Self Ear Piercings

     A new trend among teenagers is self-piercing, or home piercing, their ears. Despite the dangers that it poses, its popularity continues to rise.
     There are many dangers of not getting your ear piercings done by a professional and many people don't know the dangers. These include "severe infection, nerve damage, and tissue damage," said the Chadron Public Schools nurse, Jennifer Pyle.
     Another concern about piercing your ears at home or, by yourself, is how to clean them properly. Mrs. Pyle said, "If you pierce your ear yourself you would not have antiseptic that professionals give you after piercing your ears. I would guess that antibacterial soap and water would be the best. You could use peroxide for the first day, but it has been proven to cause tissue damage if used too much."
    Despite the dangers, people continue to self pierce their ears. The question is why. Naleya Goings said, "It was free, and I had always wanted my second piercings."
     Another girl, who wished to remain anonymous, said that it was something she did on a whim one night. She also said that it only stung a little bit when she pierced her cartilage on her ear.
     Another student at Chadron High, Abigail Gardner, also pierced her ears with the help of a friend. She and her friend also pierced other people's ears, but of course, she only agreed to pierce if she had the student's consent written down and their parent's permission if they were below the age of consent. When getting her own ears pierced with the help of a friend she used a smaller needle and said, "It didn't hurt much, but getting the earing in was painful, and the healing part was worse."
      Overall since you now know the risks and the stories of others who decided to self pierce their ears you can decide on what you think.