How do I pull out a cartilage (ear) piercing that is so very painful to the touch?
First of all, I wouldnt touch it at all, the more you touch it, the worse it is going to get. Secondly, go to the store and buy distilled water and get some sea salt as well. You need to add the sea salt to warm water (1/4 teaspoon per 8oz of distilled or boiled water) and hold it on the piercing for 15 minutes, a few times a day. Since it is your ear, i recommend using cotton balls soaked in the solution. If you do this for a week two or three times a day, the infection should clear itself up. The sea salt will take all the gunk and bacteria out of the piercing. This way you can avoid the pain of taking the piercing out, and you can keep the piercing. If you still want to take it out, i would have a piercing professional do it. Also, if you choose to clean the piercing, do not use alcohol, or anti-bacterial soap, these dry out the skin, make the piercing even more dry and irritated. Good luck.
