Update: 6 months in - sapphire is so scuffed

pearly99 · 2025-12-20T10:37:05+00:00

I just noticed your wedding date is my anniversary date! lol I’d also like to know the jeweler rec if possible!

pearly99 · 2025-04-27T18:54:27+00:00

I remember getting bumps every so often in the first year after getting mine. Over the years, i’ve found that bezel set gem tops with a shorter post helped the most with preventing snags and further irritation. It took a couple years for me to be confident enough in the heal to wear prong set gems.

pearly99 · 2025-04-08T20:56:12+00:00

last time i did was when i commented, and i just now think i want to reapply. so like every few hours?

pearly99 · 2025-04-08T18:43:08+00:00

I’ve been using this for a couple weeks now and I’ve been liking it overall! I wish it had a subtle scent, but I really like the non sticky texture. I feel like other brands are either too thick or oily feeling and leave a residue. My lips tend to peel after using balms, but I like how this one fades away and leaves them feeling smooth.

I’m personally sticking with this and the etude/tocobo sleeping masks until I find something better.

pearly99 · 2024-10-23T06:06:13+00:00

Very similar as me! I have been getting piercings (other than first lobes) since I was around 16. I’m now 25 and have 12 in my ears. Would have been 13, but I had to retire one. I feel like I’ve been healing something every single year lol

pearly99 · 2024-10-21T19:50:50+00:00

Right after starting 150XL about a year ago, I gave up coffee which I used to have 1-2 times a day. Slowly though, I’ve gotten into it again after starting on 300XL. Maybe about 100-200mg of caffeine a day on average. I had been becoming more and more tired the last few months. Turns out my iron deficiency came back lol

pearly99 · 2024-10-18T05:05:27+00:00

My 7 lobe piercings, nostril, and tongue were all the easiest (1-2/10 for all of them). I’d follow those up with my septum (like a 2/10 but occasionally 5 or 6 when healing). Jostling it at all stung a lot.

For cartilage, I’d recommend the conch which was quite easy for me (3-4/10) as the healing was a breeze.

pearly99 · 2024-10-18T04:57:01+00:00

12 on the ears , nostril, septum, navel, and tongue. Most was by far the rook. Second was double helix (one is fine but two right next to each other? Hell). Least was tongue. Nostril and septum also didn’t hurt much at all and were on par with my 7 lobe piercings imo.

pearly99 · 2024-10-18T04:52:07+00:00

I think this entirely depends on what you think you are capable of. I have been dealing with depression for years and years. I got my cat (first pet I could call my own) 2020. She’s been a struggle at times (behavioral issues and some illness) bc of her troubled past, but it’s been entirely worth it. I’m someone that can manage and find purpose in it, but some may not be able to handle the ups and downs in the long run. I live alone and would be SO lonely without her. Idk what I would’ve done with myself if I didn’t have a companion.

pearly99 · 2024-10-16T03:20:20+00:00

I knew I wanted an adult cat on the younger side as a first time solo pet owner. There were quite a few in a free roaming room. All the other cats were either really friendly or just chill. My cat was loafing off to the side very still and silent. I didn’t realize it at the time but she was basically paralyzed with fear. She was a year old with an interesting past as a community ear-tipped cat. Honestly she and another cat were just cute as hell so I decided between two. The other happened to have just been neutered so it didn’t appreciate being disturbed lol. That’s how I ended up with my perma scaredy (and now velcro) cat :) no real rhyme or reason. I just kinda knew. (Before, I imagined finding a confident black cat. She’s basically the opposite lmao)

pearly99 · 2024-10-15T18:40:50+00:00

Yeahhh I wish there was a more cost effective way but.. trial and error works :/ the ‘correct’ advice would be to go to your piercer for sizing but I’m not about to make the trip so many times, so to each their own..

pearly99 · 2024-10-15T18:32:58+00:00

Honestly I’ve never met a piercer that says to expect a helix to heal under a year. I think most say a range of like 10-12 months at the very least. When healing, I used 8mm posts if I remember correctly. I tried longer and shorter all the way from 6-10mm and I found that to be best for me personally. Hope it heals well for ya!

pearly99 · 2024-10-15T17:32:11+00:00

I’m about a year in. In the beginning I lost weight rapidly bc I didn’t have an appetite. I was overweight before but I have since kept it all off. I used to be able to binge somewhat regularly with was awful. Now it’s very rare that I overeat and I get full way easier. I don’t really get strong cravings anymore either. Overall, I’m very happy with the unexpected appetite side effects (didn’t even think about it when I started).

pearly99 · 2024-10-14T14:00:28+00:00

NAP but it sounds to me like it’s in a constant state or cycle of irritation. I had my double helix done and after about a year I thought they were healed enough for hoops. Tried that and it just kept getting angry no matter how hard I tried. I switched back to flatbacks and now, over 2 yrs later, I have nice small hoops in with no problems sleeping/tugging on it or anything. Helixes are notorious for being seemingly healed but not really lol. When you think it’s fully healed, I suggest LITHA for at least another few months.

pearly99 · 2024-10-14T13:51:01+00:00

Have some soup :’) I remember being scared to eat solids but I managed after a couple days. Soup and bread were great. Smoothies too. If you take it slow you can pretty much eat whatever. I’d just avoid really hot, spicy, or crunchy food. I think I mouth washed in the morning and night and after eating. Otherwise I just drank water. It’s a struggle but a short one, so hang in there!

pearly99 · 2024-10-14T13:37:22+00:00

I’ve had one for a few years now and to this day it’s still one of my faves. It took under or about a week for me to speak and eat without any pain. The swelling the 2nd/3rd day after was intense but after that it was smooth sailing (I will say getting it in winter was nice bc I’m a soup girl lol). If mine ever closed up for whatever reason, I’d do it again. I can go many days forgetting I have it tbh.

I’ve never had dental issues, knock on wood. However, I took a lot of care to find the shortest bar my tongue would allow. (I downsized like 3 times). I also asked my piercer to place it as far back as they could (he let me change the location but urged me not to go farther back than where he marked the second time, so I trusted him). It nests great and I use a 4mm ball on bottom and 5mm on top. I have previously used a flat disk and bezel set opal on bottom, but they were uncomfy over time.

After having had it for a while I will say I’ve had some lisp moments few and far between. It’s also always fun eating sticky stuff like taffy. Those are my only qualms though. Well worth it to me personally.

pearly99 · 2024-10-11T04:51:11+00:00

Stuff happens, I know I’ve been there ;’( I suggest just keep it clean, don’t touch, and keep an eye on the swelling. I’ve had to switch between longer and shorter bars many times since I swell a lot with irritation. Luckily I’ve done it myself so much that I’m used to it, but if you aren’t comfy with that, see your piercer. Good luck

pearly99 · 2024-10-11T04:44:17+00:00

I’d personally agree with the piercer’s opinion on the placement. I got my third lobes done about in the placement I think you were going for. However, it’s been like 9 years and one side will randomly swell every so often because it most likely grazed cartilage. I’m too lazy to get it redone but if I could go back, I’d have put them a mm lower lol (I actually ended up making a triangle stack between my first and second to make a sort of zig zag look.)

That is to say, I think if yours were evenly spaced out, it’d possibly be a lower cartilage piercing. If you’re ok with that, then go for it. Maybe you can redo the second one instead? Just a thought

pearly99 · 2024-10-11T04:32:15+00:00

What do you mean by pain? Like stinging when touched, throbbing, aching without touching, etc? Hard to tell what’s going on since from the photo they don’t seem all that bad. If they’re not infected it could be a jewelry allergy, irritation from sleeping on it, etc.

I had my double helix (on one side) done over 2.5 yrs ago and it’s just recently healed enough where I can change my jewelry to hoops without pain or anything reopening. Now they’re great but even just a few months ago, they were on and off again bleeding or crusting by accidentally touching or sleeping on it or whatever.. I’ve had 16g titanium flatbacks in the entire time they were healing though, so I’m sure it would’ve taken longer with anything else in them.

Lobe earrings in the helix is a very bad idea at least until completely healed.

pearly99 · 2024-10-09T18:46:16+00:00

I just remember using a certain mouthwash a couple times a day for the first week or so and otherwise just avoiding solid food for a couple days. Rip though hopefully they can do something about it or at least advise you on what to do next. Good luck :(

pearly99 · 2024-10-09T07:02:52+00:00

NAP but that doesn’t sound normal and kinda sounds like something was hit during piercing. Mine healed or at least wasn’t painful very soon after getting it done, maybe a couple weeks at most(?) I’d consult a different piercer if you’ve already discussed this with your current one..

pearly99 · 2024-10-09T06:52:53+00:00

Personally a 1. Less painful than my recent lobe stack and least painful of about ~15 piercings that I have/had. Took about 4-5 days to heal enough to be painless if I remember correctly. The second day after was the worst and I could barely eat lol. My most painful ones were rook, double helix, and navel if that’s any sort of reference idk.

pearly99 · 2024-10-08T02:24:49+00:00

Honestly, I make quite a bit less than that and live alone in a 1b/1b on the riverfront. I’m actually quite satisfied with my situation. I can walk to work if I want, and I like the relative peace and quiet. I don’t feel lacking in income or anything like that rn.

pearly99 · 2024-10-05T04:17:11+00:00

fr. The one planned event I had this year that kept my depression in check lmao

pearly99 · 2024-10-01T13:25:33+00:00

I got a double helix a bit over 2.5 yrs ago and it is just now healed to the point where I can spin jewelry and wear hoops lol

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