SurvivingInfidelity.com^®

In their defense there are plenty of people who get there ears pierced with the piercing guns and never have an issue. I'm sure it's just my daughters system. She has other allergies as well (seasonal and food) so I'm almost not surprised if she has an allergy to nickel.

Basically, I just want her ears to be better. As I've said, the infection is gone, there is not puss, no lumps, no pain, nothing. The holes seem to close up around the posts when we switch her earrings and that is a concern.

I just want her ears better so she can enjoy wearing her earrings.

I also can't wear anything but nickel free earrings. My ears fill with pus and it's gross. There is a company called Simply Whispers that is nothing but nickel free earrings and jewelry. They have stuff geared towards kids, too. http://www.simplywhispers.com/ I hope it helps. It's not fun seeing the pretty earrings at the mall and knowing you could never wear them.

Don't worry, they'll heal- sea salt!!

Thank you, his#1. I appreciate the link, I'm going to check it out now.

I85, I know, it's just hard for me to see her so worried about her ears and she loves all of her other earrings. Her uncle (my BIL) picked her out special earrings for Christmas, they all look like diamonds and pearls but now she can't wear them

Will the sea-salt and warm water sting her ears?

[This message edited by simplydevastated at 11:15 AM, May 16th (Thursday)]

The advice that a mall place gives you is dead wrong. Go to any tattoo/piercing parlor's page and look at their aftercare info. If possible always get piercings done with a needle, not a piercing gun. Piercing guns are not sterile. The people aren't educated in blood born pathogens or even how to do anything sterile. They use te same marker for everyone's ears. Earrings in a piercing gun cause blunt force trauma by ripping a hole through the ear and damaging the inside of the hole. Needles slice a clean hole that an earring can slide through. Ok now that I sound preachy and annoying, I'll get off my soap box.

as for piercing guns? people survive having their teeth pulled with plyers too, but that doesn't make it optimal.

TCD is right. i've had more than 25 piercings, (some with guns <<shudder>>). with regard to aftercare, advice even among the pro's will vary, but there are standards that all professionals should be following.

if it were my kid, i'd try the following:

1) BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE, I'd replace the current jewelry with thin gauge, surgical stainless steel jewelry. a nice small barbell would be good because it doesn't move much. stop taking the jewelry out.

2) soak it with a salt water solution. put a small cup of it over the ear to form a seal against her head. let it sit for 1-2 minutes. use a solution of about 1 tbsp of sea salt per 6 oz of water. TCD is right - DO NOT spin or rotate the jewelry...soak it and rinse it thoroughly. if necessary, use a q-tip or something with some saltwater on the end to remove any visible debris.

3) keep it clean - only once or twice a day, use a mild, fragrant free soap in the shower. lather up a small amount, soak it into the piercing and leave it for no more than 30 seconds. rinse it very thoroughly. pat the area dry with something clean and disposable.

4) i hesitate to say this part, because you should use it so judiciously, but if it's really bugging her or is "stuck" you could put a tiny dot of neosporin on the shaft and work that through the hole....that's way better than peroxide and it can be a lubricant if used very, very sparingly.

5) this part might seem extreme...but honestly, if my kid's ears didn't completely turn around in two weeks with surgical stainless barbells, i'd let the holes close and get them done by a professional piercer. i'm not sure i'd wait actually, i'd probably just start over. it just creates a more natural, better healed, usually better placed adult piercing.

check this site out from the Association of Professional Piercers:

http://www.safepiercing.org/piercing/

[This message edited by stretch13 at 2:00 PM, May 16th (Thursday)]

If it stings it won't be much- it definitely won't if peroxide didn't sting.

Barbells would be good- I'd use titanium at this stage. Get good quality (not titanium coated alloy).

I personally would say to avoid soap- my Dad always tells people who are healing to avoid soap-stick to salt or H2Ocean.

I'm going to say my favourite word on this thread- don't use ANYTHING.... Guess what??? CAUSTIC!!! Bad environments reduce healing and increase the risk of rejecting a foreign body- FACT.

Defo stop taking them out her ears and only clean them twice a day- if they're not on the mend after 7 days of following that advice, get hem re-pierced by a piercer.

I did all this with my piercings and my daughter's ears- all 100% fine after a shaky start with one of mine!!