1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

What is it like to wear earrings? (personal expression)

Discussion in 'Gender Identity and Expression' started by MisterMissy, Feb 22, 2017.

  1. MisterMissy

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2017
    Messages:
    220
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Atlanta
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    I've been thinking lately about all of the ways I can redefine my fashion sense to start expressing a more feminine vibe. I've looked into male shawls, which has turned out wonderfully with the first one I just purchased from Tom's Warehouse. I've looked into necklaces, specifically chokers; I have two on the way. Also bracelets and rings, but I think rings are just not my thing as they kinda get in the way. There's also skinny jeans and Henley shirts.

    But one of the big ways I think I can express a more feminine look without makeup (yet) is to potentially get my ears pierced.

    However, I have realized over the years that all of my senses are hyper acute. My smell, my sight, my hearing, my taste, even my touch. And I have this odd feeling that even if the initial procedure does not hurt and does not bother me, the actual practice of wearing earrings may end up bothering me because I will notice them and be messing with them too much. Earrings obviously come in different styles, lengths, and weights, but in all cases... I dunno, I just feel like it may be a waste of money more than anything in the end, if I can't actually get used to wearing them where they don't irritate me just by being there.

    My questions to you are, what has your earring wearing experience been? Do you tend to notice them after you put them in, or not? And did the initial piercing hurt much, or barely at all?
     
    #1 MisterMissy, Feb 22, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 22, 2017
  2. Austin226

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2016
    Messages:
    100
    Likes Received:
    16
    Location:
    Nebraska
    Gender:
    Male (trans*)
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Straight
    Out Status:
    A few people
    I got my ears pierced at 14 and it literally feels like a pinch, very little pain at all. After the initial first few weeks where you have to keep them clean with the antibacterial stuff, you won't even notice them. I have a really cheap pair from like Target that I wear 99% of the time and I don't even know I'm wearing them most of the time. I do sort of twist them around and stuff without even knowing I'm doing it, but the solution to that is to have a pair of nicer earrings (preferably sterling silver) as those won't irritate your skin.

    I thought they would be annoying, too, before I got my ears pierced, but I honestly don't even think about them. And if you find a pair that you can just leave in for days or weeks at a time (since you really don't have to take them out to shower or anything) I think that's even better because I'm pretty sure the only way they'll really be irritating is if you're always messing with them and changing them multiple times a day.

    Hope that helps.
     
  3. MisterMissy

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2017
    Messages:
    220
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Atlanta
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Yeah, I didn't quite think of that. Proper metal earrings likely wouldn't be as noticeable as something more plastic-like. Thanks 226.
     
  4. anthracite

    anthracite Guest

    I'm wearing fake plugs and you don't notice them at all.
     
  5. Ghostling

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2015
    Messages:
    169
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    California
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    I got my ears pierced when I was 18, totally easy (although I love piercings and have gotten 6 since then) and after the initial like week of being a little irritated it's super chill. Unless you wear something heavy like fake plugs or big dangly earrings you probably won't notice them!
     
  6. Aberrance

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2016
    Messages:
    990
    Likes Received:
    136
    Location:
    England
    Gender:
    Male (trans*)
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Piercings aren't a waste of money imo, hair dye doesn't last forever but people still dye their hair and spend money on it. I stretched my ears and barely even feel them, they're 16&12mm and I enjoy having them and switching out the jewellery. I say give them a try and see what you think after the 6 weeks healing period.
     
  7. randomconnorcon

    Full Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2015
    Messages:
    550
    Likes Received:
    28
    Location:
    Liverpool, England
    I got my ears pierced when I was 7. It was barely a pinch. They took a couple of days to get used to, like all new things. But after that, it's easy to forget you're wearing them unless they're cheap crap. With cheap crap, my ears went all red and scabby.
     
  8. Myles Kramer

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2017
    Messages:
    97
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Middle of Missouri
    Gender:
    Genderqueer
    Gender Pronoun:
    They
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Some people
    if anything, its that healing period directly after having your ears pierced that is the most sensitive. You have to wear earrings while the skin and tissue is healing so it won't just close right back up.

    The backs of earrings are kind of poke-y on the soft, sensitive skin directly behind your earlobe/ cartilidge, so a lot of people who first get their ears pierced really hate sleeping with the earrings in bc laying your head down on its side pushes the point into your skin (I've gotten used to this, but that took a while bc im a side sleeper.)

    What those two things mean together, is that besides just taking them in and out quickly to clean the piercings while they are healing, a lot of people will go 6/8/10hrs (wtvr) at a time without their earrings in and your healing tissue will begin to repair the piercing overnight-- to put your earrings back on in the morning will cut those repairs and stimulate the inflammatory response (not necessarily bleeding: but itching, really slightly swollen/ pink). If you are sensitive, this may bother you.

    You ought to let that piericing air out, and clean it otherwise some pretty nasty anaerobic bacteria can grow and infect the healing tissue (Pure metals are really important while healing! Certain heavy metals-- like sterling silver-- fuck up most bacteria and they will keep you safe.)

    Beyond this initial period of healing that the piercing needs, as long as you find a material of earrings that doesn't make your body go "HEY WOAH NO THATS FOREIGN WTF GET IT OUT OF HERE!!" (again usually those antiseptic, fine metals are the trick).

    Your brain will initially notice the sensory information coming from the nerves in your ear but after a little bit, you will become desensitized to the stimulus bc our brains typically try to filter out the unimportant background sensory information. If you put on a shirt, you may feel the tag rubbing against the back of your neck bc its moving and stimulating new nerves, but you don't get the same amount of conscious awareness from the rest of the shirt rubbing on your skin bc of desensitization. Its the same idea with earrings, you may feel them when you first put your earrings in, but after like 2ish minutes, it shouldn't be felt.

    (if you can't tell im a huge science nerd and I had fun breaking this down lol)
     
  9. Daydreamer1

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2011
    Messages:
    5,680
    Likes Received:
    21
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Gender:
    Male (trans*)
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Other
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    I don't wear earrings, but I got pierced at 4g (5mm) about two years ago, and being at 1/2" now, I don't notice my plugs and I have check my ears regularly to make sure they didn't fall out in my sleep.

    For me, my eyebrow piercing hurt way more than my ears.
     
  10. anthracite

    anthracite Guest

    Oh and I need to add: Please go to a professional piercer! Under no circumstances get it done in a jewelry shop. They screwed up mine and it hurt like hell and I had problems for years until I got it done correctly.
     
  11. Daydreamer1

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2011
    Messages:
    5,680
    Likes Received:
    21
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Gender:
    Male (trans*)
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Other
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    ^^

    If someone tells you a place like Claire's or anything at the mall is safe, ignore them. Always get work done with a professional piercer at a legitimate business, because those sketchy places at the mall don't properly sanitize their equipment and will mess your piercings up.
     
  12. Aberrance

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2016
    Messages:
    990
    Likes Received:
    136
    Location:
    England
    Gender:
    Male (trans*)
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Second that. I got mine done at Claire's when I was 10. They used a gun which you should never do with any piercing, the piercer should always use a needle, if they have a gun, get out. Plus they pierced them in different places so now I've stretched them they're a bit wonky. Go somewhete legit.
     
  13. Silver Sparrow

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2011
    Messages:
    673
    Likes Received:
    22
    Location:
    Northeast US
    I got my ears pierced when I was about 13 at a piercing-specific chain (I don't think it exists anymore). Definitely go to an actual piercing place. When I got my ears pierced, the person used a gun, which made my ears hurt for a bit because of the long piercing. It was only about an hour though, and if you go to an actual piercing place, it shouldn't.

    I have pretty sensitive ears, so cheap earrings (like from Claire's) will irritate my ears. If I really want to wear cheap earrings (sometimes they have fun designs), I coat them in clear nail polish and let it dry. Then, I can usually wear the earrings for at least a few hours without my ears getting too irritated.
     
  14. Lacybi

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2015
    Messages:
    483
    Likes Received:
    36
    Location:
    Ireland
    Gender:
    Genderqueer
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Some people
    I don't wear earrings often but when I do they usually annoying me after a while however I have some gold hoops (sleepers I think they're called) from Argos that I adore. You pull them apart and put them in and then twist them around to attach them back together. I never notice them at all - they're really comfy even when sleeping and they can twist around in your ear. I have a couple of other pairs of small earrings that I like because I hardly notice them. To be honest I think it's a matter of personal preference and some earrings will be great and others won't. I think Claire's do sterling silver earrings that are cheap enough (I got a pair for £4 a few years ago) and I loved them.
    Just got reference, I got my ears pierced when I was eight and I'm now sixteen. .
     
  15. MisterMissy

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2017
    Messages:
    220
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Atlanta
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Thank you all so much for the advice. I wasn't expecting such a turn out for this topic, but it is rather important to me to get confirmation on my concerns, and reassurance that it should be a good investment.

    We have quite a few tattoo shops in town that deal in a myriad of piercing styles as well, and they come highly recommended from 20 years of experience. Cause I want piercings that are done sanitary and that are done in the proper spot to avoid any major nerves. Silver or Steal I've read are the better options for earrings to avoid irritation, by hypoallergenic materials work as well.

    I'm not sure what style of earring I would like best. But probably simple jewel studs, and maybe some shaped ones. Probably won't go for hoops or earrings that hang, unless their bead strings; something like that.