piercing gone wrong, need advice.

[Leigh]

I had the top of my left ear pierced, can't remember what it's called, with a gun by a friend of mine who happened to own a piercing gun, so a freebie
the down side is after taking quit a while, and nearly being healed satisfactorily, it got torn, i now forget how, but it was very bad.

i took it out, this was all about a month ago, and the hole is gone, but on the front is a black little bruise, and the back apparently a nasty looking lump.
so, what should i do? I've heard of bad things coming of removing infected piercings, i just need some advice. preferably before my ear falls off

any help welcome,
Josh

EDIT: is it the elipsis?

 

[MrBredli]

If you're worried about an infection you need to see a doctor.

 

[DragonKeeper]

I got my ear pierced (by a proffesional) a while ago and got a lump at the back too...

It's just scar tissue, it has stopped swelling and is just about half the size of a mozzie bite now, sometimes it flares up other times it's unnoticable.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

I struggle to feel any sympathy, you should get all your piecings done by a professional piercer, as they will know the basics like don't pierce cartlidge with a gun!

 

[mrmikk]

Just go see a Doctor Leigh. Good luck with it.

 

[zard]

i fail to understand why anyone would ask for health advice here instead of seeing a gp :?

 

[Sidonia]

Destroy that piercing gun.

 

[slither]

yeah mate u have an infection by the sounds of it all builds up inside the wound and causes a lump get to a doctors

 

[Leigh]

hahaha, i apparently am not seeing it as seriously as i should be, and the friend that did it was a trained ear piercer, and assured me that she'd had plenty of successful gun-to-cartledge piercings. this was done at the end of 2006.
if the consensus is to see a GP, i will see a GP, but forgive my male attitude towards puting time and money into my own health.
also, i ask on APS because many members are of the tattooed, pierced, body mod'd variety, and i'm appealing to their wisdom and experience.

 

[eerin]

It's called a helix piercing. Go to a doctor.

 

[Chris89]

The lump is more than likely a keloid which is built up scar tissue - It's probably caused from the ripping of the piercing, Do salt soaks and it should go down.

 

[snakes4me2]

do what uncle chop chop did. get a blade and cut it off :LOL:

personaly though i would go to the doc

 

[IsK67]

Go to the Vet and have it amputated.

IsK

 

[Reptile_Boy]

its a little infection. it apears when the peircing isnt looked after properly (cleaning etc) may i ask what was in it?? a stud?? but i think the reason it has appeard is it was rubbing to much when sleeping and has irritated the skin

My Family Owns and Run a tattoo shop in liverpool sydney. so yer i have seen some nasty stuff happen from people not taking care of their piercing.

so i would just go to the docter.

Cheers

Damo

 

[Reptile_Boy]

also DONT PLAY WITH IT IT WILL MAKE IT WORSE!!!

 

[Australis]

also DONT PLAY WITH IT IT WILL MAKE IT WORSE!!!

Or crossed eyed

 

[Ella]

Or crossed eyed

or it will fall off

I got my helix done years ago way back in high school with a gun and the same thing happened - lump, infected, grotty. So I took it out and just got it redone recently with a needle. All good now. Cartiledge tends to take a little longer to heal up and accept the jewellery then other areas (at least in my experience) so u gotta keep up the after care for a while. If the lump is a keloid go to ur doctor and ask about kenacomb or otocomb cream. Itz amazing stuff. The dr may be sceptical about prescribing it but convince them - it works! Good luck and steer clear of guns for ANY piercing - needles all the way.

 

[jessb]

I got my ear cartilage done with a gun about 15 years ago and after about 6 months it still hadn't healed so I took it out. It also had a bit of a lump for ages (years), and I could squeeze out goo for ages after it had stopped hurting (sorry, I know it's really gross, but he wants advice!!!) Is it squeezable? If so, it is probably just a bit of residual pus from the infection. If it is still infected it will be hot and red/purple and you should get it checked out immediately! Otherwise, just use Betadine cream on it for a couple of days, and if it is still skanky, then see a doctor.

A keloid scar will have the look of scar tissue, shiny and pink. But if you are prone to keloid scarring, you will have experienced it with other scars/tattoos/piercings. The bruise sounds like trauma left over from the cartilage being torn (ouch!)

Yep, eerin is right, it's called a helix piercing in the cartilage at the top.

Good luck!

 

[falconboy]

Go to the Vet and have it amputated.

IsK

LOL :lol::lol:

Yes Josh, get it seen to by a Doctor.

 

[Bourbs]

I agree with everyone about the piercing gun being a no-no... I have had all of my piercings done using needles and have never had any serious problems with them other than piercers stuffing up..
Needle piercings tend to be less of a shock to the system from what I have noticed, and definately seem to heal alot faster. Definately a bad idea to remove an infected piercing, mainly because this seals the infection in - when the piercing is still there puss has a way to get out rather than just building up and causing more infection.

I am one of those shocking people who likes to try to treat things myself before going to a doc so all I would do if I was in your shoes is just grab the sharpest pin I can find and re-open the surface of the piercing to squeeze all the crap out and maybe see if you can get the piercing back in so that you have an open wound that you can get to rather than an infection completely sealed in. That said though, I'm not the sanest of people so if you aren't crazy and stupid, go to the doc before it falls off.