At A Glance Author Tohno Contact Tohno@bme.anon IAM shikitohno When Three months ago Well, a while back, I wrote an experience on my vertical tragus piercings. You can read that here: My First Unusual Piercing. Well, all was going good after six months, and even the piercer, Darren (who has since become the only one I go to), was surprised by how well they were doing. And then, modern neurology screwed me over.
I wound up getting a concussion and having to go in for and MRI and an MRA. That would mean I'd have to remove piercings that still weren't completely healed up. Already, I was regretting this. Well, I got the tests down, and was told I could put my earrings back in. So into the bathroom I went, and discovered how difficult it is to re-insert a barbell with a 45° curve back into tender holes.
The fistulas were not quite as developed as I thought, and I just couldn't get them to come out the other side. I spent fifteen minutes in the bathroom, putting two earrings in, with my mother outside, complaining about it all the time. Finally, they went through, I'd screwed on the beads, and noticed that they were now slightly bleeding.
Probably three weeks or so later, I noticed a huge keloid developing above my left tragus. I used Neosporin and a few anti-scar creams, and it wouldn't go away. Miraculously, it disappeared, almost over night. The next day, I went back to talk to Darren, and see what he thought its odds of staying in were. He informed me that they were still doing great.
That same night, my dog decided to give my right ear a powerful clawing. Thoroughly annoyed, I gave him a slap on the butt (not too hard though, abuse is evil), and went to see how it was. He'd practically ripped it out in one swipe. I took it out, and found that there was extensive keloiding right beneath the barbell, about an inch tall.
Still looking fine however, was the right tragus. I was happy that one had survived, and decided to just deal with it. It had survived a job, a beating in the name of medicine, and even an attack from my dog. I decided that even with my obsession for symmetry, it had earned the right to stay in anyway.
And then, those darn keloids began appearing above my right ear. I made sure to clean it better, and not to wear a hat anymore than I absolutely needed to. Unfortunately, it was October/November in New York. Not the warmest place. Again, H2O2 (Hydrogen Peroxide) came to my rescue, along with a topical ointment. For some time, my ear seemed content.
By now, you've probably figured out, the tragus doesn't stay in. As cool a piercing as it was, it just did not want to be on my head. The keloids returned, and would not go away. After exhausting all my options, I took the darn thing out. Within a few days it healed up, and my body started breaking down the keloids much quicker that the creams had.
To anyone considering getting a vertical tragus, I'd recommend it. You may lose your money the first time, but you can keep trying. Plus, I'd say that it was even less painful than getting my lobes done. So don't let pain deter you. I have a lot of good feelings about these and want to get them done again. In fact, I'm already planning it. As long as you don't have it heal out completely, you should feel alright redoing them. I'm having the new pair go under the scar tissue from the old.
Hopefully, you've enjoyed reading this, and learned a lesson from my mistake. Don't get concussions and/or wrestle with your dogs while piercings are fresh. It's just not a good idea. It really messed up my piercings, so I do regret it. But, like I said, you can always redo them. Anyone who'd like to, feel free to contact me, and I'll answer all the questions I can about this wonderful piercing.
Hopefully, you also haven't been deterred from getting a surface piercing by reading this, and learned a lesson from my mistake. Don't get concussions and/or wrestle with your dogs while piercings are fresh. It's just not a good idea. It really messed up my piercings, so I do regret it. But, like I said, you can always redo them. Anyone who'd like to, feel free to contact me, and I'll answer all the questions I can about this wonderful piercing. I'd also like to here from anyone who has one that stayed in, and has healed successfully, and might have some tips for me. This is the end of the line for my little story, so I hope you've enjoyed it. It just goes to show how tricky surface piercings can be, even when done by a professional.