Ear piercings vs helmet?

**flame** · 14th May 2008, 17:53

Originally Posted by Gothesque

I have a fair few piercings in my ears (12), some of which are a bit tender. I find they get ripped up a bit when I put on/take off my helmet.
Does anyone else have this problem, and how have you solved it? Taking them out is not an option lol.

Yep I hear ya. Ive lost count of how many earings Ive lost thanks to helmets. (I normally wear 9) So now I stick with the cheap fugly ones for the top holes and keep the nicer ones in the bottom holes as they don't seem to be such a prob.

I tried taking them out, but what a pain. I now use an HJC helmet which so far hasn't been a prob, and no probs with the pressure on the top rings either. It seems to have the padding in different places to most other helmets Ive had, and even taking it off doesn't seem such a problem (ive not lost any of my jewells since wearing it). Its the carbon fiber model, if you try one on, you'll see what I mean.

**Gubb** · 14th May 2008, 18:02

^^^
Do you take them out when racing for extra weight reduction?

**flame** · 14th May 2008, 18:22

Originally Posted by Gubb

^^^
Do you take them out when racing for extra weight reduction?

lol....no, but I take the neck chains off, im sure they way at least 2kg

**LilSel** · 14th May 2008, 18:25

I had two eyebrow piercings in each eyebrow (pofile pic)... as well as lots in ears... (now only have two in one side) n I found I had to be careful whilst putting on n taking helmet off as when I caught them it hurt lol

kinda had to put helmet on face first (kinda)... have figured out the perfect way to do it now so its no worries... still catch them occasionally but you'll learn a way to do it thats good for you.

**Livvy** · 17th May 2008, 09:43

Yay, another piercee!

I have ten in one ear (three in the other) and yes, this is a painful problem. I combatted mine quite easily and you do not need to wear a silk scarf or any othe the like, but if you take my course of action, you'll have obvious holes in your ears for possibly, the rest of your life.

Stop using studs which have butterflies as backers, for one: for another, go to your local piercing shop, and invest in labret studs for the piercings in your upper ears; they have a twist on ball in the front, and the back is flat. Google "labret studs" on images if you aren't completely sure what I mean. Now here's the painful bit. While the lower piercings in the ears, such as in the lobe, or even perhaps conch, daith, helix, tragus etc, will be fine with whatever they were pierced with (though, excepting lobe, they'll have all been done with either rings or labrets as well) the ones in the upper ear were the ones causing me havoc and pain and I assume this is the same for you.

So. Pain: get your piercing shop to stretch all those upper ear piercings to about 16 gauge. It will make them bleed, you may potentially writhe in pain (I did mine myself and I don't want to repeat the experience), but after that, put in all those 16 gauge labret studs you just bought. Your ears will hurt really bad for a while, but once they heal up, you'll find that your helmet causes you no more grief, and that they're actually more secure than studs with butterflies as long as they're put on right.

I've had my ears like that for a year now, and I'm glad I did it.

**Ms Piggy** · 17th May 2008, 10:10

Originally Posted by Gothesque

I have a fair few piercings in my ears (12), some of which are a bit tender. I find they get ripped up a bit when I put on/take off my helmet.
Does anyone else have this problem, and how have you solved it? Taking them out is not an option lol.

Balaclava would be the goer I reckon.

**Gothesque** · 17th May 2008, 21:00

Originally Posted by Livvy

Yay, another piercee!
So. Pain: get your piercing shop to stretch all those upper ear piercings to about 16 gauge.

Lol Livvy mine are all 14G already. I wear BCR's in most of them, except my industrial and orbitals. My lobes are 12G, eyebrow and labrets are 16G.
I'm no pussy

lol

My ears and stuff: http://www.bodymod.org/mods/listMods...BossPants.aspx

Do you reckon Labrets studs would cause less trouble than the rings?

**hXc** · 18th May 2008, 12:23

Need to be a member to see that link...

**Gothesque** · 18th May 2008, 13:12

Ah true, Better links then:

**hXc** · 18th May 2008, 17:00

Oooh I like that industrial with the orbitals around it.

**Blossom** · 19th May 2008, 08:58

I use a oxford comfy... its kinda like a lightweight balaclava.. works well with my helmet too. Good luck though.

**Livvy** · 19th May 2008, 12:16

Originally Posted by Gothesque

Lol Livvy mine are all 14G already. I wear BCR's in most of them, except my industrial and orbitals. My lobes are 12G, eyebrow and labrets are 16G.
I'm no pussy

lol

My ears and stuff: http://www.bodymod.org/mods/listMods...BossPants.aspx

Do you reckon Labrets studs would cause less trouble than the rings?

Well gee, fine then

Umm. At which case I'm at a loss. My labrets never cause me trouble, but I can't think that rings would either.

**Grahameeboy** · 19th May 2008, 12:19

Just my ears are a problem.....................

**Thani-B** · 19th May 2008, 18:55

I have 14 in total, and have lost a few in my short time riding. I used to wear studs but have changed to sleepers and I find that helped a bit. Also I just take a bit of extra time putting my helmet on and taking it off. Doing it slowly helps, it just makes others think you arent used to wearing a helmet though.