An Earful

As you know, Julie got her ears pierced 3½ weeks ago. They've healed up so nicely that I was considering letting her change them at the 4-week mark instead of waiting 6 weeks. Then she woke up this morning with one very red and swollen earlobe. I swabbed it as best I could with the disinfectant they gave us at Claire's and gooped it up with Neosporin, and it looked no worse (yet no better) when she got home from school in the afternoon. I spoke to the nurse at the pediatrician's office, and she said to keep it clean and bring her in only if it gets worse. I'm hoping beyond hope she doesn't have an infection that will require her to remove the earring and start all over again some months down the road. She would be devastated. She's already got all her earrings (gifts from me and cast-offs from Steph) arranged in color order on her new earring tree and in little boxes and is very excited to start wearing earrings that match her outfits.

Comments

[Laura]

Don't worry so much, I had much the same experience, and I got mine pierced just a few days before her. I think it's just a reminder that you really do need to wait and make sure they're well healed. She'll look fabulous in her new baubles soon enough!

[Mir]

She may have just slept funny on it and it got irritated. That still happens to me if I sleep with earrings in!

I would avoid Neosporin and other ointments; remember, a piercing is a puncture wound, and needs to breathe. The cleaner from Claire's is fine, as is Bactine-type things. If she's really unhappy (though I suspect it's probably already better today), mix up some warm salt water in a shot glass and soak her earlobe for 5-10 minutes -- the salt will draw out the gunk.

Hope she's on the mend. :)

[Elena]

I had to get my ears pierced three times before it finally "took". (And I mean only 1 hole per ear, not three!) Ugh.