It's a normal earlobe piercing, first in each ear. When they get infected, there's pus and you can feel a "lump" around the hole. I've never had a skin reaction to anything (unless you count turning green, but that's only ever happened once with my watch that I wear daily). Maybe it's different for piercings? Don't know if the hole is completely healed over although it's been 3-4 years.