How to pierce your own ear

First of all..I have 24 body piercings and most are self-inflicted :) I am NOT a professional body piercer, but have gone through the apprenticeship, just haven't gone to get certified.

Ear piercings are fairly easy to do yourself (lobes) and unless something goes horribly wrong, you most likly are not going to lose an ear to self piercing.

I don't condone self-piercings, but if you insist on doing it, I would rather you be informed...

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 16-22g Piercing Needle (size depends on size/type of jewelry you wish to wear)
• Gloves (latex or non-latex)
• Antibacterial soap/solution
• Rubbing alcohol
• Cotton Swabs/Balls
• Jewelry :)

1. If you are going to buy piercing needles, DON'T buy them off of ebay. You don't know who you are getting them from or what has been done to them. Just because they SAY they are sterilized or "brand new" doesn't mean that they are. Buy them from an online store/local shop that is reputable. IF something were to be wrong with these..at least you know who to go back on.

2. Make sure to wear gloves the entire time during this process. If you touch something else besides the items you will be using to pierce with, change gloves. This will cut down on the tranfer of germs to the new piercing area.

3. You should use antibacterial soap/solution or rubbing alcohol to clean the ear before you pierce it.

4. And you might as well not bother boiling the needle or heating it with flames to "sterilize" it. The temp has to be JUST RIGHT in order to sterilize the needle properly. To make things easier on you if you insist on piercing yourself, clean the needle with alcohol or antibacterial solution.

5. Hold the ear you are piercing with one hand, and with your index on the top of the needle, use your other hand to QUICKLY push the needle through. Going slowly will only cause more pain and tissue damage than is necessary.

6. Some people bleed more than others..so if you are unlucky like myself, use a cotton swab or cotton ball to soak up blood and ease the bleeding. Once the bleeding has calmed down..now it's time to put your jewlry in...

7. You SHOULD NOT remove the needle and then place the jewlery in. Piercings, even old piercings, can close up in a matter of seconds to minutes. To reduce the chance of the piercing closing up and having to repeat this process, place the jewelry at the end of the needle so that they are touching...keeping them touching, move the jewelry AND the needle at the same time so that you can easily slide the jewelry in as the needle is exiting the new hole.

8. Once the jewelry is in, place the back, ball, etc on and make sure the the jewelry is loose to allow for some swelling.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean your new piercing 2-3 times daily with antibacterial soap/solution and water. NEVER use alcohol/peroxide or strong antibaterial solutions like bactine, etc. These are too harsh and can lengthen the healing time.
• Swelling, redness, some pain and a secretion of a whitish fluid are normal for a new piercing. If the swelling, redness, or pain last longer than a week or you notice that there is a greenish yellow fluid secreting from the piercing, see a professional piercer or doctor right away as these are often a sign of infection.
• If you do suspect an infection, it is important to see someone about it. You should NOT remove the jewelry first. If you do have an infection, this could cause it to worsen. The infection needs a place to go while it is healing and leaving the jewelry in allows it to escape through the piercing. Taking it out shuts it in.
• Clean your new piercing 2-3 times daily with antibacterial soap/solution and water. NEVER use alcohol/peroxide or strong antibaterial solutions like bactine, etc. These are too harsh and can lengthen the healing time.
• Swelling, redness, some pain and a secretion of a whitish fluid are normal for a new piercing. If the swelling, redness, or pain last longer than a week or you notice that there is a greenish yellow fluid secreting from the piercing, see a professional piercer or doctor right away as these are often a sign of infection.
• If you do suspect an infection, it is important to see someone about it. You should NOT remove the jewelry first. If you do have an infection, this could cause it to worsen. The infection needs a place to go while it is healing and leaving the jewelry in allows it to escape through the piercing. Taking it out shuts it in.