OK so on Sunday may 4th 2014 I got 2 cartilage piercings done in both ears done by a gun. The Monday after I woke up to find my ears were a pinkish red color and swollen and have been since. I was wondering if this is normal or if this is a sign of infection or an allergic reaction. I used sterling silver bcs my doc said it was OK and I wasn't going to have an allergic reaction to the earings. I have been cleaning them but not taking then out in fear that they won't go back in bcs of the swelling. What should I do? Is this normal? If so how long might this last?

Sterling silver is proper. Tell me how you have been cleaning them?

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Originally Posted by tickle

Sterling silver is proper. Tell me how you have been cleaning them?

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I take the backs off the piercings and the I move them forward just enough for a q-tip to get in between and piercing and the ear and you use the solution that my piercer gave me to clean them with

Hate to say this because I am giving you downers all the time, especially with your tanning question.

Don't take the backs off,but move the piercings around a bit and don't use a qtip, the cotton particles stay in the piercing and will cause infection. Leave everything in and wash with warm water and salt; wash meaning, rinse them down the best way you can, with clean hands and maybe with a clean cotton cloth.