Can a professional piercer "fix" my cartilage piercing?

Question

My situation: Last Thursday (8/21) I STUPIDLY got my cartilage pierced at Piercing Pagoda. Of course they used a gun, which should NEVER be done, especially with cartilage. It's now Monday, and my piercing is painful, red, and swollen. Agonizing to the touch, really. I've been using Hibiclens and Bactine on it, but I plan to get a hold of some H2ocean as soon as possible.

My question is this:

I know that using a gun doesn't make enough room for the jewelry and the jewelry they use in the first place isn't correct for the piercing. This was obvious to me when it caught on EVERYTHING, which is very painful.

--If I go to a professional piercer, will they be able to either change out the jewelry to the appropriate kind and material, or "fix" it by re piercing (or do anything else for it)?--

Fast responses would be appreciated as I am in quite a bit of pain, here..

Answer 1

If your piercing is not infected, I would just take it out, let it heal and then go get it re pierced at a professional studio. Changing the jewelry would probably not be a good idea anyway, seeing as the piercing is relatively new and would just irritate it further.

Answer 2

yes, they will be able to fix it if it is a good, and professional enough place. i highly recommend not taking it out because it might be infected and that will cause big problems.

Answer 3

Yoru first mistake was going to Piercing Pagoda. I got my first piercing there (my ears) and it got so badly infected, even though I cleaned it EXACTLY how I should have.

You can go to a doctor and get an antibiotic. And you should go to a professional piercer.

Answer 4

Doubt it. That piercing is healing, probably not that great considering the circumstances, but it is trying to heal. So, by stretching it a bit (even an 18g ear ring is a bit bigger than that crappy ear ring they put in you) and putting new jewelry in, you're going to irritate it. It's just going to cause more problems.

My advice is to take it out, and let it close (but keep it clean while it is closing) and then get it pierced properly. If it's not oozing green/yellow puss, it's probably not infected. Swelling, redness, and pain are completely normal with a new piercing. But if you are worried about that, go see a piercer.

And stop using bactine! Way too harsh for your piercing. The best thing to do is make sea salt soaks...you can buy sea salt at wal-mart so it's not that hard to get a hold of.

Answer 5

hi,

i am a professional beauty therapist and i do the ear peircings.

ive had the same problem as you, after having my training day to become a peircer, 4 months later my cartilage peircing had got infected and it was very sore.

however you can use a gun to peirce it, and it does take upto 12weeks to heel. and it can catch on things. (previous experience) i dont think they would repeirce it for you, but they might tell you to change the stud/hoop and might even ask if you want to take that one out and redo the other ear instead and see how that is,

thanks