Guy Earrings

[Guest Ryles_D]

I've got two questions:

1. Where do they have guy earrings that are just studs, not those things that stretch out your lobes or whatever (that's all I find, even girl earrings it's hard to get simple studs around here)

2. How do you tell the difference between guy and girl earrings, and are there any lame rules about how to wear them? I remember when I was younger there was that "Wearing it on this ear shows your gay, this ear straight", but I doubt it still holds.

[Guest Sergei]

I think the rule is if you wear it in the right ear then you're gay? I know lots of straight blokes who do though. I don't really think it matters.

[Guest Ryles_D]

Yeah, I'd heard that, but according to wikipedia no one believes that anymore.

[Guest Jamie-o]

I've been having a hard time finding simple studs lately as well. I used to get them in goth/headshop sorts of places, but having moved to a rural part of the Midwest, those are harder to come by. And anyway, the trend these days seems to be more the body piercing style earrings. If you want simple hoops, (which I, personally, think are really sexy on a guy >:-P ** ) they can be had in a small gauge, so they don't do too much stretching of the ear lobe, but they're a illegitimate child to take on and off, so they are best chosen if you aren't planning to change them out very often. If you go that route, you can find them at Hot Topic in most malls (In Cali and the Midwest, anyway. Don't know about where you live.) or anyplace that does body piercing. Hope that helps.

[Guest Mr. Fox]

As long as earrings are being mentioned, I must rant and rave about jewelry. For the health of your ear, you should stretch it to 14g (don't worry, it's not noticeable, about the thickness of a larger safety pin, and you can still wear normal size earrings) in order to avoid the "cheesecutter effect" where the earring gradually slices through your ear. There, I have now narrowed your search for jewelry even further

Adrian

[Guest MarkG]

As long as earrings are being mentioned, I must rant and rave about jewelry. For the health of your ear, you should stretch it to 14g (don't worry, it's not noticeable, about the thickness of a larger safety pin, and you can still wear normal size earrings) in order to avoid the "cheesecutter effect" where the earring gradually slices through your ear. There, I have now narrowed your search for jewelry even further

Adrian

Well I learn something new every day. I'll have to remember this for when I eventually get my ears pierced (I don't think it will help me pass so I'm waiting). Thanks for the tip!

[Guest Mr. Fox]

Ah getting your ears pierced soonish, are you Mark? Prepare for a lecture on where and how to get pierced.

1. Do not get a gunned piercing. There are bad for you for many, many reasons. They can't be properly disinfected, and they pierce using blunt pressure which is bad for the ear.

2. Make sure wherever you go is clean, has an autoclave with spore tests, the piercer wears gloves and washes their hands (hint: putting rubbing alcohol on your ears does not indicate a sanitary establishment).

3. The best metal for your piercing jewelry is titanium or stainless steel.

In other words, don't go to Claire's.

Adrian

[Guest MarkG]

Ah getting your ears pierced soonish, are you Mark? Prepare for a lecture on where and how to get pierced.

1. Do not get a gunned piercing. There are bad for you for many, many reasons. They can't be properly disinfected, and they pierce using blunt pressure which is bad for the ear.

2. Make sure wherever you go is clean, has an autoclave with spore tests, the piercer wears gloves and washes their hands (hint: putting rubbing alcohol on your ears does not indicate a sanitary establishment).

3. The best metal for your piercing jewelry is titanium or stainless steel.

In other words, don't go to Claire's.

Adrian

ah, if only all lectures were as nice and helpful as yours. I'm taking notes. And thanks for the info, it helps me alot. Got any other tips? I'm open (listening).

[Guest Mr. Fox]

Aftercare, ah yes. Claire's (oh bane, oh evil creature) gives you something similar to acne medication which you should not use. Also, do not use rubbing alcohol. What is generally recommended is to soak in a solution of sea salt and water (a fouth teaspoon of salt for every 8 fl. oz. of water) twice a day. Other people recommend the LITHA (Leave It The Hell Alone) method, where you clean it no more than you would ordinarily. Regardless of which method you select, use antimicrobial soap rather than antibacterial soap like Dial.

Adrian

[Guest Ryles_D]

As long as earrings are being mentioned, I must rant and rave about jewelry. For the health of your ear, you should stretch it to 14g (don't worry, it's not noticeable, about the thickness of a larger safety pin, and you can still wear normal size earrings) in order to avoid the "cheesecutter effect" where the earring gradually slices through your ear. There, I have now narrowed your search for jewelry even further

Adrian

What about larger safety pins? Can you just wear those? I did a few times.

[Guest Michelle M]

1. Do not get a gunned piercing. There are bad for you for many, many reasons. They can't be properly disinfected, and they pierce using blunt pressure which is bad for the ear.

2. Make sure wherever you go is clean, has an autoclave with spore tests, the piercer wears gloves and washes their hands (hint: putting rubbing alcohol on your ears does not indicate a sanitary establishment).

3. The best metal for your piercing jewelry is titanium or stainless steel.

In other words, don't go to Claire's.

Adrian

That's good advice. I'm new to the world of ear piercing, though. What's the alternative to a piercing gun? Do they do it manually with a needle or something else?

[Guest Mr. Fox]

Yes, they do it with a needle. It hurts less than having it gunned.

Wearing a safety pin is bad. The metal is impure and rustable. There is probably nickel in it.

[Guest st.john]

My utter butthat (see, not swearing, censor-people back off now) of a counselor gave me crap about my piercings this week. (Yesterday was my last session with him, though that's not why. I just got very bad vibes from him and couldn't make myself not think of him as the enemy.)

*Anyway* ... I was complaining about my total innability to pass, and he called me out for having my ears pierced, which he claims is a very feminine trait.

I've had them done 3 times now - each time via the gun method at claire's or similar establishments. (Hey, now I know I'm allergic both to stainless steel & titanium!)

Even with just small white-gold studs though, I've had a hell of a time with them getting sore, itchy, scabby, etc. for the last few years since I had them done the last time. The posts here have kind of prompted me to take the studs out & let them heal closed again, since from the sounds of it, the more I leave them in, the more problems they're gonna cause me.

I figure once I can actually manage to look more like a feminine boy than a really hideously ugly female, I can look at getting them re-pierced properly, and might have better luck.

[Guest Just_Call_Me_Nick]

The rule I always heard on wearing earrings in order to show either your gay or not is: "Right is wrong...left is right"

however I have two holes in each ear both done by gun...and I wear small gold hoops in them...very small actually...and I like them...

but like it has been said here I don't think it matters any more which side you wear them on...

Nick~

[Guest Mr. Fox]

My utter butthat (see, not swearing, censor-people back off now) of a counselor gave me crap about my piercings this week. (Yesterday was my last session with him, though that's not why. I just got very bad vibes from him and couldn't make myself not think of him as the enemy.)

*Anyway* ... I was complaining about my total innability to pass, and he called me out for having my ears pierced, which he claims is a very feminine trait.

I've had them done 3 times now - each time via the gun method at claire's or similar establishments. (Hey, now I know I'm allergic both to stainless steel & titanium!)

Even with just small white-gold studs though, I've had a hell of a time with them getting sore, itchy, scabby, etc. for the last few years since I had them done the last time. The posts here have kind of prompted me to take the studs out & let them heal closed again, since from the sounds of it, the more I leave them in, the more problems they're gonna cause me.

I figure once I can actually manage to look more like a feminine boy than a really hideously ugly female, I can look at getting them re-pierced properly, and might have better luck.

Hooray for proper repiercing! I'm glad people here listen, unlike my friends who go to Claire's or have their mom do it (not with a needle, not even with a gun, but by having the earring shoved through her tragus). Allergic both stainless steel and titanium? That's a shame, gold will have to do.

One last piece of advice: make sure that they pierce high enough up on the ear.

Adrian

[Guest Seth]

At Claire's (since I'm forced to go in there when I go to the mall with my girlfriend, best chick friend, sister, etc.) there are cases with earrings for girls AND guys. It says 'guy's earrings' or something.

[Guest Ryles_D]

At Claire's (since I'm forced to go in there when I go to the mall with my girlfriend, best chick friend, sister, etc.) there are cases with earrings for girls AND guys. It says 'guy's earrings' or something.

YEah, I saw that. Didn't like any of htem, I ended up getting plastic crescents from Hot Topic. Spencer's looks like it's got some good stuff, too, if you don't mind shopping at a place with vibrating tongue rings.

[Guest Seth]

I think a vibrating tongue ring would be SO fun.

[Guest raydub]

I think a vibrating tongue ring would be SO fun.

I think her mistaking my bare tongue for one with a vibrating ring would be MORE fun.

...sorry.. I couldnt resist.

Ray

[Guest Seth]

Lol, nice.

[Guest Ryles_D]

I think a vibrating tongue ring would be SO fun.

I need to stop forgetting I'm not on AVEN... *shudders*

[Guest Seth]

AVEN?

[Guest Ryan]

AVEN?

Asexual Visibility and Education Network

[Guest Seth]

Asexual Visibility and Education Network

I'm lost.

[Guest Ryles_D]

I'm lost.

It's an asexual forum. You can say stuff like that and you're more likely to get "...why would they vibrate?" or a comment of one of their own experiences with creepy sex things or a comment about how sex is everywhere and it sucks. Here you get "that'd be fun".