Piercing, no problems, just wondered.

I got my second set of lobe piercings 9 days ago, and i have had no problems what so ever! Swelling the first day or two. And not a single sight of pus/crusting etc, just sore if i let my ears bury right into my pillow, but i can play with them, turn them and even tug on them (i know they can't be changed for about another 5-7 weeks). The reason why this baffles me is, the first time i got them done over two years ago they took a long time to heal, and there was lots of gunk. I cleaned them and looked after them like i am now. I am wondering if it is because of the surroundings, i got them done when i was with my ex, and he was an extremely disgusting person (don't ask) but now i am fine. The healed up ok, it's just that sometimes when i take my earrings out i may get a little gunk, but not infections or anything.

Have you guys had different reactions/problems with piercings in the same area?

<- Baffled

Dragoriana,
Hi!

I think it's different for each person, dependant on the procedure, type of material, and/or just plain old chance...for reactions to piercings. The most important being the procedure, itself, of course. Also, I think with age, your body changes, as well...my very first piercing experience (5, I think?) did not go well and I ended up having to take them out.

My 2nd lobe set was a gift from a Korean friend, in Korea, in the middle of some Ramyon House! Not exactly the best (or most sterile) conditions, but they actually came about w/ little to no problems! Go figure!

Every once in a blue moon (and I'm talking very rare, here) it might act up (get a bit crusty), but I really believe that is more a product of my surroundings...I have allergies, etc.

I have my nose (by far the one that hurt the most, imo) and my belly done, as well. The belly one is still up in the air, on whether or not I like it...especially as I've gained weight!

Anyway, this is a good time of the year to get piercings, because any exposure to salt water (good excuse to go the beach,eh?) will do the piercings a world of wonder!

Good luck!

My ears will be healed by the time it's warm enough to swim lol, it's Winter here. I got my ears done at the same place both time, and both sets of earrings are surgical stainless steel both done by the studex gun system.

Who knows? *shrugs*

My first set were done by a boyfriend, with a needle, when I was 15. Oh, yeah they got infected but, alcohol swabs and Neosporin took care of that.

My second set were done, 3 years ago, in a jewelry store. I got a little bit of an infection. Dumped the cleaning solution and went back to the tried-and-true alcohol/Neosporin.

I had more problems with my first set then my second ones. They kept healing up and I had to get it redone 3 times. The one that hurt the most was my cartilage piercing. It still hurts every once in awhile.

Originally Posted by katl8e

My first set were done by a boyfriend, with a needle, when I was 15. Oh, yeah they got infected but, alcohol swabs and Neosporin took care of that.

My second set were done, 3 years ago, in a jewelry store. I got a little bit of an infection. Dumped the cleaning solution and went back to the tried-and-true alcohol/Neosporin.

Click to expand...

...Course...as cat lovers, Neosporin also comes in handy (at least for me) for all those nasty scratches & bites!

My second and third lobe piercings got infected. But it was before I knew better and I had them done in a mall.

I found that coating my posts, with Neosporin, before inserting them helped a lot. I also use plastic or rubberized backs, as most metal ones are brass and tend to cut the backs of my lobes.

Be sure not to use anything like alcohol, peroxide, or neosporin on your piercing. Piercings are wounds and unless you want them to close up and heal....don't use anything like those products on them. That will trap infection in the piercing holes. You should instead use an antibacterial soap to keep the piercing site clean and help the piercing to heal faster (not close up)

I use Provon. It's a very gentle antibacterial lotion soap. That's what all the tattoo/piercing places recommend around here and it works REALLY well. When i have a fresh piercing, i mix some sea salt with warm water and gently pour it over the piercing (it helps it heal without causing it to close up). Then i gently wash the area with Provon and warm water- be sure to get the soap in the piercing site and around the jewerly (prevents crusting/etc) and make sure you gently rinse ALL of the soap out of the piercing. Do that 2-3 times a day or however many times your artist told you to do. (you can also buy sea salt spray at your local tattoo shop if you don't want to waste time mixing up regular sea salt and warm water. it's already measured out for you that way!)

If you're prone to Keloids....you may try just a pinch of diluted (with water) tea tree oil on a q-tip and gently rub it around the piercing site. That helps too! Good luck!!

In the future - if you get anymore piercings- do NOT get them done with a piercing gun. There is no sanitary way to clean them number one ,and number two- those were origionally used to tag cattle- not pierce human ears or other parts. The problem with the guns if you will is that they press from both sides, instead of a through and through like a needle...so they cause the spot where ears are pierced for a lot of people to "volcano up" if you will. The site is extremly tender and raised in a way like a volcano/etc. Piercing guns cause a lot of trauma to the site.

The BEST way to have a piercing done is by a professional who uses a fresh, sanitary needle with each piercing and washes their hands/wears gloves. The needle is a simple through and through and does not cause trauma to the area like a piercing gun does. This first paragraph explains why piercing guns are not a safe option
http://www.tribalectic.com/Myths.asp

this is one of the best sites on the net for accurate info! there are several sections on how to properly clean your piercings and aviod infection http://www.tribalectic.com/Body_Piercing_Aftercare.asp

Starry, I respectfully disagree with some of the above..
First, the volcano effect you describe would happen with both the gun and needle piercing by hand. The needle is smaller (so the volcano would be smaller), but the gun is quicker (the volcano would last a shorter time). The trauma is probably the same in the long run..
When the original studs are removed, applying a light coating of neosporin to the posts before inserting them can actually help the hole finish healing and prevent it from adhering to the hole. I would not apply the neosporin and leave the posts out. Many of the girls in our elementary school get their ears pierced every year. I have learned not to consider them healed until they have been there for a year.
As for the sterility of the gun, like anything, it has to used and maintained properly. I had mine done by my Family Doctor, as did my daughter.

I emailed some person about the guns, as she has a whole website dedicated to telling people not to use them. The earrings come in steralized vacuum sealed packs in their own loading device so the studs are not touched. This lady also said the studs are blunt..um..if they were i'd be screaming in pain. The studs are sharp..to pierce the ears..i've had my ears done twice and i've had a blood test (for some completely unrelated subject) and i'm perfectly fine.

The anti-bacterial sprays i've used both times have benzalkonium chloride in them (which happens to be used in spermicide too lol).

As i said it was only the first time around i had trouble, i'm doing great 2 years later, this lot isn't weeping anything, the cotton buds and ears are so clean when i clean the studs and lobes.

I think maybe some people have bad experiences and need to pass that info onto others, but it's not always the case.

Everyone has given great advice!

It never hurts to have more than one opinion. Basically, it boils down to what you feel is right/wrong for you.

I will put in that both of my ear piercings (2 in each lobe) were done with guns...one bad experience (the 1st time) and one good (well, 2 good if you count the 2nd time around for that first set). The bad experience having been done at a jewelers (this is well before there were places like Claire's), it got infected and I ended up taking them out. The good experience (3rd set?) being done in the worst conditions possible, lol.

And both my belly & nose were done with that needle contraption thingy (yeah I know...real scientific terminology, here!). Now, they took a bit longer to heal, but I contribute that to more of the body part versus how they were pierced. As a matter of fact, my belly one would continually crust up (got it done last August), but when I went on a cruise to Hawaii (back in April)...all that exposure to salt water did wonders for it and it hasn't crusted since!

I, too, was given a salt water spray. It worked pretty well, but like I said...submersion was much better!

I had my ears pierced twice many years ago when I was in grade 6 or so. I had nothing but problems with them and took them out. They were done with a gun, and it's a terrible way to get piercings in my experience. I don't know any professional piercers that would ever use a gun. All my piercings have been done freehand with hollow needles, and I would never use another method.

I had my tongue done when I was 20. I didn't care for the placement, it is far too close to the front. And pain does not BEGIN to describe the feeling of having it done. I was in agony the entire time, and he was not quick about it. He actually had to back the needle off halfway through and slam it through again. Yeah, so ouch. That was 6 years ago. My current piercers said it shouldn't have hurt like that. I've taken friends to get theirs done, and they haven't experienced that level of pain, so I think the guy that did my just sucked. I had to switch to a tilatnium barbell, as the stainless wasn't healing quite right.

I then had my horizontal eyebrow done at a place in windsor. Quick, easy, painless. Healed fabulous until I ripped it with a towel and had to remove it. I only used seasalt and water to clean it (and all subsequent piercings). I was told not to use any petroleum based products as they trap bacteria inside the wound and cause abscesses. And that has been my experience whenever I tried it. I had my nose and labret done at a different place in windsor, and it was another bad experience. I almost ripped the arms off of his chair I was in so much pain, he was very very slwo and since he was older, hands weren't as steady as I would have liked.

My nose healed eventually, though I had a lot of problems with a keloid (I also have a nose screw, and would use nothing else). My lip I couldn't keep clean enough due to my job, so I had to remove it.

I went back to the first guy and had my lip redone after I switched jobs. No problems healing it at all. Then I went to him again and had my bellybutton and horizontal eyebrow redone. Once again, quick, painless, clean and easy (and Sean is HOT). I did get keloids on both, but that's just my screwed up body. Both healed fine. I ended up ripping the eyebrow again, and gave up on it altogether.

Then I got hit in the face by a dog (I was a groomer) and ripped my lip open, split my gum and had to remove the labret.

I went and had it done AGAIN, and it healed fine. I also had my lobes done with an 8 ga needle at the same time. I took the labret out a year or so later to get a vertical put it, but never did get it (my piercer talking me out of it, the jerk).

I stretched my lobes to a 4, and they healed fine (it was very painful, though, like a bad burn). But I do get gunk behind my tunnels, but I don't think you can avoid that really.

I would like to get more, but I feel I'm too old. I'm almost 26, and to me piercings seem like a 18-20 year old thing to get. Plus, I get keloids on all my piercings now, which I HATE as they are such a pain to get rid of. So now I just have my tongue, bellybutton, ears and nose.

Ahh, memories.