Removing a Tragus Piercing – A Step-by-Step Guide
The tragus – that small flap of cartilage on the inside of your ear – is a popular piercing location. But there may come a time when you decide it’s time to retire your tragus jewelry. Removing a tragus piercing requires care and patience to avoid injury. Follow these steps to safely take out your tragus piercing.
Preparing to Remove the Piercing
Before removing the jewelry, make sure your tragus piercing is fully healed – at least 6 months old. Never try to remove a new, unhealed piercing yourself.
- Wash your hands thoroughly to avoid introducing bacteria near the piercing.
- Sterilize a pair of piercing pliers by wiping the ends with rubbing alcohol.
- Have clean cotton swabs, wound wash saline, and a towel on hand.
- Take an over-the-counter painkiller like ibuprofen if needed for any discomfort.
Step-by-Step Jewelry Removal
Ready to take that jewelry out? Here’s how to do it safely:
1. Clean the piercing area
Use sterile saline wound wash to thoroughly cleanse the front and back of your tragus piercing. Gently rotate the jewelry during cleaning to loosen any dried discharge.
2. Loosen the jewelry closure
If your tragus jewelry has a closure like a ball or latch, use the sterile pliers to gently loosen it enough to open.
3. Support your tragus
Place a clean cotton round or swab behind the back side of your tragus for support. This will prevent the jewelry from ripping through the tragus skin.
4. Slowly pull jewelry forward
Grip the jewelry end with the pliers and slowly pull it forward through the piercing canal. Take your time and pause if you feel significant resistance or pain.
5. Clean piercing exit holes
Use clean cotton swabs and saline wash to gently cleanse the jewelry exit holes on the front and back of the tragus.
6. Apply antiseptic ointment
Lightly coat the exit holes with antibiotic ointment to prevent infection and promote healing.
Aftercare for Retired Piercings
Once the jewelry is out, continue caring for the piercing site as it finishes healing:
- Keep the area clean using saline spray 1-2 times daily.
- Avoid touching or irritating the tragus piercing holes.
- Don’t try to re-pierce the same site until fully healed.
- See your doctor for signs of infection like swelling, discharge or severe pain.
With proper sterile technique, patience and care, you can successfully remove tragus jewelry for good!
Conclusion
Taking out a retired tragus piercing requires diligent cleansing, sterilized tools, and gentle technique to prevent injury or infection. Always allow piercings ample time to heal before attempting removal on your own. Go slowly and stop if you meet resistance. Be sure to continue aftercare as the piercing finishes healing. With some care and patience, you can safely retire your tragus jewelry.
FAQs about Removing a Tragus Piercing
Sometimes, you’ll just need to get a better grip on the jewelry to have enough leverage to get the ball unstuck. A pair of latex or rubber gloves will usually provide enough grip to unscrew a stuck piercing ball. Make sure the jewelry is completely dry and grab the ball with your gloved hand.
An accessory tragus can easily be treated by surgical excision. The results are quite satisfactory if care is taken to remove any protuberant portion of underlying cartilage.
To remove a barbell pierce of jewellery, hold one side of the jewellery with one hand, hold the front with your other hand and rotate the ball part of the jewellery to the left (righty tighty – lefty loosy!) and unscrew until it comes apart.
