Up-Dos for people with ears that stick out

[ElenTikvah]

Well, I can definitely relate to the big, sticky-out ears problem...and fine, thin hair to boot!

As a child, I was routinely called Dumbo, because of my ears...kids can be cruel. My hair has always been very fine, and subsequently, I wore perms until my 20's. Then, I decided to just wear my hair the way that I wanted...

I can't wear styles that actually cover my ears (I wish I could) because my ears will poke through; but I second the suggestions of using side-combs and twists of hair to increase the horizontal volume while in updos. Also, in the beginning, I used scarves and bandanas to cover my ears while I was getting used to pulling my hair back.

Nowadays, I just wear my hair the way that I enjoy...I've gotta a second piercing in my ears (which is really OUT THERE for me) and I'm loving it. I love my hair up, and no one evens mentions my ears anymore...

~Tik

[Leneveu]

Y'know, ears are soft tissue...if they really bother you, you can wear a stretchy headband over them when you sleep. In a few weeks you'll see a difference. You can't make them completely flat (nor would you want to), but you can make them stick out less :-)

Intriguing!

I'm "elf-eared" too... I wear my hair up most of the time, though, and try not to see it as too negative a trait Oh, and as for ears poking through the hair when it's worn down, I don't personally find that unattractive.

[eresh]

Something like this perhaps?
I put the braids over the top of my ears.
I don't really pay attention to my ears, it's my nose that bugs me
(and others appearantly...)
I guess everyone has their own body-issues to deal with.

[MsBubbles]

Y'know, ears are soft tissue...if they really bother you, you can wear a stretchy headband over them when you sleep. In a few weeks you'll see a difference. You can't make them completely flat (nor would you want to), but you can make them stick out less :-)

Ha Ha Ha!! That's really funny. Do you have proof from someone that this works?! If you stop doing it will they stick back out again? I tried this when I was younger. Nope. My ears are gonna do whatever they're gonna do. I looked into otoplasty recently but decided I'd rather save my $2,500 per ear at this point in my financial status.

Just make sure that your updos are so amazing that no one can pull their eyes off them to notice your ears.
In all honesty, most people don't ever notice the stuff that we look at negatively about ourselves. My husband and I had a talk about this. I was VERY upset about a pimple that I got, it was right next to my nose...it was huge and ugly and RED!
Then he asked me, "When is the last time I had a pimple?" And I couldn't answer...He told me "I had a big one right on my forehead last week...and you never noticed it...and you LIVE with me!" Everyone gets pimples or whatever, it's normal.
We examine ourselves in great detail and often overlook things that are glaringly WONDERFUL about ourselves. That great big wonderful always outshines one small blemish. You are beautiful and that's what people will notice.

Pimples go away. My sticky out ears, however, will not go away unless I get surgery. And my hair is never going to suddenly become thick and curly, it will always be straight and fine. Updos are ok ears-wise - I'd just like to wear my hair down and NOT have my ear poke through my hair any more. It'd be easier to just say 'oh well I love myself the way I am, sticky out ears and all' if other people wouldn't point out that my ears are poking through my hair and would I mind if they just covered my ear back up again because they 'can't stand it'!!

Rant over. Not mad at you guys, just sensitive from years of badgering by other people since childhood!

[eadwine]

I also have this problem. Not only do my ears stick out, they're huge and I wear in-the-ear hearing aids! I am very self-conscious of this unfortunately (I wish I wasn't).

I wear behind the ear aids, makes the ears stand out more as well. However.. I have learned by now to not give a dbleepn.


Usually the problem is in the own head and that can be dealt with. It takes time though, trust me on that.


Oh and as for the people so nice pointing them out.. they can be dealt with too.. but unfortunately that is kinda illegal *snicker*

[eresh]

Oh and as for the people so nice pointing them out.. they can be dealt with too.. but unfortunately that is kinda illegal *snicker*

Urgh yea...It's nice dreaming about it sometimes though *revenge*

[Renbirde]

See now this is what I need!! I tried looking for something like this online - does anybody know the name of this stuff? I am otherwise seriously considering surgery. I know it's just a body part but my ears stick out through my hair when it's down too, ALL the time and it gets really old.

The stuff that's used in the theatre to attach prosthetics is called 'spirit gum.' I've never used it myself, so I don't know how strong it is for sure, but I've read things that suggest it should work. (It can hold hobbit feet on all day, for starters ) It's fairly affordable, but don't forget to buy remover as well-- you can really hurt yourself if you just try to pull the gum off!

[GoddesJourney]

I was going to ask the same question. Funny I had very short hair for years and got used to my ears, but I had the top kind of puffed out and/or spiked so I felt it balanced off my ears. Now that my hair is long I'm going through the whole I gotta hide my ears thing. I tried decorating. On my birthday this year I added earring hole number 3. I loved it, but in 6 months they kept getting infected and I finally had to let them close up. So much for decorating my ears.

So, I too am interested in answers to this topic.

Just an informational post for those who have trouble with the healing process when getting pierced. First, if you get your ears pierced at a little girly store with a piercing gun like I do, just smile and nod at all the advice they give you, throw away the bottle of antiseptic and take my advice.

You will need three things to make this all work out. The first thing you need is a bottle of liquid, Dial soap (no perfumes). You will also need a food grade oil that you have no sensitivity to. I used coconut oil for my last one, grape seed for another, whatever. The last and very important thing is a small captive bead ring (20 guage is about as thin as the ones they pierced your ears with).

Take the earring out. Use a little oil on the end of the captive bead ring and insert it through the hole. This will take you a little while and may be sensitive. Tip, it's often easier to do back to front for some reason. Be careful not to force it too hard. If you line it up, it should go through pretty well. Also, don't lose the bead down the bathroom sink.

Once it's inserted, close the ring with the bead. Now, cleaning will be easy. Do it in the shower when it's already soft. Take a drop or two of the Dial soap and put it on both sides of your ear and the ring. Pull the ring back and forth through your ear a few times and then rinse it the same way. Make sure you clean off any little "crusties" that form on the ring. Oil the ring and your ear the same way when you get out of the shower. It will heal in half the time.

Why the ring? Well, a small ring will not catch on anything, ever. I used to use them for grappling. Not recommended but it worked. Also, they make it so you can clean the new hole. The little studs they pierce you with are sharp on the back so they get uncomfortable. Also, they can't really be cleaned because there's no space to pull the bar through. In my experience, the little backing catches my hair also.

Why the Dial soap? The professional piercers in my area always recommend it. It works. TIP: Do not over wash. Just once a day in the shower and maybe another time if it gets dirty or if it stings (infected).

Why the oil? I discovered this when I got my cartilage pierced the first time. Your body is trying to form a new layer of "outer skin" on the inside where the ring is. The problem is that the body is producing puss with it that sticks to the ring if it gets the chance. Every time you touch it or try to turn it, it will catch and tear at the newly formed cells possibly forming scar tissue and definately making it uncomfortable and take WAY longer to heal. The longer it takes to heal, the more likely it is to get infected, etc. etc. A little lubrication fixes this problem.

This worked for me. It worked for two or three of my friends who love earrings but weren't interested in getting their ears pierced because it might get uncomfortable or infected. It also worked for a couple of guys I knew who pierced their eyebrows and wanted it to heal quickly so they could change the jewelry.

I hope this works for you all who want to decorate your ears and are having problems with it.

[MsBubbles]

The stuff that's used in the theatre to attach prosthetics is called 'spirit gum.' I've never used it myself, so I don't know how strong it is for sure, but I've read things that suggest it should work. (It can hold hobbit feet on all day, for starters ) It's fairly affordable, but don't forget to buy remover as well-- you can really hurt yourself if you just try to pull the gum off!

OMG I'm gonna try this. Knowing my luck and allergies though I won't get all excited until I know I can use it and it works!!

Thanks for letting me know! If all else fails I can always wear hobbit feet, then people'll either stop telling me my ears are sticking through my hair, or they'll think it's normal.

[rhysiana]

Alas, my hair is too fine for me to ever have figured out how to get any body up at the front, but if people are looking for ear decor that doesn't require piercing, I love ear cuffs. I Etsy-stalk that site, trying to justify buying more by thinking of outfits they'd match...