How to remove earring?

[Sincerely Yours ♥]

I got my ear cartilage pierced last Monday with a needle at a tattoo/piercing place. The earring the piercer used is a flat back labret stud. Here's a picture of one: http://www.painfulpleasures.com/body...eled/JL112.jpg.

It's been great, except she used a slightly bigger one in case of swelling. She said to change it after a week to a smaller one. I can always go in to get it removed, but that's a last resort. I'm trying to remove it at home, but it's really hard to twist the top off. Any suggestions?

[Melody Pond]

I would say a week is too early to be changing it as it can increase your chance of infection. I had to wait 6-8 weeks before changing my cartilage piercing.

To get it out you have to change the piercing try soaking it in warm water to loosen it. Then use gloves or a towel (if your very careful you can use pliers) to hold the back still while twisting the front. Twist it to your right. You might just have to try for a bit every now and again and eventually it will loosen up. If not go back and get it take out.

[Sincerely Yours ♥]

Originally Posted by Melody Pond

I would say a week is too early to be changing it as it can increase your chance of infection. I had to wait 6-8 weeks before changing my cartilage piercing.

To get it out you have to change the piercing try soaking it in warm water to loosen it. Then use gloves or a towel (if your very careful you can use pliers) to hold the back still while twisting the front. Twist it to your right. You might just have to try for a bit every now and again and eventually it will loosen up. If not go back and get it take out.

Yeah that's what the piercer said, but the earring she used is too big for my ear, so it slides back & forth a lot, which isn't good either. She said to change it to a smaller one, then let it heal the rest of the recommended healing time. A bit sketchy, but the earring I have now is really bothering me with the sliding & it catches on things easier because it sticks out more.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[Melody Pond]

Originally Posted by remembering_sunday

Yeah that's what the piercer said, but the earring she used is too big for my ear, so it slides back & forth a lot, which isn't good either. She said to change it to a smaller one, then let it heal the rest of the recommended healing time. A bit sketchy, but the earring I have now is really bothering me with the sliding & it catches on things easier because it sticks out more.

Thanks for the suggestion!

Mine was like that but for the first month my ear would swell for an hour or two and then calm down. Normally while asleep I would knock it and it would swell. It was only a few weeks after this had happened I felt comfortable to change it. I have had my cartilage pierced since October but it still occasionally swells up at times and I change back to my starter bar which is a bit bigger.
If it swells up when you have a smaller bar in then it could be seriously painful and could lead to the bar being stuck.

Having it a bit big is best while it is healing. It also makes it easier to clean around it. It is up to you though. I just know I would have hated to have a small bar in while it was healing.

[FairyPoppins]

I had this problem before too.

In the end I had to ask my dad to help me take it out. Is there anyone you can ask?

I've since managed to do some others myself (I think it must depend on how tight the piercer screws them in), by using two mirrors that enabled me to see around the back of my ear.

[Sincerely Yours ♥]

I used rubber gloves & was able to remove it by myself, no problem. I also was able to change the earring & I was very careful to clean everything & the ear. So far, no infection & it feels so much better than it did with the other earring.