Snug Piercing (aka the Devils piercing)

[nirvanahood]

So, towards the end of August after a family photo shoot I decided to go and get my snug pierced. It was kind of an impulse thing and I did not research it at all. Having a high pain tolerance and quite a few other piercings, I was not worried about the pain.

so I entered the piercers intending to get a tragus or a conch piercing. Unfortunately I was served straight away so I had about 20 seconds to choose a piercing. Out of nowhere I said snug (should've got conch as I do need to hide my piercings!) I went into the studio and they got the needle ready, I was talking to the piercer about my navel piercing I had gotten done around 4 weeks previously and he was asking how it was healing (since he had done it) I was saying about how I would've really liked a rook but I was scared of the pain. All he said was "you're worried about the pain of a rook yet you're getting a snug piercing?" before placing the clamp.

Now, I was terrified of the clamp. My mum and many others had told me of the agony it caused. When I went and got my navel pierced, I could not feel the clamp at all, in fact it numbed the piercing all together. But obviously with the snug being extremely thick cartilage, it was a lot different. I have an extremely high pain tolerance but this was not a fun piercing. At all. I am not exaggerating at all here.

The clamp CRUSHED the cartilage together and it did not numb anything, and it didn't really make it easier to pierce. It felt like it had heightened my senses completely. When the needle was put in I flinched because it felt like someone was tearing my ear in half. And he didn't pierce it quickly either. Once it was near the other side, the needle got stuck. Yes, it got stuck. So I was sat there trying not to scream as he was jiggling the needle around trying to push it through. For my other piercings, pulling the jewellery through was the worst part but I didn't feel it this time because I was in so much pain. Surprisingly it didn't bleed.

Soon the area around the piercing swelled up a lot. I wish I had some pictures. I couldn't even touch that ear because the pain was unbearable. It did bleed in the night when I knocked it, and white sheets were a bad idea because I always woke up with blood stains around the area my ear was. Just to make it a lot worse, it developed two huge hypertrophic scars (WHICH WONT GO AWAY - please suggest some removal techniques) Many, many times I have tried to remove it forever. And the bar will not come out at all. The balls are literally superglued on. So I'm stuck with this piercing from hell.

hope this helps

[Boo]

Your piercer sounds terrifying.

A photo would help to assist you with bumps, snugs can take well over a year to settle fully though.

[Gorgo]

Was considering a snug/conch piercing but I'm definitely swaying to a conch I think. Thank you for this!

I hope your bumps clear up - I know they can be a pain :-(

[PaperTulip]

This is why I have a faux snug!

[RoyalBlood]

Posts like this make me glad I'm not suited to a snug! glad I did a faux snug though! Hope it settles down for you love

[nirvanahood]

Thanks guys!
Millie, I would definitely go for a conch, I love the orbital rings but snugs do look cool aswell
Ill try and quickly get some pics off my phone, ive been adding teatree oil daily and they seem to be clearing up slightly

[nirvanahood]

Ok I know its kind of hard to see, but both of them are right next to each ball. They used to have white in them but now theyre just flesh coloured lumps and are really annoying

[Carrielouise]

I found camomile compresses helped a lot to get rid of the bumps. (Make a cup of camomile tea as normal, take the tea bag out to cool a little and when it's still hot but not enough to burn you, hold it to the piercing for as long as you can stand or until it goes cold).

Unfortunately the bumps are just part of the healing process for cartilage piercings! Just persevere and keep doing the compresses to help the swelling and bumps. Snugs can be rather grumpy though, I had mine for 3 years and it never healed so had to retire it, but don't give up on yours yet!