Question about pierced ears

I have had pierced ears for around 10 years. I was 13 at the time and when they told me that they had to pierce one of my lobes off center because my lobes were too small and they couldn't get the gun in the right position, I didn't care. I just wanted my ears pierced. Well it has always bothered me because you can definitely tell. When I wear studs, the earring kind of hangs because it isn't in the center.

My question is....will my hole grow back after this long? Do you think I will need to go to a plastic surgeon to fix the hole so I can re-pierce it back in the center? Has anyone had this problem before??

You should be able to have it re-pierced correctly. Whether the crooked one will grow back or not depends. This is a good lesson for people not to go to places that use those piercing guns (they are for tagging the ears of cattle). Piercing should be done with a sterile needle at a reputable piercing place.

I hope it works out.

It should close back up just fine. Keep it clean though- every day you need to rinse the ear with Provon (it's a medicated lotion soap- you can get it at most tattoo parlors or online) rinse the ear with water, apply a little bit of soap and lather it well in the piercing site, then rinse thoroughly with warm water. Be sure you use a little towel to dry your ear off after every washing. Clean it daily so it doesn't get infected while it's closing up

Once it has healed up well you can get it pierced again. NEVER ever get it done with a piercing gun You need to go to a lisenced, clean tattoo parlor with a reputable piercer. Make sure they use a sterile needle ,wear gloves, have passed the health inspection, and the place is clean.

You're in Tennessee...what part are you in? I live around Memphis- you should definitely consider a trip to the Memphis area if you're wanting them done again- Trilogy tattoo parlor is the BEST around here They done all of my piercings and i have never had an issue. They are very friendly, clean, and do a very professionaly job You'd be really happy with their work.

When you get them redone, It helps them heal faster when you spray them with sea salt cleanser (most tattoo parlors sell sea salt sprays that you can just spray a bit on a q-tip and gently clean around the area with. The salt serves as a healing agent and helps aid in a faster recovery....a piercing is a wound...so you want to make sure you keep the site clean. NEVER use peroxide, alcohol, or neosporin- those are healing agents ment to heal and close up wound sites -if you use them they can make the skin grow back and cause an infection by trapping bacteria/etc around the earring. You should instead clean them with Provon soap- rinse the ear, put a little soap on the earring and work it in the piercing site and rotate (GENTLY) the earrings, then rinse thoroughly to get all of the soap residue off. You need to do that regurally until it heals. I also used a tinsy pinch of tea tree oil (dilute a q-tip with tea tree oil and a little water) after washing my new piercings- it helps heal it up and to an extent helps if you are prone to keloids. Good luck!!!

You should really consider Trilogy is you're wanting to get it redone- they're the best in this area! PM me if you want their info!

I didnt wear ear rings from the time I was 6 till I was 18 and my ears never closed up. I got them done when I was 2. I still only wear them occasionally and they are never closed up. I always thought that was a myth!

Piercings certainly do close up-- but it depends on the person, the length of time, the needle gauge, etc etc.

The amount of trauma and scarring caused by that gun (which I agree with others, those things should never touch a living thing, nor should the untrained teenagers in the mall working them be allowed to pierce anything!) might have been enough to make your ears not close.

Either way, a plastic surgeon probably isn't necessary. If they're off enough to be noticed, then the off one is far enough away from where it should be that a good piercer should be able to do another hole (without seeing them, so don't take my word for it).

Anyway. I agree, go talk to a piercer either at a tattoo studio or at a stand-alone piercing studio if yiou're lucky enough to have them. Ask to see portfolios of the piercers. Schedule an appointment, if necessary, though it probably won't be with ears.

And please, tell your friends what happens when they let someone use the gun!

I don't know. I have had my ears peirced since I was around 10 or so...then I had to be around 12-13 for the 2nd holes. I havn't worn earrings in them for years and they still havn't closed up.

I peirced my own a 3rd time..but they (all 3 holes) got infected because I was wearing cheap earrings...the 3rd hole closed up just fine. I guess it depends.

whether your ear piercings close up or not depend greatly on the age you got them pierced and how long they have been pierced. I had my ears pierced at a hospital the day I was born and I'm now 22. I haven't worn earring in at least 3 or 4 years and I can just go put in earrings no problem right now if I wanted to. I had a friend who got hers pierced when she was 13 and always had a problem with them closing for the first couple years. If your ears have been pierced for 10 years there is a very good chance they won't completely close up. But this is just from my own expirence.

i had mine done when i was 15(lol i even manged to keep it hidden for almost a month)
But anywa, it only takes me about 3 months before they close up

Well Im a certified Ear peircer, and I say it depends on the gun. There are two different kinds. One gun alot of the times doesn't go all the way through and can go crooket, the other gun it is almost impossible to go wrong because it lines up in the front and the back. I have almost everything peirced that can be, and things dont generally heal after that long. I left my navel out for the duration of me having kids. 5 years. Still goes right back in. There are tricks to get it to close up though! I do agree that the tattoo parlors are probably better, but have also seen what can happen when stuff goes wrong with that! It is more painful to get it done at a tattoo place, but doesn't really hurt too bad! I wont post my tips for closing them up, because Id get into trouble at my old work if they were online everywhere so you'll have to pm me! The one thing I will say off the bat is dont put any earings in there, and dont push the goo out of them either!

Make sure when they do them that they dont use cheap earings! Thats a big no no, and causes infections! Good luck to ya!

The original holes won't close, I know! My ears are pierced several times, I haven't worn earrings for a good 10 years in some holes, and had for maybe 3-4. They are still open, as well as I had my lip pierced in 1989, stopped wearing a ring there about 94-95 and that is still open, though hardly visible. Once a piercing heals through, it is how long you wear something there that determines how stretched your skin is, if you stop wearing something it will shrink, but not close completely.

If you're like me, they won't close.

Pierced my ears when I was eight and stopped wearing earrings when the recommended period was over. Every five years or so I check, they don't close at all. Ah well.

I think you should be able to get the ear re-pierced and leave the other whole to close up. I've had my ears pierced since I was 4 and if I leave an ear ring out for more than a year my whole starts to close.

Originally Posted by glitch

Well Im a certified Ear peircer, and I say it depends on the gun. There are two different kinds. One gun alot of the times doesn't go all the way through and can go crooket, the other gun it is almost impossible to go wrong because it lines up in the front and the back.

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So, this other kind of gun, I assume you can autoclave it?

Interesting thread. I had my ears done as an adult, though at least twentyfive years ago, and although I always wore earrings for the first fifteen years, I stopped because I kept getting infections in the right lobe. I only ever wore gold or stainless steel because of allergy. Even now, I sometimes get pain and swelling - the last time was last week, when I found pus coming from the hole. I treated it with Benidin and it is better now. The left side has closed up, I think.

Originally Posted by Forensic

If you're like me, they won't close.

Pierced my ears when I was eight and stopped wearing earrings when the recommended period was over. Every five years or so I check, they don't close at all. Ah well.

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Me Too! I had mine pierced at age 12/13 and stopped wearing earrings two years later. It has been 16 years and the holes are still there. They still get filled with pus, too. I finally squeezed the crap out of one and burst it a few years ago, now it's half closed. I hate having holes in my lobes and wish I had never gotten pierced in the first place. Oh well. I don't think about it much.

Thanks guys! I really didn't know that tattoo parlors pierced ears. I mean I thought they just pierced the top of your ear and other body parts. I never knew the gun could cause such problems...but it makes sense. I'm glad I asked you guys because I would have went back to another parlor in the mall. Now that I think about it, I bet that girl was a teenager that pierced my ear. She didn't have a clue what she was doing....that's for sure!!! I mean they pierce babies ears for goodness sakes! How could my lobe be too small for the gun? Anyway...my mom shouldn't have let me go and do it myself and sit outside of claire's waiting for me. After that...she SHOULD have taken me back and get our money back. I was just a stupid kid. I didn't know any better. Oh well.... I will see what the tattooist says. Is there any way to find out where decent parlors are around town?

Wow, I never realized I was cattle tagged as a kid! I learned so much today

I take it that proper piercing is mostly found at reputable tattoo parlors (who do all piercings)? OMG, that would have been fun to drag my conservative catholic mom to!


Anyway, my do close up after a year of not wearing earrings, but often times not enough, so I can repierce them when I remember I need to start being a girl again

I would definitely go to someone who is certified and get their opinion first. My only concern would be that the new hole winds up close enough to the old and you have a hard time getting your earrings in properly.

Originally Posted by rachelh1018

Thanks guys! I really didn't know that tattoo parlors pierced ears. I mean I thought they just pierced the top of your ear and other body parts. I never knew the gun could cause such problems...but it makes sense. I'm glad I asked you guys because I would have went back to another parlor in the mall.

Now that I think about it, I bet that girl was a teenager that pierced my ear. She didn't have a clue what she was doing....that's for sure!!! I mean they pierce babies ears for goodness sakes! How could my lobe be too small for the gun?

Anyway...my mom shouldn't have let me go and do it myself and sit outside of claire's waiting for me. After that...she SHOULD have taken me back and get our money back. I was just a stupid kid. I didn't know any better. Oh well.... I will see what the tattooist says. Is there any way to find out where decent parlors are around town?

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Most tattoo studios that are very big have an in-house piercer. Typically they only do piercings. I would be skeptical if you go somewhere and they have someone who does both. They both require apprenticeships of their own.
The best way to find a tattoo studio (or a piercing one; Columbus has two that only do piercings though you might not be so lucky) is word of mouth. If you have any friends with good, well-done piercings or tattoos, ask them where they got them. If you see someone on the street, ask them (seriously-- most people won't think this is rude. It's a compliment to want to know where someone had theirs done).
Then go to one, look around and make sure its all clean, has an autoclave, etc, and then ask to talk to their piercer. Walk out if it doesn't feel right.

People have this idea that ear piercing isn't a big deal. You're letting someone put a hole in your body, in your head, in a place that can cause serious problems if it goes wrong.