I got the cartilage in my ear pierced in October, and now I’m ready to change the earring. I just don’t know how exactly the earring is fastened right now. It’s a little hoop with a bead on it. Is the bead just held in there by tension? Does it screw on? How does this work?
~ Monica
There are a couple of different types.
There are captured bead rings (held by tension) and screwed on ones (I don’t know the official terminology).
Try putting a fingernail under the bead and popping it out. That worked for me.
If the earring is thin enough, it will bend. Which means if you have trouble getting the bead out, if it’s a captive bead ring, you can just widen the hoop a little bit and the bead will fall right out.
What are you changing it to, out of curiosity?
When I got my earring changed, I went to the place that pierced it. I bought the new earring there, and they changed it without charge.
They used something like needle nose pliers. I betcha that might work.
I want to put a stud in it instead. First of all, I’m kinda tired of the ring and want something different and second of all, I need something that I can take out and put back in easily so that I can take it out for the play I’m in and put it back in immediately afterward.
Studs in cartilage = bad idea.
Since it was pierced and healed with a ring, the cartilage could become irritated if you try and put a straight piece of metal through a slightly curved hole.
Also, I wouldn’t recommend changing jewelry this soon (so speaketh she with thirteen piercings). Give it about a good six months, and then go back to your piercer and have them change the jewelry out for you. You can even purchase your own jewelry and bring it in, but you risk irritation and infection by switching it out too early and not using the right kind of jewelry.
There are CBRs and circular barbells out there that are easy to put in and remove yourself. Anatometal has a fairly good selection of jewelry.