Pierced ears?

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 10/05/2006 5:50pm

well JennaD suggested athletic tape +headgear, so I figure I'll give that a roll and make sure the people I spar with are aware that I've got newly pierced ears and go real light.

**Tom Kagan** · Posted On: 10/05/2006 5:53pm

Originally Posted by Kidspatula

lol, it was done at a jewelry store in the mall. If it comes right down to it, we'll likely just ditch the pierced ears. As far as I'm concerned, training is more important than having shiny metal things in my ears.

Just some minimum wage clerk with maybe a week of practice on a teddy bear did it after a quick alcohol swab down of the gun, right? (I can hear it now: "We do this all the time. We've had very few complaints.")

Since you've already exposed yourself the cross contamination inherent in going the typical mall route, it would be kind of silly to not to come away with at least the piercing you want for the risk you are already taking.

After thinking about this a little more, I think going to a piercing professional now is still a good idea. They deal with all types of piercings for all types of people. It would not surprise me in the least if a special piercing or a proper healing protocol already exists for exactly your situation.

**Asriel** · Posted On: 10/05/2006 6:04pm

If you got it pierced with a gun it will take a lot longer to heal up properly that if you had it done professionally due to the way the hole is made. I recommend religious cleaning with salt water. as Tom said, the more antiseptic or surgical spirit you use, the longer it'll take. Also get some Savlon cream and use a cotton bud to put it on the stud/ring around the opening.

If you do have to take them out for training you'll probably have a mini battle getting them back in and it may make it sore or bleed a little. It's normally recommended that you don't remove the jewlellery for at least 6 weeks but I was able to do it after 2. I guess it depends on how quickly you heal.

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 10/05/2006 6:04pm

Originally Posted by Tom Kagan

Just some minimum wage clerk with maybe a week of practice on a teddy bear did it after a quick alcohol swab down of the gun, right? (I can hear it now: "We do this all the time. We've had very few complaints.")

Since you've already exposed yourself the cross contamination inherent in going the typical mall route, it would be kind of silly to not to come away with at least the piercing you want for the risk you are already taking.

After thinking about this a little more, I think going to a piercing professional now is still a good idea. They deal with all types of piercings for all types of people. It would not surprise me in the least if a special piercing or a proper healing protocol already exists for exactly your situation.

Sheesh, you're not too good about making people feel better these things are you?

It's not like she pulled some rusty nail gun out of a tool box and jabbed holes in our ears, everything was all individually wrapped, surgically sterilized and bla bla bla and we got to pick out the piercing studs of our choice (though I kinda wish I'd picked the blue stone instead... ) ;)

I'm getting feedback from my female fighter friends on the subject and it doesn't seem like too big of a deal, really.

**Anna Kovacs** · Posted On: 10/05/2006 6:10pm

Originally Posted by Honey Badger

I had my second and third done when I was in the navy. I used to put a small piece of plastic tube in the holes when I was on the boat, to keep the holes open when I couldn't have the studs in.

Sounds like a winner to me.

At my old high school they didnt let guys have peirced ears and I remember all the guys would thread like fishing line through the holes while at school to keep new ones from healing up.

Is that what you did or did you use a specific type of plastic tubing?

**Tom Kagan** · Posted On: 10/05/2006 6:29pm

Originally Posted by Kidspatula

I'm getting feedback from my female fighter friends on the subject and it doesn't seem like too big of a deal, really.

And 99.9% of the time, it isn't too big of a deal.

I'm hardly a germ-o-phobe, but please understand that I've suffered the bad luck of 2 serious bacterial infections in my life - one of which I could have most likely avoided.

Saving $20 and taking a .1% risk you could easily avoid doesn't seem very prudent to me, but I'm loaded. So, sorry if it comes across as fear mongering.

Originally Posted by Kidspatula

It's not like she pulled some rusty nail gun out of a tool box and jabbed holes in our ears, everything was all individually wrapped, surgically sterilized and bla bla bla

Did the person wash his/her hands? :beatdead:

**oldman34** · Posted On: 10/05/2006 6:31pm

Originally Posted by Kidspatula

So on a whim, while Kat and myself were at the mall today we decided to get our ears pierced for the first time ever. Now it didn't occur to me until afterwards that getting our ears pierced might interfere with this whole kickboxing thing. So my question, for any folks here who've had their ears pierced since they've been training, how did having pierced ears interfere with your training/how did you get around it/how did you continue sparring etc. ?

HELPFUL feedback would be appreciated.

My daughter had her ears pierced about a year ago. She had one tear during sparring when she got punched in the side of the head. She now has a split it her ear lobe. We were told that she will have to have plastic surgery to have it corrected.

However, she still left the other one in so it wouldnt grow up. My wife,( a nurse ) took the back off the earing and then put tape over it. She said that this would allow the earring to pull out and not tear if it was snagged, and the tape would keep it from falling out.