[Not So Innocent]

hi, i just got my cartilage pierced yesterday it was my first time geting in periced too so im alittle freaked out.. and its not a regural stud its like bell bar.. and it hurts like crazy.. the guy who did it said to only clean it when its wet like in the shower.. which i take everyday.. and then not to touch it.. but i dunno if i should clean more offen.. my parents dont know so i want to keep it from getting infected..
do i turn it after a while?> what do i do? im scared it will get infected... when should i turn it.. im sooo scared i dunno what to do now that i have it.. i dnt want to turn it and it hurt and get infected.. help me

[ChihuahuaMomma]

Listen to the piercer. I'm assuming this was a licensed piercer...

Also, it was a bad idea to get a piercing without your parent's permission, which sort of indicates that this piercer was not the best one, since he did it without your parents knowing, as you are a minor... I assume.

Also, how do they not know... It's sort of hard to hide..

[Not So Innocent]

Well it was at a place all my friends go.. and he is a licensed piercer.. my rents probably wouldn't care... and it's a bell bar which is like for belly buttons and toung pericings and lip... how is that different??

I have long hair so its easy for me to hide

[ChihuahuaMomma]

If it's a bar bell, it's prbably just a larger gage than a regular piercing. SO, this piercing knowing that you are under age, still does the peircing without your parent's consent? And why are you hiding it if they won't care? And if they wouldn't care then why not just get their permission?

[Not So Innocent]

Well because I know they wouldn't take me to get it.. they are scared it would get infected... because my friend had one and hers got infected... like ill tell them soon.. but like if it's a bar bell when I take it out would I need to like get another bell bar or a regular stud.. would a regualr stud fit.

[ChihuahuaMomma]

If it's the same gage then yes... the piercer should have told you what gage he was using. Better yet, he should have asked...

You just said that they wouldn't care. Doing things like this behind your parent's backs is cause for them not to trust you.

[Not So Innocent]

I don't really care about that because they know I'm a good person.. I have done a lot of things behind their back they always trust me.. I think it was like a 16 gage or a 14 gage.. with a 8mm ball or a 6mm ball.. I think I'm going to call tommarrow and ask

[Not So Innocent]

And where is the best place to get the other barbells for when I change it?

[ChihuahuaMomma]

It probably is a 16 gage, but asking is still a good idea.

I never said that you weren't a good person. I'm sure you are. I'm just saying that doing something like this behind your parent's backs can cause their trust in you to be questioned.

"Should we really trust her to go to the mall alone with our credit card? Should we trust her to spend only the amount we approved? Well, I don't know, she DID get that piercing without our permission. What else might she do without our permission?"

Do you see where this could affect their trust in you?

[ChihuahuaMomma]

Try Hot Topic or Spencers or there are usually kiosiks in the mall that have jewelry for them... Claires in the mall... The mall is the best place, as there are so many places in there that would have them... try looking for sergical steel. And don't change it until the approved time.

[Not So Innocent]

OK I understand where you are coming from.. I do.. there is a claires by where I live.. but I don't know if I want like fun ones.. colors, designs, you know.. does it say on the package what gage it is and if its sliver or not.

[ChihuahuaMomma]

Yes, it should say on the package the material and the gage size... if it doesn't don't buy it..

[Not So Innocent]

Okie dokie thanks.. I just haven't gotten one and you know I don't know what to do exactly... is sliver the best or gold or clear or colored ones

[ChihuahuaMomma]

Surgical steel is the best... wait for plastic ones until you are completely healed... If you have a job, you might want to get a clear retainer for the piercing, as many employers only allow a certain number of peircings..

[Not So Innocent]

Yes, I know that.. I work at a day care center.. and my bosses are never there.. I don't think they would mind..

[nauticalstar420]

Do exactly as your piercer says, clean it when its wet. When you get a cartilage piercing, it will get "crusties" built up on it, and the crusties are white blood cells trying to patch up the hole. These are the easiest to remove when they are wet. After letting your ear soak for a bit, gently remove the crust with a Q-Tip. After removing the crust, clean it with anti-bacterial soap (I usually use Dial).

Other than cleaning it, you do need to rotate the jewelry twice a day. Make 1-2 rotations each time you turn it just to ensure your skin does not grow to the jewelry. Other than cleaning and rotating, your piercer is correct, leave it alone. Make sure that each time you touch it, your hands are clean. Touching your piercing with dirty hands can lead to irritation and/or infection.

If you take care of the piercing as you should, then you should not have to worry as much about infection. Anything can cause the piercing to get irritated, but don't confuse irritation with infection. Signs of infection are severe redness, severe swelling and/or a green or yellow discharge. If this occurs, see a doctor for antibiotics. If you think something is wrong and you don't have any of these symptoms, it is probably just irritation and needs to be left alone for a while.

Also, don't get freaked out that its sore and probably a little red. Keep in mind that a piercing causes a wound to your body so tenderness, redness and mild swelling are normal.

Good luck with your piercing and let us know if you have anymore questions. :)

[Not So Innocent]

Like I clean it when I'm in the shower than once or twice when I'm not and I take a cotton ball and soke it and put aliitle soap on it.. then I use that to clean my cartilage.. atfer that I take another cotton ball and soke it again with just water and sqeeze the water down my ear so its wet and gets clean. Then I take a q-tip and dry around it..

Is that a good process

[nauticalstar420]

It sounds like you are doing a good job. The only problem with using cotton balls is that sometimes little bits of cotton can get stuck in the piercing. Its actually better to do the whole process with Q-Tips; the cotton on them is tighter than just regular cotton balls. Just put a dab of anti-bacterial soap on a Q-Tip and clean it that way.

Soaking a cotton ball and squeezing it and allowing the water to flow down your ear is a great idea to make sure all of the excess soap is gone, but again for this part I would probably use a washcloth. I have used cotton balls before and they really can be hell to get untangled from your jewelry.

You sound like you are doing good. Keep up the good work and it will treat you right.

On another note, you should eventually tell your mom. And also, anyone who will pierce a minor without parental consent does not have the best reputation in my book. Next time you get a piercing, with parental consent of course, I don't recommend going back to that piercer.

[Clough]

nauticalstar420 really does know her stuff about these kinds of things! I am glad that she is on this site! She is one of those people who help to make this site the best one on the Internet to find answers! :)

[Not So Innocent]

Actually my mom found out yesterday.. she didn't care.. at first she thought it was fake then I told her it was real and she said "o cool, it hurts doesnt it"

So its all good