# Has anyone pierced their own ears???



## Stephie Baby (Nov 4, 2008)

I got my ears pierced when I was 8, but for some reason my right ear has grown up. I was going to get it re-pierced by a professional, but its gonna cost like $30. Has anyone pierced their ears themselves??  I'm thinking about letting my boyfriend do it b/c he has done his. I'm terrified it will hurt like hell though. Lol.


----------



## Hilly (Nov 4, 2008)

I pierced my cartlidge in religion class in high school lol. I have also done my friends' cartlidges. I used just a earring used from a piercing gun and BAM.


----------



## TamiChoi (Nov 4, 2008)

Lol. No, I haven't, but my brother did. He put ice behind the spot where he was goin to pierce it and then pierced it with one of his earrings. after that, they were infected for like a few months.


----------



## darkwater_soul (Nov 4, 2008)

DO NOT DO IT YOURSELF. Unless you have an autoclave to properly sterilize your jewelry, properly sanitzed hands, gloves and workspace, in a clean enviroment, and of course, the right jewelry in which to heal your piercing, never do it yourself. You can do all kinds of damage that can not be reversed. See if a reputable tattoo and piercing parlor near you will pierce just that one ear for you to line it up properly, it won't cost nearly that much, and it will be safely and with the proper precautions.


----------



## vocaltest (Nov 4, 2008)

i think you should pay out the $30 instead of risking infection and disfigurement of your ear for life!


----------



## darkwater_soul (Nov 4, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *vocaltest* 

 
_i think you should pay out the $30 instead of risking infection and disfigurement of your ear for life!_

 
I agree.


----------



## VeXedPiNk (Nov 4, 2008)

Please don't! As previous posters have said, it's just not worth the risk. My only personal experience is piercing my own belly button when I was sixteen... stupidest thing I ever did and I have the scars to prove it. I do have a friend who has pierced her own ears several times (lobes and cartilage). She battles infection after infection, even years after the fact. It has also caused a lot of scar tissue to develop, making her ears extremely unattractive looking.


----------



## banjobama (Nov 4, 2008)

I pierced my earlobes with a safety pin. It hurt. But as it was my third hole in my earlobes, I knew how little there was to it and I refused to pay for it. I kept everything clean and there was no infection.

I would not do that in my cartilage though. Ouch.


----------



## lyttleravyn (Nov 4, 2008)

please please please don't! I work at Hot Topic and I can't tell you how many people come in asking our advice on their infected/nasty looking ears/eyebrows/belly buttons etc. because they did them on their own and messed them up. Really your body isn't worth $30?


----------



## Stephie Baby (Nov 4, 2008)

Yeaaaaa... Just so everyone knows. I'm talking about my regular ear lobes. NOT my cartilage. That would be painful!! Lol. I still kinda have a hole, so I think I might try to push my ear ring back through. Lol.


----------



## Dizzy (Nov 4, 2008)

My grandmother did all 4 of my ear holes- first two at 5 months, the second pair at 15 months.  I've never had a problem with any of them and neither have my cousins (5 of us).

Of course, take caution.  YMMV.


----------



## darkwater_soul (Nov 4, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Stephie Baby* 

 
_Yeaaaaa... Just so everyone knows. I'm talking about my regular ear lobes. NOT my cartilage. That would be painful!! Lol. I still kinda have a hole, so I think I might try to push my ear ring back through. Lol._

 
Are your earlobes still attached to your body? Then opening the wound will cause infection, unless properly done, and simply pushing the earring, (especially if it hasn't been cleaned, and no dial soap is not cleaning it) will push dirt and other material laden with infection into your ear. Not good. Just wait til you have the cash. Better safe than sorry.


----------



## TISH1124 (Nov 4, 2008)

I used the self peircing earrings....20 years ago..With proper care mine never got infected.


----------



## kimmy (Nov 4, 2008)

i pierced my own ears and my own septum. did it all with a safety pin, too. not the greatest idea but i never had any problems with any of them.

but if yer scared, i say go to a professional. if you try to do it yourself, you might get shaky and that won't end well at all.


----------



## TheeBettyBoop (Nov 4, 2008)

I did, with a needle. No biggie. I took care of it and ofcourse all of the safe measures, and my ear is just fine after years.


----------



## purrtykitty (Nov 4, 2008)

Did my third holes on my lobe and two holes in my cartilage when I was in Jr. High.  Only one hole in the cartilage was infected and I had to let close.  I used a safety pin, match, alcohol, and a piercing stud.  Never had any problems (except that one hole) and now that I want them to close, they won't!


----------



## ClaireAvril (Nov 4, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *darkwater_soul* 

 
_DO NOT DO IT YOURSELF. Unless you have an autoclave to properly sterilize your jewelry, properly sanitzed hands, gloves and workspace, in a clean enviroment, and of course, the right jewelry in which to heal your piercing, never do it yourself. You can do all kinds of damage that can not be reversed. See if a reputable tattoo and piercing parlor near you will pierce just that one ear for you to line it up properly, it won't cost nearly that much, and it will be safely and with the proper precautions._

 
EXACTLY... is getting an infection worth saving 30$???

When I got my nose pierced I went to a reputable tatoo/piercing place and paid 75$.. everyone made fun of me because they went to the indian beauty parlor and paid 10 dollars to get theirs done with a gun.
At the end of my piercing the girl bends the needle that she uses and disposes it to show you that it will not be used again.
I would rather pay so much more to know that I am being pierced in a safe environment with CLEAN instruments.


----------



## gigglegirl (Nov 4, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *kimmy* 

 
_i pierced my own ears and my own septum. did it all with a safety pin, too. not the greatest idea but i never had any problems with any of them.

but if yer scared, i say go to a professional. if you try to do it yourself, *you might get shaky* and that won't end well at all._

 
Yes, i whole heartedly agree. I didn't try doing it myself but I JUST the other weekend went and got my cartilage pierced. But it was in a hair salon (yea now I know better!) and only $9. (only one). Now the hair kinda got around it, I was rough in the shower and its swollen now. Argh I'm worried its going to get infected.

So while a professional can't prevent infection, my next cartilage piercings will be at a professional piercer who will A) not use a gun---they have a tendency to pull the skin on one side of the gun, thus when its eventually healed and you are trying to put in a different earring, it may not be completely straight, whereas a piercer isolate the area (ie clamps depending on where) therefore the hole will be straight.
B) has experience, go to one that is reputable, sanitized, all that jazz.

Please be safe! Hope it goes well with you and enjoy your new piercings whenever you get 'em!


----------



## TISH1124 (Nov 4, 2008)

My cartilage was pierced by a professional and I did everything I was told...It still got infected..I eventually after a year of dealing with it let it close.


----------



## NutMeg (Nov 4, 2008)

gigglegirl: Get some Bactine dude. Antiseptic/anasthetic spray for sunburns/mild burns/scrapes, it's the shit for piercing infections. Good prevention too. Did the piercer at the salon go over aftercare with you? Because salt soaks are awesome for healing stuff up too.

And Tish, some piercings just never heal. My cartilage is being pretty stubborn, I got it in April and it still gets irritated and threatens infection every once in a while.


----------



## Beauty Mark (Nov 4, 2008)

DO NOT PIERCE YOURSELF.

$30 is not that much, honestly. A good piercer will help prevent infections by piercing you in a sterilized environment and make sure the piercing is straight.


----------



## AimeeL (Nov 5, 2008)

If you buy one of those kits to pierce them yourself, the earrings are sanitized and you aren't supposed to touch them without gloves. (Or at least, the ones I used before were.) I did my best friends ears, three seperate sets, and they all turned out beautifully. If you want to do it yourself, you can, you just have to do it in the most sanitary way possible.

For what it's worth, I got my cartilage and ears done at a professional, expensive place, and they still got infected many, many times, and I am usually a very fast healer. So just because a place charges you more, doesn't mean they are good.


----------



## cubachinita (Nov 5, 2008)

I've had my ears pierced since small in my country. Havent had anymore done. Idk about where you live, but where i do, there are malls that have like counters in the middle that sell jewerly, one of them called Piercing Pagoda, i know they pierced your ears free if you buy an earring, you can even buy a crappy one. This is just a suggestion.


----------



## hottie123 (Nov 5, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *TamiChoi* 

 
_Lol. No, I haven't, but my brother did. He put ice behind the spot where he was goin to pierce it and then pierced it with one of his earrings. after that, they were infected for like a few months._

 
That's emo. Why not just pay $15 at the mall and get it done?


----------



## lyttleravyn (Nov 5, 2008)

please don't go to the mall. they use piercing guns, which CANNOT be properly sterilized between each use. Not only that but the girls I know in my mall are not fully trained in blood-borne pathogens. Please go to a reputable place. The place I go to all the piercers are registered nurses as well as being BBP certified; all equipment is sterilized and used only once. Personally, I'd rather not take any chances.


----------



## MACATTAK (Nov 5, 2008)

I did 3 of the 6 on each of my ears.  It was pretty painful, and the only reason I did it myself was because in high school my mom only allowed me to have 3.  I took great care of them & nothing ever happened, but I would recommend getting them done professionally.  It's basically painless, and a lot quicker that way.


----------



## MACATTAK (Nov 5, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *TISH1127* 

 
_My cartilage was pierced by a professional and I did everything I was told...It still got infected..I eventually after a year of dealing with it let it close._

 
I tried having cartilage piercings numerous times.  It hurt too much sleeping on them (this was after having them pierced for awhile).  Eventually I let them all close up too.  Waste of money for me


----------



## NutMeg (Nov 5, 2008)

Yeah, it's sleeping on my cartilage piercing that always gets me. Nothing teaches you that you have a favourite side to sleep on quite like a cartilage piercing on that side.


----------



## kendrie (Nov 5, 2008)

You won't regret getting it repierced with a needle!


----------



## kendrie (Nov 5, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *NutMeg* 

 
_Yeah, it's sleeping on my cartilage piercing that always gets me. Nothing teaches you that you have a favourite side to sleep on quite like a cartilage piercing on that side._

 
LOL exactly
and i made the mistake of getting two cartilage piercings ..one on each side..haha ...no sleep for a week


----------



## vocaltest (Nov 5, 2008)

i can't believe some people have had their cartilidges pierced with a gun!!!! i thought this was illegal, well in the UK anyway. one of my best friends is a piercer and using a gun can completely shatter your cartilidge in your ear!! hes shown me some NASTY infection pictures before... i think your body is worth that $30!


----------



## kittykit (Nov 5, 2008)

Those who pierced your own ears, you're soooo brave! IMO, it's safer to get it done by a professional. You never know what you could do wrong.


----------



## abbey_08 (Nov 5, 2008)

i repierced my own ears before when they half closed with an earring, it didnt get infected but then they wasnt majorly closed up. i still say get it repierced properly ...$30 dont seem alot.


----------



## mizuki~ (Nov 5, 2008)

My mom and aunt did it themselves. No infections or anything.
I have 6 ear piercings from a gun and luckily they're all normal. It only cost me $5 per piercing lol it's cheap but you risk getting a little bump behind the ears and maybe shattered cartilage (not pretty at all..)


----------



## allyson (Nov 5, 2008)

I've pierced my own cartilage and my boyfriend has pierced my ears and nostril a bajillion times 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
 Doing at home piercing is not by itself a bad idea, you just HAVEHAVEHAVE to get the proper equipment, e.g. hollow, sterilized needles and autoclaved jewelry, and you must work in an environment that has been cleaned very well. That should keep infection risk very minimal. 
The only thing you'd have to do then is get the nerve to pierce yourself.  


Overall, though, you'd probably end up paying the same amount to correctly do it at home as you'd be paying at a shop, so...


----------



## VeXedPiNk (Nov 6, 2008)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *NutMeg* 

 
_gigglegirl: Get some Bactine dude. Antiseptic/anasthetic spray for sunburns/mild burns/scrapes, it's the shit for piercing infections. Good prevention too. Did the piercer at the salon go over aftercare with you? Because salt soaks are awesome for healing stuff up too._

 
Bactine is a great idea. Most of my friends swear by it. However when I got my monroe piercing, the Bactine made it worse! I found that a bit of hydrogen peroxide worked wonders and cleared up the infection in a couple days, so thats always an option too. Salt soaks are AWESOME too.... they feel so nice!


----------



## jennifer. (Nov 7, 2008)

i have two in the left earlobe and one in the right and the first two were done when i was way younger.  i don't remember it though.  

in 4th grade, my friend did the 2nd one in my left ear one night with ice, a sewing needle, and thread when we were bored (and dumb) and although it healed fine--i still have it 22 yrs later--i'm attributing it to her making me hold on tightly to her catholic prayer necklace while she did it.  haha

when my own daughter was 10 though, she asked me to get hers done at claire's and that was an instant NO.  i made sure to take her to an APP certified piercer (Association of Professional Piercers) in the area that would do it with my permission.  it wasn't worth the risk of infection for my daughter and it shouldn't be for your own body.  no matter what the cost.  proper aftercare is important as well and i made sure she was doing it as directed.

on a funnier note, this thread makes me think of the part in pulp fiction where rosanna arquette's character is talking about her piercings and how the gun goes against the entire idea of piercing.  it's actually true.  like others have mentioned, it's not worth the risk.

also, another vote from me for non-iodized sea salt soaks!

*sorry about the long reply, it's something i firmly believe in!


----------



## Countingstars13 (Nov 5, 2013)

Yes I have I just pierced my second hole to my ear a week ago. It's still healing. No it doesn't hurt for some people if you use a piercing needle. I myself did not use a piercing needle I used a blow dart gun needle. I took it and put it in 70% rubbing Acohol and I clean the spot I was going to pierce the I got my stud and cleaned that then I cleaned my hands for the 5th time then I took the needle and popped it thought, lined the stud at the end of the needle nod pushed it through. After I pushed it through I cleaned it up and left it alone until I had to clean it cuz if you play with them then it's not gonna heal so well. Hope I helped. I also pierced my boyfriend ear. I'm 12 and I've been piercing my family members rads for a while now.


----------

