Anyone have experience with an earring hole that constantly gets infected?

[Pucks104]

My ears were pierced as a teenager and I wore earrings without issue for decades. Over the past 5-8 years my ears became itchy, red and yucky and no amount of rubbing alcohol or antibiotic cream would soothe them. I tried all metals and can simply no longer wear earrings. It’s as though my body reacts to earrings as if they are an enemy that requires my immune system to go into full fighting mode to defeat.

 

[person]

My ears were pierced as a teenager and I wore earrings without issue for decades. Over the past 5-8 years my ears became itchy, red and yucky and no amount of rubbing alcohol or antibiotic cream would soothe them. I tried all metals and can simply no longer wear earrings. It’s as though my body reacts to earrings as if they are an enemy that requires my immune system to go into full fighting mode to defeat.

These days there are also various earrings with wooden posts, which, if the lobe holes can be enlarged ever so slightly, clasp in a way that does not necessarily irritate as metal might. This, together with lubrication, can help.

 

[person]

..... as if they are an enemy that requires my immune system to go into full fighting mode to defeat.

Pucks104: PS Seems like today, given the quite widespread adoption of chunkier ones which have wooden posts used in slightly enlarged holes, it's the young guys - not only girls - who are proving that ear piercing need not be an enemy but can be pursued comfortably, aren't they?

 

[Pucks104]

I had actually given up on wearing earrings so haven’t actually seen the ones with wood posts. I will need to look around at options.

 

[person]

I had actually given up on wearing earrings so haven’t actually seen the ones with wood posts. I will need to look around at options.

Pucks104: A specialist outlet rather than a regular jeweler's might be necessary for the chunky ones with wooden posts but these seem anyway to be getting popular (alternatively in acryllic also) and these days make good b-day & Christmas gifts for sons and grandsons if they want them, as well as for their sisters - this type of earring is getting popular; in fact a tattoo parlor might have them or be able to advise; and tattoo parlors generally tend to have a lot of expertise about ear piercing, done in a highly sanitized way, for re-piercing, enlargements, etc.

 

[person]

Agree with this. The only time I have ever had a problem with my pierced ears and I have had them pierced since a kid, was when I got my cartilage pierced. Both ears ended up getting infected so I let them close up. I have two holes now in each ear...

tinkerdorabelle: PS: Do you think that how to manage holes would be a good, standard curriculum subject (within 'hygiene', etc.) for young women and young men in school?

 

[person]

I have had my ears pierced for over 40 years. ...
My daughter had trouble with her ear piercings until she stopped wearing studs. She wears small hoops or French wires.

Yes, with the years you do learn how the holes work for you...When you go for it, there is a learning curve but you get to know how it works for you individually.

 

[person]

Sometimes I have had issues but I found the most comfortable studs for me and pretty much keep them in as my everyday ones.

tinkerdorabelle: It's not a bad thing if a girl or boy has had them done to get used to keeping them in all the time. Often it's really the most sensible option, until they want to put different ones in.

 

[dclpluto]

Is she’s having that much trouble with it why don’t you just take it out?

 

[person]

I had that trouble too -- and still do.

Hi design_mom Why not talk to someone at a tattoo parlor? they often seem to know more about skin and sensitivity and hole issues than at a jeweler's.

 

[person]

Is she’s having that much trouble with it why don’t you just take it out?

It's one alternative; but tattoo artists also know a great deal about piercings and piercing care, don't they? it's another alternative.