Small tear at 1 inch.

[Starfire]

So I've been stretching my lobes for many years now. A couple years ago I stopped at 3/4" and took them out and let them close. They shrank down to about a 00. I restretched them pretty recently and a few days ago I reached my goal of 1 inch (25mm). I always took my time and have very little scar tissue build up if any, I've also never had a blowout or ripped my ear at all in this whole process.

When I went up to an inch, I may have gone a little too fast and caused my left earlobe to rip just a little bit. When I take out my tunnels, I can see a very small red spot, it doesn't bleed but it is a little painful to touch. I will be doing regular sea salt soaks, but I was wondering if anybody had any ideas of what else I can do to heal it up as quick as possible, as I would like to wear my double flared acrylics soon and get these gaudy flesh tunnels out.

I have downsized to 7/8" a few times since the rip, but my 1" tunnels slide right into both ears with no problems or pain, so I figured it wouldn't be too detrimental to just leave them in and let the rip heal. Am I wrong in doing this?

Thanks for any help and advice in advance.

[corazon_de_oro]

I would personally leave it alone for 6-8 weeks to give it plenty of time to heal, then when you re-stretch go to an in-between size as there are about 3-4mm between 7/8" and one inch. Stretching 1mm at a time is a good way to avoid tearing, and you can use tape so you don't have to buy jewelry at every size. I'd also recommend 6 weeks between every size. If you don't want tearing you HAVE to be patient.

[Starfire]

Seems the problem has resolved itself to an extent. I did a couple sea salt soaks yesterday and when I woke up this morning my ear wasn't soar at all. If I push on the lobe where the cut was, I can feel it, but it's not anywhere near as painful or sore as it was the last couple days. I'll probably just do a few more salt soaks and then start with E oil rubs once it's completely healed.

Thanks for the advice though, anyone else going up to one inch should take it.

[corazon_de_oro]

Yeah, vitamin E oil would be a great thing to use if that tear turns into scar tissue.

[Nic]

dude! i hav this same problem cept its not like a rip and its just kinda sore. Is it right at the top where ur lobe meets cartilage?

[Starfire]

No actually mine is more towards the bottom of the lobe. I'm pretty sure it happened when I foolishly tried to stretch with my externally threaded flesh tunnels. Sea salt soaks seem to be the best option for what happened to me, but if you don't have a cut and it's just sore around the cartilage, it might just be your jewelry pressing into your cartilage causing it to get really irritated. Maybe your initial piercing was done too far up on one of your lobes, I think you can go to an experienced piercer and have them scalpel away some of your lobe to fix problems like that, but don't quote me.

[Nic]

oh i c. ya, my cartilage is really sore. Not recently tho it has been way less sore an ear returned to normal color. Good luck an happy stretching =D