Inside: How to take off earrings that are stuck if you’re really struggling with them.
Ever been stuck in a pair of earrings before? I have and I know the feeling when your heart starts racing and you start hoping that the back is just going to pop off any second.
Well if it doesn’t, I’ve created this guide to how to take off earrings that are stuck, because it really happens to the best of us and it couldn’t be more annoying.
It kind of depends on what kind of earrings you have on and what the backing is like. Studs are the simplest earrings to wear but if something happens to the back of them they can cause the most problems.
Infinity hoops and clasps can cause problems as well, but usually if that’s what you’re dealing with you can essentially just really pull them apart– as long the hoop can bend, you can get out of them.
Let’s get you out!
How Stuck Are They?
I have a vivid memory of getting a phone call from one of my closest friends who had just had his ears pierced a few months before. I knew that he had all the guys over, so I was genuinely confused as to why he was calling me during a guy’s night.
“Hey, how do you take earrings off?” The boy was clueless.
So I show up to guy’s night ready to wow them all. They had all tried giving him tips to take them out, but to no avail. So they watched in awe as I told him, “Brace yourself!” and I pull the back right off.
For some tough guys, they sure were being too tender with that earring! Once I had removed them both (and replaced them both…) I made sure he knew to really give it a good tug. If they’re as healed as they should be when you change them out, they won’t be as tender as you think.
Now, I’m sure you already know how to change earrings so yours are probably genuinely stuck. But try giving it a good tug first and don’t be too gentle. It might surprise you.
Identify The Backs
This is simple as well, but is mostly relevant if it’s the piercing’s original jewelry.
You need to identify if it’s a push on back or a screw on.
I’ve had some struggles with screw on backs thinking they were push pin style, but after some experimenting I discovered they weren’t stuck. They were simply meant to be screwed off instead of pulled. Oops. My bad!
Make sure you know what style these are, and if you know for a fact what they are and they’re still stuck, dive into these methods of removal.
Different Methods
There are a few different methods I’m going to have you try to try to get these earrings out! Some are pretty minimal, just different ways to loosen them up. If you’re finding that that isn’t going to cut it, we will bring in some different tools.
No stress, it happens to the best of us. Grab a bestie to help you out (and for moral support) and try these different methods.
First we’ll start off with soaking the earring with warm water to try to get it in there and loosen it. Then we’ll go to Vaseline.
Getting Started
Before you get started, follow all of the cleaning procedures, just to make sure no infection occurs since you’ll be all over the earrings and the piercings. Especially if they’re new!
Wash your hands thoroughly, and even after, you might want to wear some latex gloves. Not necessarily for cleanliness, but they can make it easier to grip and twist or pull without slipping. Your skin can be a little slippery, so these should help!
Clean the piercing site with the saline solution you may have on hand or can whip up. That way you’re starting with a totally clean slate with your hands and the earring itself.
Soak With Water
The first method to try is to simply use warm water to soak the earring and try to get the water between the post and the back to loosen it up.
There are a couple ways that you can try this, the first being with a cotton swab. Soak it under warm water and cover the post as best as you can with the water.
You could also try this one in the shower. As you’re standing under the warm water, use your fingers to try to spread the water along the post and under the backing. Let the water hit the earring a bit and then try to see if you can loosen the back from there.
If this doesn’t work it may need to be loosened up with some Vaseline.
Lubricate With Vaseline
You’ll want to remove your gloves for this first part.
Using Vaseline, try to spread it along the post and under the back if you can, just like the water. It will take some playing with but if this is going to work, you’ll get it! It might help to use a cotton swab or something to get it further under the earring back. There’s no science or structure to getting this process right, you’ll have to trial and error this one.
When you’re ready to try pulling, wash the Vaseline off of your hands and put the gloves on for extra grip help.
Tug that back again and hopefully it should slide right off! Vaseline works wonders, so if this doesn’t work, we’re going to have to break out the big guns.
Ring Opener Pliers
This might look super intimidating, but after further investigation I’ve found that people use these for several different piercings very casually. So it’s not as big of a deal to break these out as it may feel.
You can snag a pair of ring opening pliers on Amazon, and use them to grip the back.
This is where I would personally bring in a friend that has no fears! Bringing in the gentle friend won’t get you anywhere. If you’re holding into the front of the earring while using the tool on the backing, there won’t be any tugging on your ear.
Best of luck with these methods of removing any earrings that are stuck!
Hopefully now you’re freed from those pesky and tricky earrings.
If you’d had them on for a long time and hardly even knew that they were stuck because you never tried to take them out, then maybe it’s time to start changing our earrings more often! Or bookmark this page to come back to if the next pair gets stuck too.
No more stress about those stuck earrings! Now that you’ve changed them out, it might be time to invest in some more high quality jewelry.
Looking for more helpful guides?
Putting in a nose hoop can be intimidating! Changing out a facial piercing for the first time can be so nerve wracking, but there isn’t really anything for you to worry about too much. It’s an easy process and I’ll walk you through it all.