Vimala, if the ear piercings are somewhat new, wearing smaller jewelry will allow them to shrink up a bit. If you have had pierced ears for a long time, the holes can sometimes become larger from wearing heavy jewelry or just because you have thin/stretchy ear skin.
Earring backs are the small pieces of metal that accompany earrings with post settings. A post setting is a straight piece of metal a quarter of an inch long, which you push directly into the piercing in your ear. The earring back is what you slide onto the post in back of your ear to keep the entire earring in place. Sometimes the earring back is difficult to remove. For example, if you have been wearing the earrings daily without removing them for several days, or if these are earrings from your first ear piercing (called 'piercers'), the backs might be difficult to remove. However, there are things that you can do to make sure that you remove the backs without hurting yourself.
- If you are wearing ones that sit over your ears and you also wear glasses, just be careful when placing them and removing your glasses. You will have space behind your ear and your glasses will find the “real estate” comfortably along with your new hearing aids. At first, only wear them for a few hours a day.
- Mar 09, 2013 Can I take my new pierced earring out my ear for about 2 hours? Im going to get my second hole in my ears pierced tomorrow at 12.30 but then the next day i have trampolining and i dont know whether they will make me take them out. Will my holes close up if i take them out for about two hours, im really worried. Thankyou so much.
Earrings Worn For Several Days
Wash your hands and pat them dry. Moisten a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol. Swab the back and front of the earring, as well as your ear lobe. Concentrate on saturating the earring back. This should loosen it, as well as sanitize the area.
Rubber Ear Pieces For Glasses
Moisten a cotton ball in water as hot as you can stand. Swab the front and back of your ears, focusing on saturating the earring, particularly the earring back.
Place one clean hand firmly but gently on the front of the earring. Place the other hand on the earring back. Pull each hand away from the other slowly. The earring back should slide off. Repeat with more hot water or alcohol if the earring back is loosened, but not ready to slide all the way off.
Earrings Used for a First-Time Piercing
Wash your hands with soap and water and pat them dry. Moisten a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol. Swab the front and back of the earring as a precautionary measure.
Place your forefinger and thumb around the front of the earring. Do not touch the earring back. Make sure you have a firm grip.
Press down with your thumb and forefinger around the front of the earring. Squeeze the metal as hard as you possibly can. This will be slightly uncomfortable, but you should hear a click and the earring back will pop off.
Two quick pricks open up a whole world of accessories options. Huge gold hoops, delicate diamond studs, shoulder-brushing feathers: You'll eventually be able to rock them all, but maybe not immediately after getting pierced. Those tiny holes need quite a bit of healing before they're able to support heavy earrings. Weight's not the only concern for your first few pairs of earrings, though. Metal matters too.
Choosing the First Pair
Mom's heirloom hoops will have to wait. Reputable piercers use sterilized studs and generally require that they provide the initial pair so they can verify that they're safe to use. Getting bacteria in the newly created holes can lead to infection, so using a completely sterilized pair of earrings is in your best interest.
Depending on who's doing the piercing, a selection of pairs may be available. Ask if any pairs are made without nickel, which causes allergic reactions in many people. Surgical-grade stainless steel and yellow gold are good options and are generally free of nickel, at least in quantities that would cause a reaction. Keep in mind that you'll be wearing these earrings nonstop for several weeks. If you routinely wear necklaces and other jewelry, choose a pair of earrings that go with the rest of your collection.
Caring for Newly-Pierced Ears
Piercers vary slightly in their suggestions for how long to leave in the first pair of earrings. For lobe piercings, some say they can come out in as little as three weeks, but the safest bet is to leave the pair in for a full six weeks – unless they become infected, of course. Cartilage piercings take longer to heal and should stay in for 12 weeks.
Keeping ears and earrings clean is the major goal of piercing aftercare. Wash hands with soap before touching the earrings and avoid twisting them. The piercer may provide a solution for cleaning the earrings, or you can use a cotton swab dipped in very soapy water to gently clean the area. Use ice to soothe minor swelling, but call the doctor if there's redness, dramatic swelling or throbbing. An infection may require antibiotics, so it's not something to try to treat at home.
Finding Earrings Without Nickel
If the piercer offers free follow-up visits, make one before removing the earrings. Once you get confirmation that the piercing has healed, it's time to look for a second pair. Again, be wary of metals that could contain nickel. Even discount jewelers often sell nickel-free earrings. If earrings aren't labeled that way, look for pairs made of titanium, yellow gold, sterling silver or surgical-grade stainless steel. White gold is often made with nickel.
Choosing Earring Styles
After the piercing heals, avoid heavy earrings for at least six months. Stick to very small hoops (larger hoops can get caught on hair or clothing and tug on the ear), studs and small drops. If an occasion calls for large statement earrings, opt for plastic or thin filagree earrings. They're lightweight enough that they should do minimal damage to the healing ears.