Piercing care and mishaps?

[Mirrin]

I'm allergic to all the non-hypoallergenic earrings and a lot of metal in general (I can't use Head and Shoulders or antiperspirant either!) so if I want to wear cheapy earrings I have to paint them with fingernail polish. Sometimes the polish rubs off without my noticing and it kind of makes my ears immediately infected. When that happens, I tend to use rubbing alcohol to clean my ears and it gets better pretty fast.
I got my first piercings done at a jewelry store then did another three myself, but only kept one of the ones I did myself in the long run because I just didn't own enough earrings at the time to have that many piercings. I don't think I'd have them again for the same reason and it doesn't seem as fashionable as it was in the early 2000s.

[MeltedCaramel]

Okay, big thing: Opt for surgical steel whenever you can. It can cost a little more, but it's so worth it. I have the most touchy ear piercings in the world. I got mine pierced when I was five and it was actually a doctor's appointment and a doctor that did it. Not sure why. But yeah, anyway, silver? Can't wear it. Gold? Can't wear it. Cheap cute earrings? Can't wear it. It has to be surgical steel for me. If I even TRY on a pair of non-surgical steel earrings my ear immediately starts to swell. On the bright side the surgical steel ones don't gunk up on me.

For maintenance, disinfecting and cleaning I use rubbing alcohol. Dunk the earrings in before wearing them, and re-dunk the part that's going in your ear before putting it in. This also helps when you've bought new earrings!

[voodoolie]

I had my ears pierced once when I was like 4 and they ended up closing up, so I got them re pierced at 10 and I still have those to this day. I've also had my nose and belly-button pierced.

The main thing I can tell you is keep it clean. The earrings have to stay in for a good long time or the holes with close quickly (like overnight). Take a q-tip with some antiseptic on it and clean the backs and what you can reach of the posts every so often. Also, make sure to turn the posts or your ear will grow to it during the dealing process. I've had mine for YEARS now and I can leave out earrings for however long I feel like it without them growing up... which is good because I only wear earrings to work these days.

I think having my naval pierced was easier than my ears for me lol! The needle was so sharp I hardly felt it and even while it healed it just had a slight burning sensation. The nose was a $%&*# though... geez it hurt. Felt like somebody straight up punched me for days.

[VirgoVertigo]

thanks so much for your tips, everyone! so far it's going a LOT better than last time, i'm cleaning them with hydrogen peroxide and Neosporin every day. they're doing wonderfully <3 i can take them out in about 3 weeks. i'm super excited!