I had a similar (albeit a bit worse) problem with Ashley's earrings when she was 8. She had not removed them for a while and they somehow grew right into her earlobes and they were infected. Came home from work late one night to her sobbing & telling me. Of course she was terrified. We had to go straight to Emerg where she had a needle (to freeze) in each ear and they were cut out. You'd think she would never pierce again! Unfortunately - not so! But we've never had the problem again.
Have her lie on her tummy and work at it with the pliers and a tissue. I'd freeze the area well with an icecube first.
