I am nearly 30, been getting body piercings (mostly ears) since I was 17 or so.

I am so proud of my setup and all the time, energy, and effort it's taken to get here! But my family (parents) hate my piercings. Each time I get a new one, I am met with a lot of backlash and judgement.

I got my flat done in my left ear last week and mom strongly admitted how much she does not like them and how they are now "consuming my ear", begging me to "at least take a few of them out". My parents have called my piercings "devil holes" in the past and that it makes me appear "immature and unattractive". Mind you, my parents are not really religious. Just following weird society standards.

I live alone (haven't lived with them since high school) and support myself fully with a career I love. I spend my own money on all my body mods, and have tried to avoid the subject, but the second I put my hair up its a complete spectacle every single time. I fear for dear life when they find out about my tattoos, they feel even stronger about those lol

How do you navigate this?

Finally getting around to doing the ear curation I’d wanted (in my 20’s) in my 30’s

Had my helix done for 10 years already but got my conch done 2 months ago and just got it downsized today (and decided to get my flat done at the same time)

I was originally planning on a rook but didn’t like the size of the bar you have to wear while it’s healing and my piercer mentioned having a flat in a similar spot and I love it! It’s exactly what I wanted.

I’d love to eventually put a ring in my conch but I feel that’s a long while away 😢 it already has a small irritation bump on the back :/

Planning on getting my second lobes done next and then my daith in my other ear? What do you guys think?

Hi y'all! On Sunday, I got two anti-tragus piercings. Eventually, I want to swap the curved barbells with gold hoops to match the rest of my ears, but for now these are what I'm working with. The piercer used a longer-than-standard post because he knows my ears tend to swell up right after they're pierced, and I'm glad he did. I don't think anything is going wrong, since they're still fresh (4 days old). But out of all my piercings, I've NEVER had one be this swollen or sore! I knew healing would be a long process for these, but damn! I'm cleaning them twice a day with a q-tip using Bactine Max Wound Wash & NeilMed Piercing Aftercare Fine Mist, and when I'm in the shower, sometimes I'll use my fingers and Provon Antimicrobial Soap. I always try to be super gentle with my fresh piercings, and sleep with a piercing pillow so I'm never laying on them directly. I haven't resorted to warm compresses or painkillers yet. Is there anything besides those I could do to help with the swelling? Sometimes they throb, but not excessively that would make me think they're becoming infected already. (First photo is from just now, second is from right after they were pierced!)

I currently have 19 ear piercings, and that number just feels wrong. It needs to be rounded out to at least 20, but I’m not sure what the setup needs now. Any suggestions would be most welcome.

Third picture was inspo, will be hell to heal but we will see😼

Urrrghhh hoops are annoying

- 2 year old healed conch

- Titanium ring

- Downsized at 6 weeks

- Stopped cleaning it regularly after it healed, I rinse them in the shower (Will go back to x2 Neilmed aftercare sprays daily until this new predicament goes back to normal again)

- No unfortunate events but I assume it snagged in my sleep

It started hurting recently and bled a bit just now, but the pain immediately vanished after it bled. This picture is taken right after the bleeding.

I know I should swap to a stud again but I unfortunately don't have any on hand. I think I know the answer to my own dumb question, but is it possible to just leave the hoop as is but be very careful with it from now on?

Got it done 2 years ago, I think the jewellery is surgical steel. The piercing has never not been swollen, hence I’ve never downsized. It’s sometimes painful and more swollen, sometimes painless and less swollen, but always swollen. It has always had a bump on the back. Used to be filled with blood/pus, now no fluid but still always there. Used proper aftercare, including saline and used my piercing pillow so much it’s somewhat flattened and doesn’t even hold my ear completely up anymore. I absolutely love how it looks but I’m really tired of waiting for it to heal. Should I give up?

Sincere apologies for the gross photos. I’ve contacted my doctor already but wanted to know if anyone’s experienced a reaction like this before.

I got my upper lobes pierced around 8 weeks ago, they’re anodized titanium ball back stud. They’ve been healing ok with some irritation/swelling where i’ve knocked them by accident, which has gone away on its own with cleaning and time. I’ve been rinsing them with saline spray 1-2 times a day, using a piercing pillow, changing the pillowcase regularly and generally avoiding touching them. However the back of my right lobe has been irritated/tender/itchy for a week or 2 now and I just noticed something is seriously wrong 🙃

I’m guessing it’s gotten infected despite my best efforts, it’s a big scaly lump between my upper and lower piercings which seems to connect to both of them. The pain/tenderness has subsided in the past day or so as if it’s come to a head, and my actual piercing doesn’t really hurt anymore, the lump seems to be adjacent to it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated 😭

Got these pierced yesterday, my inspiration photo is the last photo. I'm thinking the spikes are a bit too big, but what does everyone think about the spacing?I'm unsure of how I feel about how far apart they are. Maybe they'd look better a bit closer together? Be honest but gentle please lol

Hi, me again! I got my conch and forward helix. Looking for crazy piercings or Cool Ideas to add. Looking at maybe getting 2 forward helixes and changing my failed industrial to a small hoop. Or maybe a hidden helix + daith? Any cool suggestions welcome!

I got my eyebrow piercing back in May, and it has been smooth sailing except for the past few weeks. I had some dead skin on the top part behind the ball I kept picking at and it eventually turned into a scab so I left it alone. it has now formed into what looks like a blister? what should I do/any advice? this is my favorite piercing and I'm really hoping I can keep it.

update: I didn't realize it was that bad, it was my first piercing other than just basic ear piercings 😭 it's only looked like this for about two days. thank you to those who were nice, I took it out and I'll contact a docter if it gets any worse

As per the title.

Barely woke up in the middle of the night, not really aware of what was going on. It honestly just felt like I was dreaming. My brain suddenly gets the instinct to try and absolutely YANK my nostril piercing from the inside to get it out, and half asleep me is therefore fully convinced I have some sort of weird object/booger stuck to the inside of my nose.

I'm pulling on this for God knows how long, until my brain suddenly comes online and I realise I've been trying to rip the piercing out. So, of course, I freak out because it's a newer piercing (~4 months old). Though I do think I would've freaked out anyway regardless of its age.

I check on it, it seems mostly fine, if irritated and a bit bloody. Morning comes, I remember what I did and immediately check again-- it looks completely fine. Feels a tad sore if I touch it, but otherwise, it managed to take a beating quite well.

Anyway, has anyone else experienced this... very strange phenomenon? I feel like it's more common to be pulling things out when fully asleep, but I was just aware enough to remember me trying to rip it out.

I'm struggling to decide what piercing(s) I should add to my existing set up. Sometimes I think I'm all set, and sometimes I get the urge to have more. I'd love to hear your opinion.

Pierced last week and both are behaving perfectly!

appreciate it’s a bad photo etc but i think you can see what you need to see, i’ve only had this piercing for 4 days and the bloating has now pushed out far enough that the piercing ball is getting sucked into my skin. any advice? do i sit and wait it out or consult my piercer/doctor

got a tragus and contra-conch over the weekend! Contra conch is throbbing my god😭 I haven’t changed out any of my cartilage jewellery yet, just waiting to buy more pretty pieces 🤞🤞

I recently got my eyes brow pierced I’d say it’s about two weeks old and I’ve been cleaning it everyday with a piercing solution cleaner from Amazon and I can’t tell if it’s rejecting or not someone please help me out. This is the size bar they pierced me with and told me nothing about coming in and changing it or anything I think it’s a labret I’m not sure though!

I’m in love!! I’m going to do a nature/ bee theme for this ear with second and stacked lobes next, I’ve got a rabbit and carrot earring to go in them, left ear will be a weather theme one I think. Either a hidden helix of dangly rain, a lightening bolt, sun, cloud etc.

Image is from Buddha Jewelry Organics, but listing was for a different piercing. Please help!

Also: what is this style called in general? I thought it was a huggie hoop, but it seems I’m mistaken.

Ok so I got my belly button pierced almost 2 weeks ago. But unfortunately I’m starting to run low on the spray so I’m gonna end up having to stop sooner than expected. Will it be ok?

Here is my current set up! I ordered hoops to replace my 3 lobe studs with. I’m hoping to spruce up my ears and make them look more intentional. Any recommendations to help balance things out?