Getting a tragus piercing requires courage as it’s among the most sophisticated piercings. Done over the flap of the skin in front of the inner ear, changing jewelry here is tougher than other piercings. You can do it yourself, but it requires special precautions and appropriate care.
But if you are doing it for the first time, we recommend consulting a professional piercer and allowing him to change the jewelry for you. Other important things to consider include the healing period, the metal you are choosing for the new jewelry, and properly following the steps without rushing things yourself. Below we have discussed how to change tragus piercing and things you should know before attempting that.
Table of Contents
Preparing To Remove The Jewelry
Clean your hands properly and your jewelry too. If changing your jewelry for the first time, this step is crucial. You should wash your hands with water and soap. Make sure you scrub them in warm water for a minimum of 20 seconds. Then, dry them with a clean towel.
Next, sterilize the new jewelry with soap and water and then rub it with alcohol for a minute or two. You need to pull your hair back as it might come in the way when changing the jewelry. It’s best to pin it back and make the process much easier. In case you have short hair, you might not need to do so.
After that, you need to expose the jewelry when trying to take out the jewelry; this will allow you to pull the skin away. Next, place the finger in front of the tragus and slowly pull the skin forward. This step shows more jewelry and gives room to start the process.
Now wipe around the piercing using alcohol to clean and keep the area sterile. It helps in removing any bacteria or germs that might have accumulated. Once you have done this, you are sure that handling the piercing won’t cause any infection.
Removing The Jewelry
The removal process might differ based on the kind of jewelry you are sporting. You can proceed with the process according to the type of jewelry and approach discussed below.
Ball Back
The ones with a ball backing require unscrewing the earring from the back of the stud. Stay careful and ensure that you don’t drop the ball while unscrewing. You should unscrew the earring very slowly and ensure you don’t pull. If you feel any pain, we advise stopping here and getting your tragus inspected by a professional.
Flat Back
After pressing your finger at the back of your ear, pull the stud with a flat back. It will push the stud forward and allow you to unscrew the ball from the front. After unscrewing, you need to push it back gently and pull the back stud out from the other side. You may use tweezers to hold the post on the back and rubber gloves for a better grip.
Segment Rings
You need to unsnap the segment ring as it opens up initially and then snaps back in its place. Locate the notch that allows unsnapping and remove it after opening the hoop. Pull the rings out through the back of the ear but be careful while unsnapping the ring as the skin here is very sensitive.
The stud in the front must be pulled out as it has a small bar fitting inside the stud and going through the ear. You will have to push the bar forward from the back and pull the front stud out from the tube. Now slowly push the stud backward and pull it out from the back of the ear.
Extra Precautions You Need to Take
Apart from staying careful while taking out the tragus jewelry, there are extra precautions that you need to take. The extra care and alertness will ensure that you do not hurt yourself or cause an infection. Some important ones have been discussed below:
Complete Healing
Before changing the jewelry for the first time, you need to ensure that the piercing has healed completely. You should not change the piercing if it hasn’t healed. The presence of drainage or crustiness is an indication that the area has not healed. If this is the scenario, you will feel the pain.
We strictly advise that you do not rush the process because you may end up with an infected piercing. Healing takes its own good time, which could be several months in the case of tragus piercings.
Consult a doctor if you observe redness, thick pus, or swelling near the piercing. If you suspect an infection, avoid taking out the piercing.
Quickly Place The New Jewelry Inside
As tragus piercings are susceptible till it has healed, you shouldn’t leave the piercing open for long. Leaving it so for a few minutes is ok but never let it open for some hours.
Consult Your Piercer
They are experts and know how jewelry should be changed. So consult them to make the process a lot easier and let them change the first jewelry for you if possible. Also, please consult them a couple of times during the healing period.
Concluding Remarks
Tragus Piercings are cool, especially because you get to choose from a range of beautiful jewelry options for the sport. However, now that you have got one and are excited to get your first jewelry, we recommend remaining patient and never rushing things. A tragus piercing usually takes at least 8 weeks before you are in a position to change the jewelry.
Therefore, practice the recommended after-care measures, observe how it’s healing, and consult a professional to track the progress. You can always enjoy wearing your favorite jewelry if you avoid infections and other consequences of rushing things up.
