for sports, start doing the nightly alcohol earring-twisting routine again. See if it feels smooth & moving freely when you twist the earrings. If so, you will be ready by then. If not, you may need more time. Either way, at 7 weeks remove each earring for just a minute & thoroughly rub them clean with alcohol & a tissue or your fingers, and put them back in. (Make sure there are no tissue fibers left on.) A thorough cleaning every week or 2 is best to prevent bacteria & keep the holes open. Good luck in your events!

My 4 year old daughter has had her ears pierced for a little over a year. I have noticed that one piercing is lower than the other one. When she wears certain earrings it is a lot more noticeable. I was thinking I could take the earring out of the "bad" ear and let it heal and than have it repierced. If I did this, how long would it take to heal to the point where it can be repierced?

Hi
I had my ear lobes pierced 8 weeks ago, and they're still swollen! There's no puss or anything, I clean then with salt solution and i've been to the doctors twice already about it, but they just send me away lol. I changed the earrings from the posts to small sleeper hoops after the 3rd week as the first earrings were really digging into my ears. Any ideas?

Hi
I have 9crt gold hoops at the moment (the studs we 14crt). I think maybe i'm allergic to the metal, as the swelling went down a few days ago, then when I put some gold earrings into my other holes they seemed to swell back up again...
I'm not sure if it's related, but I had my ears pierced a year or so ago but they were wonky so I let them close. The new piercings are really close to the old scars, and they seem to have raised up and gone like red bumps at the front and back on my ears...
I've been putting some antiseptic cream on them, so hopefully they should start to settle back down again...
Thanks,
Janelle

My 4 yr old daughter recently got her ears pierced. They healed fine, then when we switched them out we started having problems. They became infected and we've been caring for them and I thought they were getting better. Tonight when I cleaned them she had this bump next to the hole. I cleaned it with a q-tip and just the pressure from that make it explode! Lots puss came out and it bleed real bad. Once I got the bleeding under control I noticed that she has this small lump of tissue bulding out of that spot (not the earing hole). I finished cleaning it with the ear care solution and put some neosporin. Not sure what it is, or what to do? we have 14 k earings in her ear now.

Please help...my 6 year old daughter had her ears piecred in july'08 and I have kept in the original studs they used. I have tried on a couple of occations in dec and then in Jan'09 to put new studs in and they are fine but her ears seem to start to heal around the smaller new earrings within a day and when I go to put her original studs back in I struggle to get them back. Her piecrings seem to keep healing still after 9 months.....what should I do ? Do I keep the original piercing studs in ( which are slightly thicker posts) ? Also her school is now saying that she must take out her earrings for PE ...but I am scared that they will start to heal while she is at school..please help ..thanks

thank you for getting back to me...........shall i try yo keep the piercing studs in as much as possible (they are slightly thicker) ? When she did wear normal gold studs which have thinner posts they were alright until i tried to post the piercing studs back in..the hole had closed up smaller so we really struggled to get the piercing studs back in. I have now left the pirecing studs in and have not taken them out since. I am scared to change them etc incase they do close up even though my daughter wants to wear new ones . What do u think is best ..do i leave the piercing ones in for longer or is it safe to use smaller new studs ? How long will this all go on for ..her ears wanting to close up as it is already coming up to a year .? thanks so much xx

it's been 6 weeks since my second ear piercing.
and i just took it out today and behind it, i feel this circular lump or bump...
but when i had my first ear piercing it wasn't that much.
there is some sort of clear liquid coming out. and no pain.
i'm really curious. please get back to me asap!
thank you

Dear Rocky, You could have an abscess due to infection. I would go see a doctor to clean it out. People, you must keep your piercings clean, and keep your fingers clean! Salt water is not as effective as 99% rubbing alcohol. Let me know what the doctor says, ~Janet

Dear Lisa, If there is no pain, you probably don't have an abscess. Clean your studs and your ears with the alcohol. The little lump may go away. But you should still call your doctor to see what he says about the liquid. ~Janet

Hi Massiel, What type of earring did they use? You could be allergic to some alloy in the earring. The best type is surgical steel with 24k pure gold on top, like our Studex studs. For the pain, first try to get "Neosporin cream with pain relief" into your ear hole, pushing the earring back and forth. If the pain is still bad the next day, you should probably take out the earring and get a Dermatologist to clean it out. Wait a few weeks for it to close up, and try another piercing near that hole, with better earrings. Then you MUST follow the alcohol / Neosporin routine each nite. Keep me posted, ~Janet

Hi, I got my ears pierced two months ago. And recently, my ear had started to bleed and with tiny bit of pus and it was from the ear piercing so my mother advised me to take the piercing out and clean my earlobe with alcohol on a piece of cotton and put antiseptic cream on it everyday. Will my earhole close? Because I'm really scared that it will close. And the first time it started bleeding I cleaned it then tried to put my piercing back in and it really hurt and started to bleed again. The other ear is fine. What should I do? I don't really want to put my piercing in again because I'm scared that it will hurt alot and get infected.

Hello, I have reinserted my earring and it doesn't hurt at all. I rotated the earring and doesn't really hurt anymore. Thanks loads. But what if I want to put an earring of a thicker post in?

My 5-year-old daughter got her ears pierced a week ago. Her soccer coach is now saying that she has to remove the earrings to play and that we cannot tape them for the games. I am concerned because I don't want the holes to close up. The coach suggested that I take them out for the 45 minute game and then reinsert them. It was also suggested that I can buy 'retainers' to insert for the games. Do you have any suggestions for me? Thanks.

I had my ears pierced as a teen but one was slanted and I let them close because it just looked odd, I never wanted to get them pierced again for fear it wouldn't look right well I an 28 now so I felt like doing it mid march and now its may and both ears have a small knot but the left hurts when I change out the ear ring and its bleeds for a moment too, the right feel a bit sore and bleeds less, I'm sure my stud ear rings are sterling silver, and once they are in its fine no bleeding or pain, I don't know its I am allergic or it they just aren't healed or if I need to take them out. Like now I have hoop ear rings in and they feel fine but every now and again the left side feels discomfort like not really pain but discomfort and its only last for a few secs, it kind of feels like I am trying to stick the stud thru a ball of mass trying to find the whole on the other side and that hurts. Can some one please help?

We had such a wonderful experience at your shop. Lily's ears look perfect! Thank you for doing such a wonderful job! We will be back for more earrings and tell everyone we know!

I have the same problem as Massiel. I got a 2nd lobe piercing on Friday. When I went to bed on last night, the right one was sore, and when I woke up this morning, it was pretty swollen. There's no blood or pus, just lots of pain and embarrassment (my mom didn't want me to get this piercing). She actually suggested Neosporin with a hot compress, but I was a little worried and went to Claire's where I got it done in the first place, and they told me I was probably allergic to the titanium. Since they've only been pierced for a week, are they going to close up immediately if I want to change the studs to 14K gold? And is there any way to numb the pain?

Dear Mimi, I keep telling people to use the hypoallergenic surgical steel earrings for piercing! You may be allergic to titanium, but one week is too early to put in Non-Training earrings. If you have thick - post 14 kt. gold stud earrings (clean & sterilize them first), you can try to take out the Titanium & QUICKLY put the gold ones in. Clean with alcohol and Neosporin EVERY DAY, by twisting the earrings after dripping the liquids into your ear holes. The Neosporin creme has pain relief in it. Don't change again for 6 more weeks.
Good luck! Let me know,~Janet

Hi Christina, The recommended time for "training" is 6 weeks. That is so that the hole will stay open enough by twisting the perfectly round and larger training posts. They won't really close up after switching to your own earrings, but the hole may get too small to put in larger posts later on. If you can just be patient for 2 more weeks, put the piercing studs back in and keep up the cleaning routine. You will be happier in the long run. Best regards, ~Janet

Hi Mimi, I'm sorry I was out of town and couldn't reply to you sooner. Yes! You can keep doing the isopropyl alcohol and Neosporin, and twisting the earring back & forth inside. Twice a day will help clean out the infection faster. The bleeding is sometimes from pushing the larger diameter training posts thru the hole as it narrows.
Sometimes 6 weeks is not enough time to finish the training the ear piercing. Sometimes people are sensitive to 14 kt. gold ~ which contains only 58.5% pure gold, and the rest other elements such as copper, zinc and silver and sometimes nickel.)
Keep trying.... Please keep me posted. ~Janet

Hi Krithika, Your ears could definitely be aggravated to make a small bump. I have seen people with little bumps that have gone away. You must now continue to keep your holes clean (and clean your hands first) with the Alcohol and Neosporin if you have it, for 3 more weeks. Also, today remove the earrings, clean them, and put them back in quickly! Don't worry too much about it. Ask a doctor to look at it as well. Write me back, ~Janet

Hi Angela, Your ears may be very sensitive to either the solution or the earring metal she used. It seems to be more serious than usual! I think you should see a doctor for the infection, and ask if you should let the holes close up and start over with a new piercing, or if you should keep the light earrings in while the infection clears up. If you start your piercing over, choose the hypo-allegenic surgical steel studs with 24 kt. yellow gold-plating. These seem to work the best, and keep your ears and hands clean. Let me know, ~Janet

Sure it's ok to sleep without earrings in, as long as you have kept the first training (piercing) earrings in for at least 6 weeks. Even after that, some people's holes close up fast, so it's best to keep earrings in during the daytime for another 6 weeks.
How long have you had earrings in so far? ~Janet

Hi Jason, These are the criteria to ask yourself: Is the earring twisting very loosely without sticking? Does it feel clean and there are no rough spots on your ear around your earring? If so, it is ok to switch out the earring for a night. Make sure you rub alcohol on: 1) your hands and fingers, 2) the new earring and 3) the old earring as you inspect it for residue and prepare it for re-insertion the next day.
Don't remove before 4 weeks, and please keep it in for the two weeks following your event for best results. Thanks, and have fun! ~Janet

I pierced my ears in march 2009 after 3 weeks it was swollen to the point where the earrings could not close, after cleaning them with alcohol it went down. i thought it was geeting better but a month after the right ears got swollen again, it too went back down. Last week the right ears had some puss inside and i squeeze it out a litte blood came out i had was to use some peroxide on it to stop the bleeding. Can u tell me if u think a lump will grow behind my ears and how before i should stop having these problems? I'm really curious an affraid of getting that lump.

Hi Janet,
I just got my cartilage pierced around 8 weeks ago and have a soccer game coming up. We're not allowed to wear any jewelry, so I was wondering would it be alright to take my earring out of my cartilage already? Would it close up after an hour and a half?

Hi Janet, I just got my cartilage pierced two days ago. In three weeks, I have two cross country meets, and we're strictly forbidden from wearing any form of jewelery. We aren't allowed to cover earrings with tape, either. The meets tend to last a couple hours, but the actual running usually takes less than 30 minutes. If I were to take out my earring right before the race, and then put it in directly afterwards (after washing my hands first and such), would that be okay? Or is there a risk that the hole would close in the 30 minutes?

My daughter had her ears pierce for 6 weeks. They look fine but trying to get them out has been a problem. They are the kind that snap at the back and everytime I tried to do it she says they pull and hurt. How do I need to get them out. She wants to wear the others that she has bought.

My 15 month old got her ears pierced three months ago. At the six week mark she woke up without the earring in her ear. I tried to put it back in, but was unable to so i took her back to the jeweler and he repierced it. I haven't had any problems- cleaned and twisted for 6 weeks as per instructions. However, two days ago I noticed something on her ear(crust around the earring). When I touched it pus came out from the front and back. I cleaned it and took the earring out.I called the doctor and he just said to remove the earring.(I realize that I was periodically making sure that the backing was secure and may have tightened the backing too much). This morning I cleaned it and put a post through only to find a small lump on the back of her ear (almost purplish black maybe a blood blister). The ear isn't red- should I put the earring back or leave it out and what is the lump? Thank You, Mia

Hi Janet.
I got my cartilage pierced roughly 10 weeks ago. It was completely fine till a couple weeks ago. I was getting bubbles on my ear where the earring went in. Just a few days ago I started using non-iodized sea salt to clean it. It is slightly irritated, and now when I take the earring out to clean it, it bleedsa little. Is it bad that I take the earring out when i clean it? I thought it might be more thorough, but maybe im wrong. Please give me any advice you can on how to get my ear better!

I got my cartialge pierced two weeks ago.I foolishly took them out and put them back in.Minor pain and bleeding occured.After doing that,there was no pain.However,my left ear hurts but I didn't take the earring out of that ear.

Help?

Hi, My 6 year old got her ears pierced 6 months ago and all had been going well until about a week ago. She had them done with the Studex earrings. We have changed them a couple of times but only to other Studex ones. Last week we noticed puss etc coming out of the right ear - left ear has been fine. Despite going back to daily cleaning it doesn't seem to be improving and a lot of the crust seemed to be forming on the back of the butterfly clip behind the ear causing even more irritation on the whole back of the lobe. Today I have taken them out and replaced with Studex sleepers to try and keep the whole area clean if/when it gets mucky again. Is this the best thing to do? It just seems like the hole needs room to breathe as such. Also, she has worn these sleepers before for 2 days but when we put the normal studs back in the hole seemed a little tough to get through. I'm not planning on changing them for quite some time now but will the same problem occur?? Thx for any help u give.

Thanks Janet. I'm in Australia and I don't think we have Neosporin here. Don't suppose you know what an equivalent would be? Her ear lobe that was having the most trouble behind it seems to be improving since the sleepers have been in. I am cleaning them morning and night but the hole still has the gunky stuff coming out of it. The sleepers get stuck so need a bit of a push to get them moving through. The ears look good once cleaned but it keeps coming back. Do you know how long it should take for it to clear up for good??? Also will this mean we won't be able to put her normal studs in again as the hole will get smaller with the sleepers or will it just be a matter of trying to gently force them through (won't be trying for a few months at least though!!) Thanks so much once again!

HI, my daughter got her ears pierced 3 months ago, and neither has settled down properly, althought the one is worse than the other. I am cleaning them twice a day and keep think they are starting to heal but then they start bleeding again and oozing clear liquid, althought there's no pus. The one is worse than the other and what's really worried me now, is the bad one has started to look discoloured (blackish bluish colour) around the hole at the back of the ear. What should I do?

Hi, I got my cartilage pierced 2 weeks ago and it was fine for the first week. I've been doing all the cleaning and taking care of it but 3 days ago I bumped my ear and its bruised now. It feels warm and hurts but also itches. Then today there is a little lump behind my ear lobe like where my limph nodes are. Is this normal? Should I see a doctor about it? Also, if not is there anything I can do to help it heal faster because my ear is red and bruised. Thanks

I had my 3rd holes done 24 hrs ago the one ear isn't too painful, still a bit red and warm. But the other ear is more painful, warmer and redder. Should I be worried at this stage or see how it is in 3 days?

Thanks Janet, the one side is still a bit swollen and more painful than the other but will see how it goes.

Hi, i got my ears pierced TWO weeks ago, and it was fine up until 5 days later when the one on my cartilage started to be slightly painful, so I asked my sister to loosen the lock, but she ended up taking off the earring. I got it back on, it's fine now, after putting ice on it, but the other locks started bothering me so I replaced them with ones that are easier to adjust. The other pair of earrings for my earlobes was a bit too big, so I replaced it with ones that I bought. I did that today. It's not really painful or swollen, just pinkish and when i touch it, there's kind of a stinging sensation where the hole is. Does this mean it's starting to get infected. Oh, and I cleaned my ears and earrings first with alcohol before i put them on.

And also, at work, we constantly get inspections and we're only allowed to wear one pair of earrings. I have three pairs. Will it be all right to remove them for like 4 hours and put them back on at least after the inspections are over.

Dear Gladz, The cartilage does take longer to heal than the ear lobes, so I hope they don't close up while you're at work! Two weeks isn't usually enough time. If you can go to the restroom every so often and put a drop of Neosporin or Vaseline or ear care gel on the tip of an earring and push it thru, that will help.
As for the pain, make sure the earrings backs you are using very clean (I read you did that) and are NOT gold-plated. Many people are sensitive to costume jewelry. Use 585 (14K) solid gold or 925 Sterling Silver (look for the stamps). Also, clean the tips of any eyeglasses clean. (Germs live on them too!) Let me know, ~Janet

Hi Noelle, I think you really need to clean out the hole (& keep doing it every day)- sounds infected. Try to get lots of alcohol and Neosporin in the hole, front and back. If the alcohol hurts, use a Q-tip dipped in hot salt water. Don't try to take the earring out if it is stuck; only if it twists. After your ear is cleaned, you can remove it. Clean it with lots of alcohol & put it right back in! The hole may close up unless it's "matured". Later you can remove it to sleep & try to sleep on the other side or your back, on a soft pillow.

Hi Kenna,
Pain can come from infections, sensitivity, or from knocking your earring by accident. It can be from dirty fingers or an irritating metal. Sometimes one ear lobe is thicker than the other, so the cleaning liquids don't get inside the hole as well as on the thinner side.
If it's not red, leaking, or really hot, just try to put Neosporin cream inside the hole and rotate the earring a little. You can put a warm compress of salt water on your ear. Some people prefer ice in a paper towel - what ever feels best. It should go away soon (take Tylenol.) Please keep me posted, ~Janet

Hi So I realized that it's not actually pus that it's just clear liquid that seems to be on the backs. And people keep telling me that, that's normal? I clean them everyday and put Neosporin on the posts when I put them back in. My boyfriend got his ear pierced a week after me and he takes his out at night, every night and he doesn't seem to have anything on them (sometimes I switch his earring for him) so why do I? Sometimes my like ear lobe itches too, but they're never red. And it's never a problem to take them out or put them back in they just slide in and out. Sometimes when I clean them I notice little like scabs or dead skin fall off onto the cotton pad. Is that normal?

Dear Indy and Noelle,
You both sound like the earring is irritating your ear - you could be allergic or sensitive to the metal. You may need to change the earrings to an 18 karat gold (or at least 14 karat), or hypoallergenic material. Do not get anything that is "fashion" jewelry or silver right now.
Clean off your ears well with alcohol, and then put a washcloth soaked in very warm salt-water against your ears.
Some people take more time to "mature" their ears. Keep your fingertips very clean! The little dead skin is dried liquid... that should stop soon. The raised thing should go away soon, too.
Please let me know how you are after a week. ~Janet

hi janet,
thank tou so much for your reply.
i will follow your advice and hope it helps!
i was just wondering: do i need to re-pierce if there is no infection- will the scar tissue go away or imporve if is do so?
and should this be done with a gun or needle, because i have pierced my ears twice in 8 years, with gun.
lastly, how long should i wait to re-pierce?

kind regards :0)

Hi,
I got my ears pierced December 26th, 2009 with 14kt Gold Studs. This is my 1st time ever in my life as I had always been afraid I'd get keloids or something after seeing someone in high school with very large Keloids on each of her ears.
Well, After 6 weeks, I tried to switch them out with another pair 14kt metal earrings and after just a few minutes, it was very hard to place back in my ear. Almost like the hole closed up. I placed studs back in and now its been almost 9 or 10 weeks, and they are still sore and my hole in the left ear gives me the most problems. Is this normal? Should I always keep earrings in? It's irritating to sleep with them in my ear. Since this is new to me, will I have to continually wear earrings in my ear? Everytime I change my earrings out, I always have to force them thru the original hole? My ear bleeds and is sensitive. PLEASE help. THANK YOU so much!

I got my 4 whole pierced on March 2 can i wait for 22 to take them out. That about three week's.

Dear Suzanne, Please wait til at least 5 weeks to see if your ear-hole is matured & trained. (Feels clean and shiny while you twist the earring). 3 weeks is usually too soon. The hole can close up in minutes on some people! ~Janet

I wrote you about my earring. They were hurting me i took them out on the 18 March . But i put another small pair in . I am Keeping them in for while also. And i am useing the earring cleaning kit. And i am keeping them turned also. But i am just wandering why my ears hurt it just when i go to lay down on each side . But one side hurts the most. So what you think i need to do. And you know i had them done on the 2 March and decided take them out that day 18. I thought it might be them hurting. But it not.Do you need know if i need keep them in little bit longer. April coming up so you think i take them out sometime around then . I just don't want them close up. What you think i can put on my ears from hurting they bother me. suzanne

Suzanne, What kind of metal are your earrings made of? Are you using a soft enough pillow? Try using "Neosporin with Pain Relief"- it's a yellow tube with white cream. Get that into your earring hole..It may stop the hurting. and you may need to keep them in longer.

Hi Melissa, I just spoke with someone who had the same problem. Her ears took much longer to "mature." She switched from alcohol to hydrogen peroxide. Keep up with the routine either with alcohol, or HP, or warm salt water, and Neosporin. The piercing gun shouldn't matter - we use it, sterlized after each person. As l long as you are not in pain, you will be ok. Some people just take longer... sometimes with thicker ear lobes. Let me know next month. ~Janet

My 5 year old daughter had her ears pierced one year ago. We cleaned them with the solution the piercer provided and twisted them as instructed. She seemed to have a problem with the stud earring becoming attached to the skin of the ear lobe. I bought a pair of loop earring which helped tremendously. It seemed to let the air heal the piercing. She still has a lot of lymph fluid. We switched back to the studs and they again attached to the ear lobe after a few days (we were cleaning them daily). I switched back to the loops, but there is still a lot of lymph fluid and an open area where the ball of the stud attached to the lobe. Is there anything I can put on the piercing to help healing and stop the lymph fluid build up? I have used Neosporin , but the open area seems so "wet" and I need to dry it up. Thanks for your help!

Ears pierced yesterday. To turn or not to turn. To use peroxide or sea salt?

I got my second ear pierced little over 2 weeks ago. My ear was fine until few days later after I got my ear pierced, and it started to swell up, so I clean my pierced ear with Isopropyl alcohol for few days but it irritated and swell up even more. So I went to see my doctor and she gave me antibiotic. I also found out that sea salt soaking is really good for when healing pierced ear or when pierced ear get infected. Is that true?

I have a another question I been soaking my swollen ear with warm water with sea salt. After I'm done soaking and rinse off my ear with water and dry my ear. my ear get dry and gets crusty,and thing that makes crusty is clear and puss. Please helpme!!

Hi my name is Jay i got my ear pierced on last friday and on monday it started to swell..i clean it everyday an turn it everyday..i was thinking that because my prom is this friday is it ok to switch out the training earring really quick to put in the new one..the swelling isn't to bad just hurts wen i touch it

Hi Melissa, nice to hear from you! I would say that 4 to 6 months is a good time from now to put in silver. Make sure is it stamped "925" for Sterling Silver, and it is made in Italy or the USA. (from China & Mexico is less pure) Always clean the new earrings with alcohol or hand sanitizer before inserting them. ~Janet

Hi this is Vivian, thanks for your help my ear is getting better, the swelling is gone now but still little red. I will put some Noesporin, thank you so much for your help. Vivian

Hi Anna, Some people do have metal allergies. 18K. is more pure; I would try ball earrings made of 18K yellow gold. (We carry some.) Instead of alcohol, just try the "Neosporin Creme with Pain Relief" in the ear holes and on any new earring before insertion. If she wears glasses make sure the ends are clean. I hope she feels better; let me know. ~Janet

Thanks, Anna! One of my young clients had the same problem - thicker ear lobes. We gave her leverback earrings to try, and that worked for better air circulation. Later we made her 18K flower studs with longer posts. If her hoops are too big, sleeping on them may put undue pressure, but I think it could be the metal allergy. Try 18K yellow gold and/or leverbacks, or extra-long posts. And she must use the Neosporin or similar antibiotic creme. ~Janet

Part II

I live in Massachusetts and I was quoted $175.00 for 18k extended post earrings with a little cut stone. I just recently bought her the 14k hoop earrings, my daughter will end up having nicer earring than me at this rate!

hey miss janet , i got my ears pireceds on last saturday .. i clean them 3 times a day and they still hurt i went to differents websits and they said the pain should go away withthem the first 48 hours.. i sleep on them could that be the reason?? please respond back asap i really need your help i dnt kno wat 2 do!!

Hi Janet - I see you've helped so many with your answers....so I thought I'd see if you could provide some advice.

My five-year-old daughter had her ears pierced 6/26/10 -- and had been doing great with them. After 6 weeks we removed them and kept earrings in her ears. Then, this weekend, she was at my in-laws for the weekend - one earring fell out on Saturday night and I didn't find out about it until Sunday night - and even after I asked them to replace it they had no interest in helping. (They were against ear piercing that young in the first place.) They are bringing her home tonight so I can attempt to put in another earring in that hole - but I'm afraid that after 48 hours the hole will have closed. Oh, I'm just so frustrated with them - if only they simply would have put an earring in once they realized she had lost it (minutes after it fell out!).

Any advice?

Hi Janet,
I got my ears pierced in the beginning of june. I've taken out my earrings to clean several times already after I hit the 4 week mark and never had any problems.
But today, after I took my shower and took out my earrings to clean, I couldn't put them back in completely no matter how much I changed the angle or numbed my ears, it was like the back hole closed in a matter of 2 minutes. It started bleeding a bit after a while so I stopped trying to put it on. I can feel a tiny bump at the back of my ears and when I looked with a hand mirror, it's purple/red like a bruise. The front looks completely normal. It's a little bit sore when I touch it.

What's going on? I decided to leave it out while I sleep. Will it close by tomorrow? Should I try to put it back in tomorrow?

Thanks!

Hi Janet,
Thanks for the advice. I got some Neosporin and tried to put the earrings through again. I got it through my right ear easily without any pain or bleeding at all.
My left ear was a bit trickier. Turns out, I've been trying to stab myself a new piercing, that's why it hurt so bad and it bled. This morning the purple went down significantly, and luckily, my piercings didn't close. After a couple of tries it went through smoothly and into the right hole.
I'll keep my earrings in for at least four more weeks. I will definitely not take them out again.
Thanks for all your help!
Lily

Hi Jamie, You have been doing everything right. She must have touched her ear with dirty fingers or not cleaned it properly for a day or 2. The Neosporin will help, and it will be fine if she keeps up the cleaning routine - but don't stop until another week or so. It should be perfect before she tries new earrings. ~Janet

If you can get the 14K gold earring in, try that with some Neosporin on the tip. You can try the training post, but it may be too thick by now. If either earring goes in with no pain, she will be fine. Keep up the training routine of alcohol and Neosporin, and gentle twisting of the earring.
If no earring can get thru, let the hole close up, but still keep it clean. It takes a week to a few months. You can re-pierce it, but wait til there is no more bump. Best of luck & let me know, ~Janet

Hi Sheena, Purell may work fine, but see if it has aloe in it. Some people are more sensitive to that. Leave the earring in for about 6 weeks, and get the Purell into the hole 1x a day til then. That's what twisting the earring does. Let me know how that works.
Some people like salt water, Hydrogen Peroxide, or Bacitracin.
Thanks, ~Janet

Hi Karin, Ears are still at risk from infection after the training period. It sounds like an allergic reaction to an earring. I wouldn't use 10K right now - it's only 50% gold. Surgical steel made in the USA or England is fine. (Unfortunately those made in China are not always safe.) Make sure the posts are long enough so that there is some breathing room, & the backings aren't squeezed on too tightly.

You are right to do the thorough cleaning once a week for the rest of the year. Always put Neosporin on any new earrings before insertion - anyone could have touched them with unclean hands.
Let me know if that helps, ~Janet

Hi Karin, Sorry I was out of town. Are her ears ok now? Is she keeping her fingers clean? Usually slightly red earlobes are ok if no pus. My customer today has one sensitive ear that gets itchy. We are going to try 18Kt. gold posts for her, and very thin ones.
Please let me know what happens, so I can tell other people. Come visit me in California! ~Janet
Comment by Janet on 03:36 PM October 31, 2010

Hi Nick, After 6 months, you may be able to leave your earrings out for 3 days. But - if it's 3 days in a row, each day you should dot your earlobe with the alcohol and push the earring post thru the hole... just to make sure that it isn't closing up. ~Janet

Hi Nick, Yes, your plan is fine. (but why?) The Ear Care Antiseptic is fine, too, but Isopropyl Alcohol & Neosporin work great if you run out. Do the cleaning every day for 6 weeks with the earring in. When you decide to not wear an earring every day, still push the post thru with your cleaner every 2 days. (sometimes ear holes close quickly) : )

Hi Janet,

I had my baby's ears pierced about 4 weeks ago, but I've noticed now that one of her holes is slightly higher than the other. If i take her earrings out, will they close up so she can have them redone later? Or will there always be little "hole" scars? Thanks!

well i had size 14 gauges but moved on to size 12 gauges,
ever since then my left ear lobe keeps dispensing this clear liquid.
whats wrong with it??
really need help:)
thanks

Hi Ana,
Your ear lobe needs to get used to the thicker gauge. Hopefully you are using surgical stainless steel. Use an antibacterial soap or Neosporin and move the earring thru your ear to make sure there's no infection. You can soak your earlobe in warm salt water to feel better also. Make sure you wait 2 weeks before going to thicker gauges. Also, try to sleep on the other side of your head.
Let me know how it goes. ~Janet

I just got my one earlobe repaired on November 30, 2010. I wanted the doctor to leave a hole so I can wear post-ear rings and he would not. The docotor just close it and told me to wait for 6 months. Then I needed to come back for them to remove the stiches I had mention to the doctor I wanted to where studs and the other doctor at the same place I had my earlobe repaired he told me to wait for a few months. I asked him if I waited until January or February could I studs and he thought it would be ok. I am not sure what to do. I keep my earlobe clean, but I don't want to wait for six months and I also don't want my earlobe to spilt again. What should I do?

Hi,

I just got my ears pierced for the first time yesterday and I have no pain or anything. When I came home from work today, I noticed a small round bump right beside my lymph node. It doesn't hurt, but it is a little red. I am not sure if it is a pimple growing or if it's some normal that occurs after piercing.

Hi Janet,
I recently had my first holes done a 3rd time. I've learned from having my nose pierced that I'm just an incredibly slow healer, and am hoping that if I leave my starter earrings in for 3-6 months (basically until I have no irritation, bumps or any problem at all with my ears) that these holes will be successful.
My question is, if I leave the training earrings in that long, should I first transition to a smaller post, or can I go straight to a leverback or hoop?

Thanks,
Holly

Hi, I got my ears re-pierced five weeks ago yesterday, I have cleaned them out and rotated them twice a day for that entire period with no problem. Out of nowhere today my right ear started to hurt and when I finally had the chance to clean my hands and my ears and really look at it it started to bleed and pus out of the back. I took the earring out and cleaned the hole and the earring really well and put it back in, if I continue to keep it clean and put some neosporin on it, do you think it will be ok? Should I leave my studs in longer because it was bleeding? Thank you, Angela.

I got my ears pierced about six weeks ago and took my earrings out for the first time because it's just easier to clean them that way, and I felt very small lumps in the piercing, kind of like they were swollen right there. Is that normal? I know for sure they aren't infected. They aren't red or painful or anything, and my friend had hers done at the same time as mine and said hers are the same way. Is this normal and what is it?

Hi,

Just curious if you know of anywhere to get 14k jewelry that LOOKS like costume? I really would like decorative earrings like you may get at Claire's, but don't want them to aggravate my ears.

Thanks!

Hi
My daughter just had her ears pierced two days ago with 14k gold studs. I have been following the advice of the piercer, using the solution I was given and cleaning and rotating her earrings three times a day. Last night and this morning I noticed a little redness around the earrings. There's no swelling or puss, but my daughter says it hurts when I clean them. What should I do? Is this normal or a concern?
Thanks so much!

Hi Belinda,
First of all, you only need to clean and rotate once a day - more could be irritating. She could either be sensitive to the 14 kt. studs (which contain some alloy) or to the solution, or she could have dirty fingers near her ears. The best advice I can give is to follow our tried and true routine. Use isopropyl alcohol then Neosporin on the posts, and rotate once a day. If that doesn't work, then she needs to change to surgical steel posts. Let me know, ~Janet

I got my ears peirced three weeks ago. Everything was fantastic until three days ago when I accidentally hit my left ear peircing. Since then it hurts like heck to twist the earring and that ear has been really swollen. My right ear is doing well... what do I do for my swollen ear??

I clean both ears three times a day with antiseptic and I twist them as well.

Should I see a doctor?
I dont have health insurance so would it cost a lot?

Hi Jacinta, I'm glad you went to the doctor anyway. Sometimes the earrings do feel like they are sticking to the skin inside there. That's why we use the Isopropyl rubbing alcohol and NeoSporin before twisting. It really seems to work well. You could put an ice pack on your earlobe before the cleaning/twisting to reduce the swelling. You could have stretched the hole when it was hit, so only do this routine once a day so it is not irritated.

What are the earrings made of? You could be sensitive to that metal. You may have to switch metals. If this doesn't stop, you can remove the earring and let it close up & start over, but try not to give up.
Keep me posted, ~Janet

Hi Natasha, You won't get an infection if you only clean the front of your earring, as long as you touch the posts and twist it gently to get it into the hole. (Do the back also from now on, with alcohol.)
The best time to do your cleaning is after the shower, once a day. First do the alcohol and twist, then do the Neosporin and twist. If you don't take a shower every day, then just do your cleaning routine before going to bed. : ) ~Janet

Hi Dave, In my vast experience, the center of an earlobe is the perfect place for the hole, not lower. Later in life, the hole can get larger and droop! You may need a slightly larger hoop earring, to look right to your wife.
If you pierce a new hole, the old hole will still show a bit and may never close up. A hole will start to close up in the back - not the front.

For a piercing, it's always best to use the Studex basic silver-color studs (there are squares or circles) for the training period, but some kids put bandaids over them during sports games. I haven't found any good clear studs. You can thread clear fishing line thru and tie it in a knot after about 3 weeks. You still have to do the routine cleaning and twisting once a day.
Good luck, ~Janet

The best amount of time is really 6 weeks! The hole must mature, otherwise it can get infected or close down too much. If your ear lobe is thicker it may take longer. Do your cleaning routine, and make sure the Sterling Silver hoop is clean before you insert it. Good luck!

Hi Laura, You can remove the earring from 3-year-old's ear(s) and it usually won't leave a mark. If one is in a good spot, leave that one if she doesn't mind. If the one is only off a tiny bit, then you have to wait longer to make sure the hole is completely closed before attempting a new hole. And, it may not be that big a deal to her.
Make sure to clean off the "removed" lobe with alcohol & Neosporin, and keep up the cleaning routine with the one you leave in. ~Janet

Hi Laura, Usually people wait about 6 months to make sure the hole is really closed up. You're welcome & good luck! : )

Hi Denise, You have already figured out the problem & the solution! Re-training your ears is great. If you can get someone to shave down & polish the diamond hoops' posts, that will help too. Make sure they are super clean before inserting them. All the best, ~Janet

I have read that you should not take out the earring if it is still healing. I have also read that some doctors and nurses don't know that. SO I am seeking advice from a piercing professional. I have some questions: Is plan saline okay instead of soap or alcohol?..the alcohol burns her. Should I take the earring out or keep treating it with bactricin and cleaning with anti-bacterial soap and saline? HOw often should I clean it? Is this piercing still considered a "new" piercing after 8 weeks? Can I switch out the earring for a one with a longer stem or leave the stud in? It seems tight and her lobe bruised a bit when I took out the stud to clean. She also told me that neosporin "should not be used". I could not get to my daughter regular doctor so I went to a clinic to see what to do. The nurse practioner seemed a little clueless at first. I literally had to ask her to give me some advice besides "take it out and let it rest for a few days". PLease help me!! Also the earring is gold.

My 2 year old daughter had her ears pierced on 4/17/2011. We never had any problems with them being infected. After eight weeks I bought here some sterling silver post earring to change from her starter 18kt ones. When I removed the starters, one of the backs of her ears had a scab like dot were the post went through. I thought it was fuzz or dirt so I effortlessly picked it off. It started to bleed but did not sem to be infected or painful. After I inserted her new earings I applied neosporin a few nights and never had anymore issues. A few weeks later, we noticed the back to the new earring was missing. Out of fear of them closing up we put her starter earrings back in. Now weeks later I noticed that this red scabby thing is back on her ear between the earring back and her ear lobe. I have started to apply peroxide to the backs of her ear. To hopefully get rid of this scabby thing. There is still no other signs of infection. Do you have any suggestions

Hi! So I had my second holes pierced about 7 weeks ago and today I went to change out my piercings. Everything was good until tonight when I took them out to clean them and put earrings back into them. The right one had no issues but the left hold was swollen like a hard marble-tyle feeling and was filled with puss but the hole was still accessible. So before I went to be I put the earring into it and now the swelling is gone..whats going on? thanks
-Pari

Dear Annette, Jennifer, Toni, Pari,
I'm so sorry I was out of town & couldn't answer you quickly.
Strangely, sometimes only one ear will have an issue! Sometimes germs get in or there is an allergic reaction that causes bleeding, swelling, or a little ball. The most important thing is to keep the ear free of germs. If it's bacitracin, or alcohol, or warm salt water, all are good... whatever is comfortable. Neosporin does work!
If you can remove the stud, clean it and the ear very well. Then leave it in.Twice a day is good for the regular clean/twist routine. The issues will disappear soon.
Silver is not always good right after the piercing. Often the posts or backs are base metal! A 14K or 18K post is best, and it should have room to breathe & twist... sometimes if it is too tight, the earring can be swallowed up by the ear!! Dig it out, clean everything, & put a plastic disk between the ear & the backing. (I can send you some)
Always clean ANY earring before inserting! ~Janet

Hi I have a ? I just recently gauged my ears from a standard 18 gauge to a 12 gauge. My right ear has been fine but my left ear is kind of whack. It seems like the back of the ear has a bigger hole then the front hole. Its also been kind of tender and hurts every so often. Ive been taking good care of them. Also I put neosporin in the left ear. But the back hole is still bigger then the front hole. What should I do? Please comment back.
Thanks, Jman

Hi Jman, The back hole should close down more with the daily Neosporin. It could be an infection, so it should fix that too. (Keep clean!) Do your twisting and future gauging after a shower to prevent uneven stretching. Often a person's one ear reacts differently, so don't worry too much. If you still have problems, ask the place where you got the gauging earrings - are they surgical steel? They should not be porous material like acrylic. Let me know,~Janet

Hi Janet the gauges I have now are black plastic. Im only using these plastic ones until I get to a 0 and then Im going to get wood ones. I want to get wood ones because ive heard theyre better then plastic. But the back hole I think is starting to clear up :)

Hi Janet, What an incredibly helpful resource your blog is! My 5 yr old daughter had her ears pierced 3 mo ago. We cleaned with a benzalkonium chloride solution and turned daily for 8 weeks and had no problems. About a month ago, we started cleaning less- maybe once a day or every other day- and one or the other of the earlobes has been infected about half the time over the past month. The holes are usually worse in the morning and sometimes bleed. She is still using the 14K gold starter earrings. Should I buy different earrings? Should she sleep in something other than post earrings? You mention plastic disks in your responses to other posters. What are these? I'd greatly appreciate your advice. Thanks!

Hi Joanna, Some people take longer for their holes to "mature." She should be cleaning still every day. Sometimes it's a reaction to the metal, but if your daughter had no problems the 1st 8 weeks, then it could be a contact-related infection. I would say to remove the starter posts, thoroughly clean out her ear lobes (with the alcohol & NeoSporin creme) & buy her lightweight dangle earrings on 14 kt. gold fish-hooks. This will get more air to the holes, but push on rubbery or gold stoppers so they don't slip out of her ears. She can sleep in these. [The plastic disks I mentioned are for people whose ear lobes tend to swallow up the earring backings! You put the disk between the ear & the backing.] Remind her to keep her fingers clean! Let me know how it goes, ~Janet

hi so i had my stud earings on for 2 months know do i take it out because i took it out in the hole looked small so i dont know if i should leave it in our take it out

hi i just recently ears pierced and its almost 5 weeks so i took up out and put new ones in because i have homecoming when i put my old ones in they wouldn't twist is that a bad thing? did i put them back in wrong? please advice and also they first bleed a little when i took them out not very much but a little tiny blood.... advice?

hi there, i had my second lobe piercing 6 weeks ago today. I have waited and cleaned my ears as suggested. Today i took out the earring they pierced it with and when i went to put another one in, it caused me pain. I managed to get it in the front fine, but when i went to push it through the back i got like a stinging pain. Is this normal? i don't remember having it with my first piercing. I am too frightened to take out the other one today in case it is the same. Please reply asap :) thankyou

I was pierced in my belly button with the STUDEX gun for an instructional video in Redondo Beah California at 700 n. pch suite 300
redondo beach, ca 90277, a spa, and it went very wrong. The cartridge did not disengage correctly and the entire instrument was stuck on my body. Fred Safford , the one who is responsible for the production & legalities on this devie actually came at me with a pair of pliers to try to "ply" the piercing out of my skin. They actually have the entire event on video. This was so terrifying and the other part of the staff contined to use tweezers & a screwdriver to get the piercing loose. My belly button was infected immediately and I contacted the owners asap, but they have put me off for over 6 months & I have thousands of dollars in doctor bills & mutalation to my body. I am a dancer & model so this has greatly affected my work. I will make sure I do what it takes to stop anything like this from every happening again & I will continue to get restitution.

Hi Ashley, You can start to wear lightweight hoops 2 months after your 6-week training period is over. Be sure to clean the earrings before inserting them into your earlobes. Aim carefully thru the hole! ~Janet

I got my ears pierced about three months ago and am experiencing some difficulties with the piercings healing. The piercings in my ears have lymph fluid everyday. I was wondering how I treat this, so that my ears will heal faster?? My piercings are not infected because they don't hurt and i'm very careful in making sure that my earrings are clean before i put them into my ears. Also I sleep with my earrings at night. I was wondering if there are any remedies to treat this lymph fluid that I'm experiencing with my ear piercings?? If there is any help or advice, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

Hi! Nearly 7 weeks ago I got my ears pierced (with 14k white gold) and I am not sure if I should remove them yet. The right one has given me no problems at all. But, the left one still has a little bit of soreness. No pain, fluids, nor swelling that I can tell. Just some sensitivity, such as when I try to sleep on my left side. Also, I notice after I clean or twist it, it can feel a little itchy for a few seconds. Do I need a few more weeks of healing before I remove the studs? Thanks!

Hi Winnie, Sorry for the delay. You actually answered your own question correctly! Many people have one earlobe healing faster than the other. Often one lobe is thicker than the other (more skin to heal), or it could have gotten germs in it. Yes, you may have poked it to bleed, but that will heal too - if you leave the earrings in for 1 to 2 more weeks, and continue the alcohol/NeoSporin twist every day with clean fingers. Let me know how it goes, ~Janet

Thanks much! I just took the earring out for the first time (the backing did not want to cooperate! lol). I soaked it in alcohol while I wiped my ear lobe with the antiseptic solution that was provided for me by the store that pierced it. After drying both my lobe and the earring, I applied the Neosporin cream along the post and put it back in. It stung quite a bit at first. After about 15 seconds, it felt fine, though very red. Tomorrow I will start the salt water soaks and look for some 14k gold studs. I will let you know how it goes! :)

I’ve had my ears pierced for 6 weeks and currently have been changing my earrings to different studs. I would like to know, why can't I substitute my earrings to dangly earrings earlier than six months and, what happens if I do swap them out for a dangly pair of earrings???

Hi Janet,
I got my ears pierced mid-August--I am in my 30's. I have the original piercing earrings in, 14K gold, and have never taken them out. I was doing fine for the first five weeks or so, and then both my ears became infected. It has been several weeks since then and I thought they were getting better, but now they seem worse. I have a red bump with a white center next to the backings on each ear (one is worse than the other), and the backings stick to my earlobes unless they are wet. The bumps hurt when I apply pressure, and the piercings are oozing a bit of pus/blood. I have been cleaning several times a day or more with HP and turning the earrings with each cleaning. Aside from seeing my doctor (which I plan to do), do you have any advice on getting the infection to clear? And--if the problem is that I need to switch to pure gold earrings, can/should I change my earrings before the infection clears? I am past the 6-week training period. Thank you very much!

Hi Ashley, It's ok to wear a swim cap as long as it doesn't put any pressure on the earring either while swimming or taking it on & off. Just be careful; it will be fine.

Boy, Katie, that is really sad! First: many people tend to forget to clean the earlobes after the 6 weeks. You have to keep it up at least once a week- they can still get bacteria! Hydrogen Peroxide is not the best thing - try the 91% alcohol & NeoSporin - that really works, twice a day with clean fingers! Also, apply a hot salt-water soaked washcloth around the earlobe at night. I would switch out the earrings very quickly for 14 to 18 kt. gold posts. Keep up the routine every day for 2 more weeks. Don't let them close up! Let me know,~Janet

i am three days away from 6 weeks from getting my ears perced do u think its a good idea to change them?

I have very small earlobes and I have had them pierced twice once when I was 12 they became infected because i never cleaned them and once again when I was 16 this time I did what I was supposed to but they still became infected I just let them close up. I am now 30 and would like to get them pierced again. I have an appointment at a salon not a little shop in the mall :) I have researched a lot on proper care afterwords and I hope it will work this time do you have any advice and do you think my small earlobes will be a problem? Thank you

Hi, ive had my ears pierced for a week now would i be able to take out my piercing for an hour or will it close up?

Hey Trista, The training period is 6 WEEKS for a reason. The holes close up within 1 hour on most people, until near the 6 weeks. Get some clean nylon fishing line and push it thru with clean fingers... tie a knot. That should hold it for an hour. Be careful putting the trainers back in; the hole tends to get smaller in that hour. Good luck! ~Janet

Thanks for your reply. I went to my piercer and he said just to keep it clean and dry and don't try to put earring back in and leave it for about 2 weeks. He will have a look at it when I go back and repierce it for me.

I recently pierced my thirds, but the problem my thirds are basically on my cartilage bone and I used a needle. It is sore, a bit red, and warm so I used salt water, claire's antiseptic, and neosporin, but it is still not getting any better. Also, I noticed I started forming small bumps around the hole. Is it infected?

Hi,

I've had my second hole in my ear for about 8 months now and it just won't heal! It's a bit sore and bleeds sometimes when I clean it. What should I do?

I know that u must keep them in for more that four weeks. I took mine out three weeks after because mine heal very fast so about three to four weeks.

Hi there. I got my secondary ear piercings about 3 weeks ago and one got a little infected for a while but after I went swimming in the ocean, the infection was gone. However, the hole has gotten bigger and my stud keeps sinking back into it which means the hole isn't closing up. Is it okay to put in some sleepers until the hole closes up a bit more ?

Hi Ty, dont get your ears pierced until your gym class is at least 5 weeks away for best results. Those holes could close up in 40 minutes if you are a quick healer or have thicker earlobes! You could go maybe 4 weeks if you have clear fishing line & the coach doesn't mind that.

my daughter got her ears periced 7 months ago and the right one is sollen and when you touch it it feels like there was a tube put through it and it hurts when you touch it what should we do what is wrong with it? she can put an earing in it but the back wont go on and it hurts when she puts it in her ear

Hi Candy, Your ears seem to like the salt water, so wrap your earlobes in a hot salt-water soaked washcloth. Then try to get some earrings that have longer posts, not as tight, so they have room for air. Or yes, get the sleepers.

Hi Richard, It sounds like she got it infected. Holes start closing from the back, so if your want to push the earring all the way thru, put ice on her ear in back& front, and put NeoSporin on the tip of the earring post & push thru. If it hurts, you may have to clean it & let it close up. If there is an abscess, call the doctor! ~Janet

I am 17 and i have recently had the desire to get my ears pierced for the first time. The problem is soccer starts in 5 weeks and would last until May. At first I would only have to take the earrings out for about an hour a week, but starting in February I would have to take them out for at least 2 hours each day. My question is, how quickly do the holes close up? Would it really be that big of a deal to take them out if I made sure they were kept clean? If they've been in for 5 weeks and I take them out for an hour at games does this mean that the healing process will start over? Also, how high are the chances of infection? Thanks so much, your blog is very helpful!

i have 2 ear piercing my 3rd then my cartilage and every time i go to put an earring in it forms a bad its hard but what does that mean?

Hi Jess #2, You can take them out & they will close up eventually. Make sure your next ear piercer marks the spot, & aims the hole away from the old bad one. I'm sure you will be happy after it's done right! =)

I had my daughter's ears pierced almost 2 months ago and her right appeared to have healed great. Her left would rotate without traction but blood mixed with puss would come out of the back. I cleaned it with alcohol instead of the saline solution they gave me, and now that seems to have worked. Now her right is all of a sudden bleeding and pussing. She doesn't appear to be in pain and neither are swollen. T studs are 14k white gold. I haven't changed her studs nor have I taken them out. Does this sound like an allergy? Or we're they not fully healed? Thank you x

Hi Janet, I had my first holes sewn up after 30 yrs because they were uneven and after 4mths had them repierced. I waited out the 8 weeks, with religious cleaning, before changing out the earrings to start wearing my fashion jewellery again. I've been wearing various types of fashion earrings for a week now and today I had to take them out because they were hurting a lot. When I removed them the holes were bleeding. I've never had a metal allergy and am wondering if it's possible to develop one after all this time or whether it's just due to the new piercings and requiring more time to heal. Am I going to be able to wear all my fabulous earrings again? Help.

Hi- My 6 yo had her ears pierced 4 months ago and did great. About 3 weeks ago I noticed big scabs forming behind the backings of the starter earrings- so I bought her tiny 14k hoops with a post. I cleaned them with alcohol & put Neosporin on them. Now blood blisters keep forming next to the holes in back. I have done the same alcohol & Neo treatment but the blisters keep returning. I am tempted to just remove them and let her try again in a few years, but she is so sad! They don't hurt her, I am just worried that they will continue to be a problem and her infected. What do you think?

My 8 yr old had her ears pierced 6 months ago and I noticed yesterday that she has scabs on the back of her lopes where the backing holds the earring on. She has picked at it (looks like very chapped lips, peeling skin and red in the lobe area in back of ear). I put peroxide on them. What else can I do? I see alot of neosporin answers. Do you know what is causing the irritation that has caused the dryness and scabs(other than her picking at it) ? The front of her ears are fine, this is only in the back. Thanks for any help you can offer :)

Couldn't be written any better. Reading this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept talking about this womens high heels. I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!Welcome First time jumped here on your site, found on Bing. It really helps to have sombody to talk to other then my divorced parents cheap high heels. Thanks again.

Hi everybody, sorry I am late getting back to you all!!
Sharon, Most likely your daughter is getting irritated which causes her pick at them, which gets scabs. Remove them now, clean her ears & earrings, & get different backings that are solid 14 kt. or 18 kt. gold. The NeoSporin Cream is soothing, and will help. Or try Cortisone cream for a couple of days for the itching. Let me know, ~Janet

Hi Patty, Some pain is ok after a few days, but after that there are some things to consider. Some people are just more sensitive to piercing or allergic to alloys. Have you tried different metals? Are these hypo-allergenic? Are you using the alcohol & NeoSporin? Try Bacitracin. Are you sure she is not absentmindedly touching her earlobes with dirty fingers or cell-phone? Change her pillowcase too & make sure the pillow is soft.
Let me know, ~Janet

Hi Sarah, clean your ears really well with the alcohol & antibacterial creme. Chill your ears with an ice pack. Put some NeoSporin or vaseline on the earring tip before inserting, & push it thru. You could be reacting to the type of earring metal or an infection. Make sure your earrings are of good quality (not plated), & clean! Let me know how it works, Janet

Hello, My daughter will need to take her earrings out for a volleyall tournament. She will have had her ears pierced for 3 weeks and 4 days. Should we try to use a retainer? The tournament lasts all day.

Hi Kris, If you can find a clear plastic retainer stud, clean it first before insertion. We have some & Claires has some "Pierced Ear Protectors". Or you can use clear fishing line; push it thru & tie a good knot. Her holes can close up in less than one hour! ~Janet

I have had my ears pierced for 5 days. I am going over to my friends house and we are going to go in the hot tub and the swimming pool. By going in them will it affect my ears? Should i not go in there or just keep my head above water?thnks

A long while back i had my ears pierced but then they closed up, i got them re pierced a few days ago and one of them still hurts, but the other is fine. Is there something wrong? maybe they re pierced into the old one?

Hi you have given me really good advice and i would like to thank you. I have another question i have had my ears peirce 9 days and i clean them 3 times a day as i was told. My right ear hurts when i touch it and my left one doesnt. My ear only hurts when i go to pull the back. Is that jusr normal its not red or crusty so i dont think its infected but idk. Plz help thnks

Dear Mary K, (Sorry I'm late!) See if you can see the hole in front & in back. If you trust the ear-piercer to get it into the exact spot & angle, it can be done right away before it closes. Or, if you can put ice on her earlobe, sanitize her earlobe the piercing stud... just push it thru! If not, you should wait about 3 months & put alcohol & NeoSporin in the hole now so it can close without infection. I recommend getting pierced with the thicker Studex surgical steel training posts which can't fall out so easily! Let me know, ~Janet

Hi i mean like when i try to pull it back because its to tight. I know why it hur. While i was cleaning the ear the back didnt feel right to me and one side of the ear ring back was pushed into my ear. My mom took it off and sanatized it and fixed it or something. I got it back on but idk if its normal to bend i havent been laying on it or anyhard blows have been on the back.

Hi Janet.
I've had my cartilage priced for 2 almost 3 months should I be worried that's it still hurts and is still a little swollen? I am still cleaning it about 2times a day.
I was also wondering how long I need to wait till I can wear curved hoop earrings?

Hi Jeanette, Please don't remove the studs!! Your ears need time to get used to the piercings. By cleaning & twisting the earrings a little, the hole will stay open enough to insert new ones. Otherwise, your holes can close up so fast!! Try to wait a little longer. ~Janet

Hi Janet,

I went and got my ears pierced on my ear lobes, and cartilage back in July. Since then, the piercing on my ear lobes have been fine. Then this past weekend I decided to switch out one of my ear lobe earrings. It was ok for two days, then yesterday I noticed during work, that my ear hurt where I had switched them out. I got home, and cleaned it with cleaning solution, but when I went to clean the back side of my ear, a white/yellow liquid had oozed out from the earring. I immediently took it out, and switched to my original gold earring. It stings to the touch, but the redness has gone down, and there isn't as much liquid coming out. Could I be allergic to the metal? It was some sort of silver. Do I need to just keep cleaning it?

I got my ears pierced 7 weeks ago this Saturday. When am I able to sleep without earrings in?

Hi Anna, Try the best home remedy - first Isopropyl Alcohol & then NeoSporin. If you can clean out the good earring backings really well in alcohol, that will help. Once a day is ok, but 2x for the 1st 3 days.

Hi I got my second hole pierced about a week ago tomorrow. There is no crust or redness but they are still tender. I wash my hands before touching them and I turn and clean them everyday. Is this normal.

I got my cartilage done back in July. I change it all the time so it's doing fine. Am I able to leave out an earring for a day? Or would it close up?

Hi KaRuiz, Sometimes certain earlobes take longer to mature. Maybe yours are thicker, and that is a normal reaction.

Hi Ashley, Your sensitivity could be normal too. Put some ice on the swelling, and use alcohol & NeoSporin for now. If that bothers you, try a hot salt-water mixture on a washcloth. (after the ice) Only clean once or twice a day. .. try for a few more days this way or take them out & clean out the holes, & try again 6 few months. Let me know ~Janet

Hi Jordan, As long as the fish-hooks are made of solid gold or high quality Sterling Silver, and the posts are straight as they go thru your ear, and the earrings feel light-weight, you should be fine!

When you just get your ears pierced do you need to take the earrings out to clean your ears? Or do you just clean around it?

Hi Lisa, The earrings should stay in your ears for at least 6 weeks, and you clean around them... but get the alcohol or solutions into the ear hole & twist the earrings back & forth.

Hi,
i got my ears pierced at claires over four weeks ago. My right ear lobe is hot to the touch, red, and swollen. The back is on way too tight and i can't get the front of the earing to loosen it. when i tried some puss came out and it bled from the front and back. It hurts and i would like to know what i can do to loosen the earing and still have pierced ears.
thank you,
Cassandra

Hi..my 3 yr old daughter got her ears pierced 4 days ago for the second time.. the first ones closed up.. and we got them at claires.. they did them at the same time and one of the guns jammed like 2 times.. but hey finally got the ear pierced.. well her earrings fell out and she's been really sensitive of that ear and wont let me touch it.. I tired to put the earring back in after 3 hours of searching for it and I disinfected it but it don't go in now.. should I push it in or did the piercing already close up?.. can something be wrong if she's still so sensitive of her ears?..

Hi Janet. Sometimes pus comes out of my earhole and thenext day, something dry forms around the earhole. what is it and what should i do?

My 8 year old has had her ears pierced for 5 months. We keep the steel posts in at all times unless she is playing basketball. A couple months ago, her left ear began giving us problems. It is difficult to re-insert the post after leaving it out for a couple hours. It's hard to push it out of the back, and sometimes bleeds a little. I put Neosporin on it, and the antiseptic I got from Claire's, but it seems to me that the posts are so small. When I got my own ears pierced 30+ years ago, I remember the posts being much fatter. Would it be advisable to try and find some studs with posts that are fatter? I don't know if this is the problem, but it seems likely to me. Comments?

Hi Huey,
No, it takes about 6 weeks for the ear hole skin to "mature". The hole may close down quickly for you to get the new ones in. Keep doing whatever is working now .. no need for salt water :)

I had my 4 year olds ears pierced when she was 9 months, they where just fine. About a year later she lost one of the starter studs, every time I put new earrings in they swell up bleed and crust, I take them out clean her ears and everything goes back to normal. I put new ones in and it happens again, she's been without earring for quite sometime so I went to Walmart and bought some sterling silver ones and 3 days later they are swollen And one is bleeding, I took them out and cleaned them.
Any suggestions? I think the back may be getting on there to tight from sleeping maybe? Would small hoops be okay? Even at her age? I'm just frustrated she love earrings and I want to find a way to keep them in.

Hello I got my ears pieced about a week ago and when I was cleaning them it felt like one of the earrings was tighter than the other so I tried loosening the backing. When I did the earring came off it bled a little but not bad at all but when I grabbed my ear to put the earring back in a felt a bump next to where it was pierced. It doesn't hurt or anything and I read somewhere that I might be from sleeping on it and that is the side I sleep on since my cartilage was pierced on the other side I can only sleep on my right. I was just wondering if I should be concerned or if it's normal from irritation? Thanks.

Hi Maria,
Sometimes there is a little lump from the piercing reaction. If you keep the earrings & holes clean & moving freely, and sleep on a soft pillow (or sleep on your back), you should be fine. The bump should go away by the 6 week training period ending. Put antibiotic (NeoSporin cream) into the holes every week after the 6 weeks also.

You should NEVER put alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on any piercing! It is way too harsh and prolongs the healing. You're not even really suppose to soak them in it as it can mess up the jewelry, especially studs with gems on them. You should clean your piercings with sea salt soaks. Nor should you use Neosporin or Vaseline because it traps in bacteria, doesn't allow your piercing to breathe, and prolongs healing also. You shouldn't have the backs that Claire's puts on their earring because they trap bacteria also. Twisting them all the time is horrible to do, once again, prolongs healing and causes scar tissue. Most people are naive with this stuff because they get their ears pierced at Claire's with a piercing gun (also bad and unsanitary). They are not professional piercers. I have had many piercings and every actual professional piercer I've talked to would advice AGAINST everything you are telling these people. It really bothers me that you are misinforming these people!

Bria,

Don't use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. It prolongs healing. Use sea salt soaks or buy this product call H2Ocean. You can get it at any tattoo/piercing place.

Hi Bria,
Isopropyl alcohol is good. Or you can use a solution of warm sea-salt water on a washcloth, or buy what Alex recommends: H2Ocean. I'll have to check it out. (Remember~ clean fingertips!)

After looking at your website I can see now that you are NOT a licensed professional piercer. I wish these people would research before taking their children to these places. You should NEVER pierce anything with a piercing gun. They aren't sanitary and can jam easily. Not only that, they push the skin aside rather than actually piercing through it. They cause so many irritations and infections. These are the places I tell people to stay away from, like Claire's. Also, it doesn't matter if the Vaseline is a cream it still doesn't allow the piercing to breathe. Ugh. I wish the government would regulate this stuff more. 

Hi. I posted yesterday and it looks like it didn't go through. My 10 year old daughter had her ears pierced at Claire's almost 5 weeks ago. At first we thought they were a tad high, especially on one ear. It is so slight and I didn't think it would bother us, but the more time went on, the more it did. Well, now she is worrying constantly about it and I'm thinking we should maybe let them close up and repierce them later. Will they close up since it's been almost 5 weeks? Will there always be a mark or will it completely heal? How long should we wait before repeircing them? Is it ok to repierce directly under the old piercing? We would just go ever so slightly below it. I just want my daughter to be happy and not have any regrets! I hope I hear back from you soon!! Thanks!

Do your research before you try to tell me I'm wrong. Go into any tattoo shop and tell them the information you are telling me. Look it up online, or anywhere. Piercing guns + alcohol = bad. Anyone who knows anything about piercings know that. Perhaps you just are not as passionate about it as I am.

http://awfulmodifications.tumblr.com/faq

Granted it's a blog, but this person works in a tattoo shop and knows what they are talking about. This is a CORRECT guide to taking care of a piercing. Good day.

Hi Taryn,
It's ok to let the hole close up, but it may leave a little mark. I have repierced many earlobes near to the old holes with no problems. Best to wait at least 6 months before attempting a new hole. Make sure there is no little lump inside (scar tissue).
Clean out her earlobe hole to eliminate any infection, and check that every few days. She should be fine. Kids heal fast! ~Janet