Problems With Pierced Ears

Ear piercings are probably the most common body piercing on the planet. Ear piercings even appear in ancient sculpture. Master piercer Elayne Angel in her book "The Piercing Bible" mentions an Iranian female bust from approximately 3,500 B.C. with multiple ear piercings. Piercings are also mentioned in the Bible. Typically, a fresh ear piercing takes six to 10 weeks to heal. Long-term complications are rare, but there are some things to be concerned about.

Infection

Infection is the most common complication of all body piercings. Following a good aftercare regimen, as recommended by your piercer, will minimize this risk. Ear piercings that get infected are usually the result of piercing guns being used that can't be sterilized between uses. Make sure your piercer uses either a sterilized needle or a one-use gun insert with sterilized jewelry. Also, clean your phone before putting it up to your newly pierced ear. The other common cause of infection is a piercing performed on a child too young to follow aftercare procedures properly, including keeping unwashed fingers away from the jewelry.

Scars

Abandoning an ear piercing will usually leave a permanent mark on the earlobe. If the piercing has been stretched, it may also leave a permanent hole. This is of cosmetic concern only.

Tearing

Very occasionally, earrings can get caught up on something and cause a tear through the earlobe. Wearing too-heavy jewelry on a too-thin gauge can also cause a tear over time. Master piercer Elayne Angel calls this "the cheese cutter effect."

Allergies

Allergies to nickel are quite common, especially among women, and this is in part attributable to the nickel found in jewelry, according to The Nickel Institute. It's important, therefore, to choose earrings--for both the initial piercing and after it's healed--that are hypoallergenic and nickel-free. For the initial piercing, seek out stainless steel, titanium, niobium or gold.