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I have a confession. I'm a middle aged woman, and have never gotten my ears pierced. Always was a little bit cowardly about it.
Lately, I've been thinking about getting it done as part of a mini-makeover. I have a new hairstyle and overall new look that wearing earrings would enhance.
But I'm still a little scared. I feel foolish to be an adult getting this done. Does it hurt much? What about infection and after care?
I'm thinking of going to one of the places in the mall, either Claires or Piercing Pagoda. Anybody have any preference and WHY? I'm leaning towards Claires because they are in a store and the piercing is not done in the middle of the mall.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!!
I have had pierced ears since I was 12 - when I was 35 I decided to get a second hole in each ear - I went to Piercing Pagoda in the mall - they put a little mark on my ear - asked if it was where I wanted it - put the earring in the earing gun and pierced my ears - did not hurt at all - like a little pinch - you have to keep 14kt gold post in your ear non-stop for several months - twist it around twice a day and dab with alcohol or neosporin - keep an eye on it - you should be fine. The only people that have problems are people who might have an allergy to gold or a problem keeping the ear area clean. Dont worry - you will be fine.
Location: Pelion, South Carolina/orig. from Cape May, NJ
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I waited till I was in my twenties to get mine done, and I don't know why I waited so long...it was just a little pinch, no blood or pain involved.
The only thing I would advise is to make sure you're not prone to keloids (overgrowth of scar tissue). It happened to me-I had lumps on my ears that had to be surgically removed, which carries a risk of another keloid forming due to the surgical scar.
pretty much ditto to the pp....except got my second round done at Claires and I was probably 40 something at the time. It was so much less painful the second time. Really didn't hurt at all. My only advice, since I had ears that got easily infected (which is painful). Leave the earrings in a month or so longer that they say. I had all kinds of trouble with my first piercing (when I was 13) but no trouble at all with my second.
From watching my then 4-year old daughter get her ears pierced (which she asked for at that age, despite warnings to her that it does hurt!), my suggestion is for you to go to a place where they have 2 people doing it simultaneously, instead of one ear at a time. I think that after the first, you will definitely be nervous on the second. My daughter had to keep the original earrings on for a year since every time we attempted to take it out before then, the piercing would close up.
I have a confession. I'm a middle aged woman, and have never gotten my ears pierced. Always was a little bit cowardly about it.
Lately, I've been thinking about getting it done as part of a mini-makeover. I have a new hairstyle and overall new look that wearing earrings would enhance.
But I'm still a little scared. I feel foolish to be an adult getting this done. Does it hurt much? What about infection and after care?
I'm thinking of going to one of the places in the mall, either Claires or Piercing Pagoda. Anybody have any preference and WHY? I'm leaning towards Claires because they are in a store and the piercing is not done in the middle of the mall.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!!
when I was 14 (that was just about 30 years ago) I got my ears pierced, and have 4 on one side and 1 on the other. They used the gun. Personally in this day and age, I wouldn't go to a mall store to get something like that done, I would go to a piercer and get it done with a needle. The gun is *really* outdated, and can cause more trauma to your ear than a needle would ever cause. And it doesn't hurt, a quick pinch and you are done.
Recently I got a nose piercing, and it was really minimal and you have to go thru cartilage to do that.
when I was 14 (that was just about 30 years ago) I got my ears pierced, and have 4 on one side and 1 on the other. They used the gun. Personally in this day and age, I wouldn't go to a mall store to get something like that done, I would go to a piercer and get it done with a needle. The gun is *really* outdated, and can cause more trauma to your ear than a needle would ever cause. And it doesn't hurt, a quick pinch and you are done.
Recently I got a nose piercing, and it was really minimal and you have to go thru cartilage to do that.
If you are going to do it, do it right......
Just FYI, the stores at the mall don't use the gun anymore. My first piercings were done with the gun and did hurt. Now they use one-time use things that just squeeze together (kind of like a little cheap stapler). You would think that would hurt more but honestly it didn't! I am a big chicken when it comes to needles and pain (trust me I really am) and it was no biggee at all....
As a male, I will chime in. My first piercing was in the normal spot where people get their ears pierced, the lobe. My girlfriend did it for me in my bathroom. Haha, I think back now, and I really should have just gone to a place in the local mall, but ya know, she did a wonderful job. No infections or anything. She just placed ice on my ear forever, and jabbed it through. Haha.
My next piercing was on the cartilidge (sp?). I went to the mall for that one...supervised by my gf, haha. And if that of all things didn't hurt, you don't have to worry about getting your ears pierced.
Be prepared for the possibilty of a nickel allergy
Quote:
Originally Posted by Easybreezy
I have a confession. I'm a middle aged woman, and have never gotten my ears pierced. Always was a little bit cowardly about it.
Lately, I've been thinking about getting it done as part of a mini-makeover. I have a new hairstyle and overall new look that wearing earrings would enhance.
But I'm still a little scared. I feel foolish to be an adult getting this done. Does it hurt much? What about infection and after care?
I'm thinking of going to one of the places in the mall, either Claires or Piercing Pagoda. Anybody have any preference and WHY? I'm leaning towards Claires because they are in a store and the piercing is not done in the middle of the mall.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!!
Although I very much enjoy my pierced ears, and would not change having had them pierced, the nickel allergy I developed afterwards is a pain in the butt. I can't wear ANY costume jewelry, most watches, and even the metal rivets on my jeans will break me out. I can only wear 14kt gold, NO white old at all, and usually sterling silver will be okay (though some of it breaks me out too). I did find a site that carries titanium-only watches, and they were a godsend - can wear them all day long with no itching, Though lately, I've almost stopped wearing watches anyway. Stainless steel of course, is fine too.
Just wanted you to be aware that you may develop this allergy - many do. Here is some information on it.
Just FYI, the stores at the mall don't use the gun anymore. My first piercings were done with the gun and did hurt. Now they use one-time use things that just squeeze together (kind of like a little cheap stapler). You would think that would hurt more but honestly it didn't! I am a big chicken when it comes to needles and pain (trust me I really am) and it was no biggee at all....
I know nothing of how they do it at a mall, but one of the gals mentioned the gun, so I was a bit horrified, as that is really the *old* way they do it...lol
I'm not up on the new "staple like" thing that you mentioned ( never heard of that)...I will only go to a piercer because there, I know body piercing studio takes numerous precautions to protect the health of the person being pierced and the piercer. The guy I saw has undergone extensive training in piercing procedure as well as aseptic piercing technique.
I have no clue what they teach the gal at the mall....
It just seems it's better to be safe than sorry....
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Be prepared for the possibilty of a nickel allergy
