I've already written an experience ("My Gorgeous anti tragus") for the piercing part, now is the time for the trials and tribulations of the healing!
At A Glance Author Hannah Contact Hannah@bme.anon IAM Haner When Six months ago Artist Colin Studio Exeter Body Piercing Location Exeter Body Piercing This account starts from basically the week after it was pierced to the present day (a few months later).
Well I got it pierced with a 16 gauge, 10mm long curved barbel. After it was pierced, the first day was great, and it looked so good. Then, the swelling set in and all hell broke loose. The swelling was the most UNBEARABLE thing I have ever experienced. It was liked being poked with a hot poker constantly whilst being constricted in a straight jacket. Yes, during the swelling, the barbel proved far too short, and this troubled me greatly, however, I hadn't had the piercing that long, so didn't want to unscrew any balls, and also the swelling had started to engulf the balls so I was unable to unscrew them anyway. For about 3 days I tried to live with the pain, the heat, the redness and the swelling. The swelling was so bad, that you couldnt see any of the ridges of cartilage on that particular ear. That is worrying, seeing as an anti tragus is quite low down, and my ears are quite defined. My ear felt heavy, and almost humid from the clamyness. Sleeping on it was a big mistake.
I tried everything. My only comfort was soaked cotton wool in cold water and placing it on my ear. Then I was recommended Iburforen as it is an anti-inflammatory. I drugged myself up on these, and they helped so much, but the swelling didnt go away much.
The swelling took about a week or two to go, which seemed like a long time for me, for a piercing.
I used a dilute TCP solution to clean it and the LITHA method once I was satisfied it was almost healed.
I still can't sleep on it, not even now. Well I can, but it hurts badly in the morning, and seeps, and is gross.
I have had several anti tragus dramas:
* losing the ball and barbel in the shower.
Well the ball must have come lose, and then the barbel, and god, did I panic! Luckily I found the barbel (minus the ball) under my foot. I phoned the piercer, and he helpfully recommended that I taped the end with no ball to my ear to hold it in place. I ordered some more barbels off the internet and all was well.
*My frustration when trying to explain to people that it is NOT a second lobe piercing! ARGH! Usually ends with a response: "er... so ... it goes through...there?" (with pointing to the conch or something else ridiculous)
*THE "BLOB". Yes. The Blob is legendary in all things connected to me. It is a ball of swelling that occured on the BACK of my ear. No, not the front where the piercing actually is! I think it was due to placement of the piercing, but frankly, I think the blob would happen with any placement. I think my ear is too thin, maybe. I noticed it about a month after my piercing, a small thing, about the size of a 10p (err thumb print size for you non-Britons!). And, me being me, I fiddled with it so it grew and grew and grew. It was purple, it was brilliant, it was the Blob. Then one day, at this very computer, it EXPLODED. yes, it popped and gushed some slimy substance, and I mourned the loss of my Blob. But then... I got a scabby blob. And, it's still there. I tried leaving it alone, but it wont heal. I get a new and exciting slimy surprise every day when i clean it! (Yes Im gross). I doubt it will ever go, but Im rather concerned with things like ear collapse and the like. I wonder if it will eat into my cartila ge and make the jewelry migrate backwards and out. I dread to think.
So that is my anti-tragus hell and bliss so far. The bliss being the prettyness. I may well have to abandon it though, the blob is concerning, and there's no point having an unhappy piercing. I want healed piercings, I wont have one which is uncomfortable and causes me pain years later.
Oh yes, one thing to consider (very important) if you wish to get this done: Stretch your lobes first! My ears were stretched to 2ga, but I wanted to stretch them to 0ga so they dont shrink to below 2ga when i take them out (ripped ears because of work each week isn't my idea of fun). Now the anti tragus passes through the lobe, stretching the lobe would pull on it and tear it. The entry hole of my anti tragus (lobe side) is already quite large, from examination, presumably from all the sleeping on it and fiddling. Obviously cartilage is less flexible so will not allow the hole to enlarge, and so the lobe hole enlarges instead.
Good luck with an anti tragus. I don't regret it, nor wish I had more information, because my experiences were because of me and my ear, not the piercer, or anything else.
Happy anti traguses like:
*not being slept on!
*not being touched
*not having lobes stretched after being pierced
*being cleaned and being non-crusty
*being admired (and also winced at: "Didn't that hurt?!")
*having a nice long, curved barbel to swell over