Do you or your kids wear earrings permanently? If so

[madteaparty]

Where did you get them? 
DD needs to wear them permanently otherwise she’d forget to wear and the hole would close. She also prefers my help and this is not something I’m able or willing to do everyday. She had small, child appropriate solid gold loops but we left them elsewhere and won’t be reunited for another month or so. I bought very pretty opal studs on Etsy  (the metal part also gold) with this intention (she was tired of the loops) and while gorgeous, the Etsy seller tells me Ethiopian opals not supposed to go near water. (Shower and such). Moreover,  I must have pushed the back in too tight as her ears are hurt and one is mildly infected—out these come and ears are healing but I need to sort what to put in there next. Many thanks for any thoughts 

[SKL]

Do you have a Claires nearby?  Or a professional piercing place?  I would look to buy the type of earring posts that are used to initially piece the ears.  They are less likely to irritate, and they have a design that prevents them from accidentally falling out.

[prairiewindmomma]

My girls wear piercing width gold and small diamond studs with locking backs. They still take them out monthly for cleaning—dead skin cells will build up on the earrings otherwise. 
 

Find a tattoo artist that also does piercings, order from a jeweller, or if desperate, buy from Claire’s. We had to buy an emergency pair when one was lost from Claire’s—I think it was $80? Not bad.

As to the infection now, ask a tattoo shop if they have aftercare supplies. They are way more knowledgable than Claire’s. 

[popmom]

Opals are gorgeous but very fragile.
 

If you have a Costco membership, they have some good options for 14k gold studs for a very reasonable price. I bought my daughter some because she has the same issue. Her holes close up if she doesn’t wear them all the time. She seems to like them. She can’t seem to tolerate anything except 14k gold. Otherwise she gets very inflamed. 
 

This also reminds me that I need to put some earrings in! I haven’t worn any in over a week. My holes don’t close up since I’m older, but I don’t want to push it. I only got my ears pierced for the first time a couple of years ago. 
 

eta: I remember after I and another dd got our ears pierced (we did it together), I found some “sleeper” earrings that were sterling silver plated in gold on Etsy—I think. The gold eventually wore off, but they served the purpose comfortably—and inexpensively. I’ll see if I can find a link.

Edited Wednesday at 03:55 AM by popmom

[Arcadia]

I wear stud earrings. I have platinum studs and gold studs that are from jewelry stores. Also be aware that the studs “ends” can irritate the skin at the back of the ear when she sleeps as it rubs against the skin there if she is a side sleeper. 

ETA: you might also want to buy some spare earring stud backs just in case she drops and lose them when she takes off her earrings to clean. 

Edited Wednesday at 04:21 AM by Arcadia

[Lady Marmalade]

I wear my earrings pretty permanently in all of my holes except the first earlobe. That's the piercing that I change out when I feel like it- the rest of my holes are hoops or studs.  I have 15 holes in my ears so far.

I'm a big fan of surgical steel  or titanium flat back earrings. The flat backs screw on and rest against the earlobe so there isn't anything that pokes when sleeping and they have to unscrew to fall out. I also have a lot of labret studs, which go into the ear from the backside and then the gem/ball twists onto the post. 

I have had great luck with Amazon for studs if I don't buy them from the piercer or from a body jewelry place. Something like this would give you options your DD can change out.

https://a.co/d/aIIpyWj

I would avoid Claires or any piercing place that uses guns to pierce. Find a tattoo/piercing shop. They are worth every penny. They have great jewelry and they pierce correctly. If you think there is an infection you can use a simple aftercare spray on it for a few days and the infection should clear up. 

[popmom]

I feel compelled to weigh in on the gun vs “real” piercing. My twins both went to a dedicated piercing specialist at a tattoo place. My other younger dd and I went to a dermatologist office that used a gun. My twins both have had a terrible time with their piercings (which were not even done at the same place). My younger dd and I who were pierced with the dreaded gun had zero issues. For what it’s worth.

[Clarita]

When I first got earrings I had earrings in most of the time so they wouldn't close up. My piercings are super sensitive so all I can tolerate are pure gold studs fulltime. Initially I had a lot of infections and one really bad infection. So I had studs in fulltime but I cleaned the hole and earrings twice a day. I did that for a year or two. 

Even now my hole is pretty sensitive, even white gold stuff irritates if I have them on for 8 hours. So mostly I don't wear earrings except for parties.  

[Chris in VA]

I can't wear anything that isn't stainless steel posts for longer than a day. Going to go to a piercing/tattoo shop for flat-backed earrings soon. 

You will want to remove for cleaning. Skin cells that build up smell terrible. (Think of digging out a smelly bellybutton!  Not to be gross😆)

Edited Wednesday at 07:36 AM by Chris in VA

[Carrie12345]

I usually keep titanium studs from Amazon in mine. Gold, silver, and stainless seem to irritate me.

[Ottakee]

I wear studs from the tattoo parlor.  

[madteaparty]

Thank you all. Her piercing was in fact from a great tattoo place but she’s had not amazing luck. This is user error on my part I’m sure. 

[MercyA]

My daughter wears her studs 24/7. They are from Boma Jewelry:

www.bomajewelry.com

They carry fairly inexpensive, sustainable, nice quality jewelry. Please note that some of their studs are *very* small and are better for nose piercings. We accidentally bought some tiny ones and they were disappearing into her holes!

Edited Wednesday at 11:28 AM by MercyA

[Wildcat]

I have had no issues with 14k gold and even earrings simply 'coated' in 14k gold. I've not tried silver as it doesn't go with my coloring, but that might be OK, too. I remember having luck with surgical steel posts when I was younger but haven't worn that in decades.

Something to consider is your dd's earlobe thickness. I have thin earlobes and can wear studs or hoops without issue, but a family member has thicker earlobes and studs can't be left in for more than about two days without infection setting in from the earring back pushing/squeezing on it. Just food for thought.

Edited Wednesday at 12:52 PM by Wildcat

[alisoncooks]

My oldest wears all sorts of cute earrings when she goes out (to match her outfits), but for daily wear and to sleep in, she wears stainless steel sleepers. They don’t irritate and they don’t have a post (which she finds uncomfortable for sleeping). I buy them on Amazon. 

[Bambam]

My youngest wears earrings - not permanently but close to it (sometimes leaves them out at night, but rarely). She has a small variety that she switches around. She was 8 or 9 when she got her ears pierced and desperately wanted them pierced.  She is 23 almost 24 now and has always worn earrings pretty much 24/7. All of hers are small - Boma is one of her favorite places to get earrings (she prefers silver). 

Have you considered - if she is unwilling to take care of her piercing to just letting them close up? I thought you could get them re pierced later? 

Edited Wednesday at 12:40 PM by Bambam

[madteaparty]

13 minutes ago, Bambam said:

My youngest wears earrings - not permanently but close to it (sometimes leaves them out at night, but rarely). She has a small variety that she switches around. She was 8 or 9 when she got her ears pierced and desperately wanted them pierced.  She is 23 almost 24 now and has always worn earrings pretty much 24/7. All of hers are small - Boma is one of her favorite places to get earrings (she prefers silver). 

Have you considered - if she is unwilling to take care of her piercing to just letting them close up? I thought you could get them re pierced later? 

She actually likes having earrings, she’s just not willing to do the work. For a couple reasons I can’t get into here , I’m glad she wants to wear earrings and I just need to step up lol. 

[madteaparty]

40 minutes ago, Wildcat said:

I have had no issues with 14k gold and even earrings simply 'coated' in 14k gold. I've not tried silver as it doesn't go with my coloring, but that might be OK, too. I remember having luck with surgical steel posts when I was younger but haven't worn that in decades.

I have two sets of 14k gold studs and one 14k coated hoop in all the time (like @Lady Marmalade, I often change out my first piercing but I just leave the others). About twice a year I swap the studs out for hoops and the permanent hoop (ear cartilage) has been in for nine years.  The hoop is actually a nose ring (I wanted a tiny hoop in that piercing) from a 3 pack I got at Claire's.

Something to consider is your dd's earlobe thickness. I have thin earlobes and can wear studs or hoops without issue, but a family member has thicker earlobes and studs can't be left in for more than about two days without infection setting in from the earring back pushing/squeezing on it. This happens no matter the metal. However, her hoops can be left in for months, even cheapy metals. Just food for thought.

To be clear, only doing solid gold as I can’t risk it. Was talking more about sizes. The little hoops worked great here as permanent earrings  just forgot them in CA and she wanted to switch it up.
 

[Miss Tick]

You might try looking for flat-back studs. Once they are screwed in they are pretty much out of the way.

[madteaparty]

9 hours ago, popmom said:

Opals are gorgeous but very fragile.
 

If you have a Costco membership, they have some good options for 14k gold studs for a very reasonable price. I bought my daughter some because she has the same issue. Her holes close up if she doesn’t wear them all the time. She seems to like them. She can’t seem to tolerate anything except 14k gold. Otherwise she gets very inflamed. 
 

This also reminds me that I need to put some earrings in! I haven’t worn any in over a week. My holes don’t close up since I’m older, but I don’t want to push it. I only got my ears pierced for the first time a couple of years ago. 
 

eta: I remember after I and another dd got our ears pierced (we did it together), I found some “sleeper” earrings that were sterling silver plated in gold on Etsy—I think. The gold eventually wore off, but they served the purpose comfortably—and inexpensively. I’ll see if I can find a link.

I think Costco may be the way. Christmas gifts for nieces too. Not sure why I didn’t think of it as I love the one pair I have from there.

kind of ironic as I walk through the diamond district in NyC couple times a week. I can’t cope with that though.

[GoVanGogh]

I have four piercings in each ear and tend to keep earrings in all four all the time. I get earrings from wherever. Target, kohls, Etsy. For the most part I haven’t had an issue with any of them. Occasionally one will tarnish badly so I will remove and clean or toss. 
Aftercare I was told to use was antibacterial soap and saline wash. 

[prairiewindmomma]

2 hours ago, madteaparty said:

Thank you all. Her piercing was in fact from a great tattoo place but she’s had not amazing luck. This is user error on my part I’m sure. 

Some of this may just be from how her body deals with piercing. I helped dd take immaculate care of her piercings, but her body tends to keloid scar and she really struggled for a bit. She shouldnt choose to get additional piercings or tattoos. 

[Ausmumof3]

You can get some low allergy type ones here I think they’re silicon or something - they look more comfy than metal too

[wintermom]

There is also the option of not bothering to keep a hole in your skin open and susceptable to infection. There are clip-on earrings/screws or going without. 'Back in the day' there were far less actual piercings and more earrings that were held on by pressure.

Just another option to consider. There are a lot fewer worries about ripping through your earlobe with clip-ons.