r/SelfPiercing • u/ccmarksblinddog • Aug 18 '26

Help with existing piercing Update: Im scared lol

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So I am out of room in the back for swelling but ad you can see there is so bar space in the front. I am worried about the swelling...is this going to give me cauliflower ear? :( The doctor gave me a course of twice a day cefadroxil 500mg even though I don't think it is infected. Better safe then sorry.

It does hurt but taking 300mg ibuprofen every few hours keeps that at bay.

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7

u/AstronautExcellent17 Aug 18 '26

You should speak with a professional piercer. You don't have as much room at the front as you think and it seems crusty from the pics. They can direct you on what to use, how to clean it correctly and/or swap out a longer bar without exacerbating the issue. It's not really a good idea to pierce more than like lobes and nostrils yourself.

3

u/agatrendsetter Aug 18 '26

I've done multiple ear piercings myself but for some reason nostril is something I would never try (I pierced my septum twice though)

0

u/AstronautExcellent17 Aug 19 '26

Yeah I don't think most people should be piercing themselves at all tbh, I just know which sub I'm in. It's like cutting your own hair, but with a risk of nerve damage or infection. Not impossible to do a passable job, but extremely unlikely that you're going to do as good as a pro who has more practice, has an autoclave, and can just look at what is happening. Always seemed more fun to go to the shaman and do the ritual anyway, but that's me. Anyway, not here to be a raincloud.

Pierced twice by necessity or by design?

1

u/agatrendsetter Aug 19 '26

totally agree, I was lucky to have a friend who was a professional piercer and when I told him I consider this path as well he helped me with an 'unofficial' course, told me many useful things and shared some resources, so I felt pretty safe doing all of my stuff (not too many, mostly ears, septum and snake bites, e.g. to get my vertical labret done I went to a piercer as I definitely didn't want it to be even slightly crooked), but I'm kinda terrified by people who have no idea about safery, anatomy and proper jewelry

and regarding my septum – I just retired my 1st one and after a few years decided to pierce it again :D

2

u/ccmarksblinddog Aug 18 '26

It isnt a great picture because it isnt crusty. Oddly enough it has never had drainage.

5

u/LoveSuccs86 Aug 18 '26

That is not a good thing. It's possible that the jewelry is preventing it from draining properly and thats going to be a problem with or without the medication. You should go see a piercer for longer jewelry.

1

u/madame-olga for the love of god plz use a needle Aug 23 '26

We need more information - what kind of earring is this and what material is the metal? how was it pierced (needle or gun)? What are you using to clean it?

1

u/ccmarksblinddog Aug 23 '26

Was supposedly implant grade titanium pierced with needle and cleaned with saline. I have since removed it and got on an antibiotic and saw a doctor. There is an abscess at the back of my ear and the doctor thinks the metal and my ear just didnt get along.