| Ear Piercings |
| HEALING The ear-lobes are some of the fastest parts of the body to heal, it usually takes 6-10 weeks to heal and problems are very rare. Cartilage piercings however, are more prone to problems, this is because it doesn't heal in the same way as flesh. The most common problem is small lumps which form around the piercing, these are called granulomas and usually occur because the piercing has been knocked or the jewellery has been taken out and re-inserted damaging the wound. The best course of action to heal Granulomas is to apply hot compresses to the wound once or twice a day. Put a clean paper towel under hot tap water, make sure that it's not hot enough to burn the skin, but hot enough to penetrate the wound. Leave on till the heat dissipates, do this twice a day. If that doesn't work the best course of action is to remove the jewellery for a short period of time to allow the wound to heal. when the lump goes down (usually 4-5 days) the jewellery may be reinserted, however, if the lump starts to come back it's best to leave it heal and have it re-pierced at a later date. Another problem are "Keloids" these are lumps which come from excessive scar tissue formation, this problem is genetic and people with black or dark skin are especially prone to it. If a Keloid develops it's best to remove the jewellery as they can be very hard to treat, the best treatment is the application of "Cortisone" cream which you must get on prescription from a physician. It has been noted that keloids tend to form more often around the exit hole, due to the action of the needle, which slices a crescent-shaped opening. Lumps & Bumps Not all Lumps and Bumps are Keloid! This is a trap many people fall into (me included!) so lets have a quick look at the more common L&B's: Hypertrophic Scarring Does not extend beyond the original boundary of the wound (unlike Keloid). And will stabilize (or reduce) in size over time. Unlike Keloid, Hypertrophic scarring is not more frequent in any racial group or in family members. I suffered from Hypertrophic Scarring with my Labret piercing, once removed the scarring went, unlike the next problem!!! Keloid Scarring This is probably the most common problem that we (as a group) hear about, although it's a lot less commonplace than Hypertrophic Scarring (which is often reported at Keloid). Keloid scarring is normally caused by irritation, (such a knocking the piercing) the Navel being a prime candidate for Keloid as this particular piercing is liable to irritation from clothes and the like. But is also more prevalent in certain racial groups and there is thought to be a familial predisposition (if your brother suffered with it you *may* be more likely to suffer too) Keloid appears as a series of red swollen lump(s) around the piercing, (which extent beyond the site of the original trauma a.k.a The Piercing) this may or may not be accompanied by discomfort as well. Keloid is at the most basic level, skin growing unchecked, there is no 100% prevention, but there are some simple procedures that can help reduce the likelihood of it occurring: 1. Ensure the correct size, type and grade of jewellery is fitted. 2. Remove any source of irritation, such as clothes catching on the jewellery. 3. Stop playing with it! (The Piercing that is!) There are some other methods that you can try to help alleviate Keloid, these are methods are by no means the last word, and as always; 'your mileage may vary' but when you have tried everything else these might just be the only way of keeping that piercing! 1. Wheat-germ oil has been used successfully by many 2. A hot compress applied regularly. 3. Vitamin E topical cream applied to the area affected. 4. Surgery! The last method is quite an important one, as this is the only way to �get rid� and then you may have unsightly scars for the rest of your life! Always get anything you are worried about, looked at by a suitably qualified person!!! Infection This is probably the biggest worry for many people contemplating getting 'pierced'. But the risk of infection is significantly lower than that of Keloid! Providing you ensure that a professional in suitable conditions pierces you, then simple aftercare of your piercings is all that is required to keep infections away. As I always say 'if you are worried about something, get it checked-out' you can then take any actions to clear the problem! Infections, when they occur, can be cleared by a course of antibiotics, providing you get to a doctor, leaving this kind of problem will not help! Rejection Piercings can 'reject' or 'grow out' for a number of reasons, some piercings are also more susceptible to rejection. Rejection is quite easy to spot because the piercing literally moves (migrates) towards the surface. Generally 'surface' piercings (Eyebrow, Navel, Neck) are more prone to rejection, simply because they are closer to the surface and the tissue is not a 'strong' as elsewhere. Professional piercers are used to this and can use jewellery to minimise the likelihood of rejection. (Such as PTFE in surface piercings) Letting the piercing fully settle before attempting to stretch is also very important if you are to avoid rejection. PLACEMENT Antitragus: A piercing is made through the extrusive ridge of cartilage opposite the tragus. In most cases, a straight or curved barbell is advisable over a ring. Bridge, Industrial, Ladder: A barbell pierced through the two sides of the upper pinna so that it looks like a bridge. Conch: Piercings made straight through the shell of the ear cartilage. The Conch piercings are sometimes described as either "lower" and "upper", the dividing line being the Crus helix. The piercing is usually done initially with a barbell, but once it's healed a large ball-closure ring may be inserted, spiked labret studs are sometimes worn as well "Daith": A piercing made through the Crus helix, the inner-most ridge of cartilage above the Tragus. Of the interior ear cartilage piercings the Daith is usually the most successful as it is not subject to pressure from sleeping and irritation from daily activities. Helix: Piercings made through or around the upper, curled edge of the ear, including the curled edge towards the face. If the curl is extreme or wide, a piercing made parallel to the plane of the head through the apex of the curl will be more comfortable. In this instance, a piercing made perpendicular to the plane of the head would require a large diameter ring to allow for proper healing which would be too large to comfortably fit between the ear and head. Lobe: The most common piercing of the ear, can be pierced several times depending on it's size. One of the fastest of all piercings to heal. Orbital: A ring through the upper conch so that the ring comes out either side. "Rook": A piercing made through the antihelix, the ridge above the "Daith" ridge. More prone to rejection/migration. "Snug": A horizontal piercing of the antihelix, across from the tragus. This piercing isn't suitable for all people. Top-Ear "Pinna": The outer rim of the ear extending from the top of the Helix to the Daith. The second most common piercing, it has become quite popular because it's novel without being to extreme. Usually takes 12 months to heal and is more prone to Granulomas because of hair pulling on it and lying on it during sleep. Tragus: The prominence of cartilage in front of the opening of the ear canal. This piercing is a little bit more painful than other cartilage piercings because it's very thick, usually takes at least 12 months to heal. Tranverse: A horizontal piercing through the lobe with a barbell. JEWELLERY Eer piercing studs aren't really suitable for initial piercing because they can't be cleaned properly which can lead to infections. Sleepers are also unsuitable because they have tiny sharp hinges which tear the inside of the piercing causing inflammation and delaying healing. I use ball closure rings (a ring with a ball on it) because they don't come out and have no sharp edges. The only metals which should be used for the healing period are 18ct Gold, Niobium, Titanium or Surgical Stainless Steel. THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF INFECTION IS TOUCHING AND PLAYING WITH THE PIERCING, ONLY TOUCH IT WHEN CLEANING!. DO clean the piercing once a day in the shower. Make some salt water by dissolving Sea salt or table salt in warm water, or use Saline solution (available at any chemist). Soak the piercing for 2-3 minutes using a cotton wool ball soaked in salt water. Make sure when cleaning to remove all the crusting (dead white blood cells) or it can concrete on the ring and tear the inside of the wound. Once the crusting is removed rotate the ring very gently to remove any residual crusting. DO use Lavender oil as it promotes healing and lubricates the wound reducing tenderness. Apply a small amount with a cotton-wool bud after cleaning then move the jewellery gently so it gets into the wound. Remove any excess with a tissue as leaving it on can cause the skin to become irritated. It may be purchased at supermarkets (medicine section) or at chemists and must be marked (BP) or medicinal grade. DO check the piercing every morning to ensure that your hair hasn't become entangled in the jewellery. If you have long hair it's advisable to to use a bobby pin to keep your hair of the piercing until it's healed. With Top-ear piercings it's adviseable to get your hair cut a little shorter to keep it of the piercing as the hair aggravates the piercing and increases the likelihood of infection. DO be careful when brushing your hair not to catch the jewellery in the brush as this can tear the wound and cause inflammation. DO make sure that you use clean pillowcases and bedding to reduce the likelihood of bacteria getting into the wound. DO use B-vitamins with a Zinc supplement as these promote healing. DON'T turn the ring in the wound for the first 2-3 weeks as this aggravates the wound, after that you may turn the ring gently once it's been cleaned to allow the lavender oil to penetrate the wound. DON'T remove the jewellery during the healing phase, pulling it in and out can increase the likelihood of infection. Leaving the jewellery out during the healing ophase can lead to the hole closing up. DON'T replace the jewellery with sleepers as they have tiny sharp hinges which aggravate the piercing and cause inflammation. Silver sleepers are especially dangerous as the silver oxidises in the wound and can lead "Argyria" a permanent black mark in the skin. DON'T put methylated spirits, Tea Tree Oil, Peroxide, Betadine or Alcohol onto the wound as they are too astringent or damage the cells which form the scar tissue. DON'T put the head piece of the phone on the ear that's pierced, be especially careful of this with public phones. If both ears are pierced make sure to clean the earpiece of the phone with disinfectant. DON'T get hairspray or cosmetics on the piercing during the healing phase. When washing your hair make sure to wash the piercing carefully. |
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