help! i this normal?

[micheleee.rawrr]

ok, so i started with a normal piercing and i put in a 12g taper about 3 months ago. i took it off a about ago and put in normal earrings, because i they kept getting hurt. i then bought a 14g taper and i kept those on for about 2 weeks, i then put in the 12g tapers in again, and kept those for about 2 weeks and i put in 10g tapers 2 days ago.
so my question is the hole supposed to look like from he back , because mine doesn't look normal. its like red, i don't know how to explain it
the front looks like a normal hole but bigger.
am i stretching to fast?
and also how often should i clean them, and with what?
i usually use alcohol and clean them like every other day.

[corazon_de_oro]

Yes, you're stretching too fast...
You should have gone to 18G or 16G from a "normal" earring... From there, you should have gone up one size at a time with about 6-8 weeks (give or take a couple) between each size. Wearing tapers isn't good for your lobes, either. Stretching should not be painful or cause any type of wound.

As for cleaning, alcohol is probably the worst thing you can use. It's way too harsh and can dry out skin. With stretched lobes, the most important thing is cleaning your jewelry. You shouldn't have to clean the actual hole because there shouldn't be any open wounds. I take out my plugs every day or every other day and clean them off with antibacterial soap and warm water.... I usually clean off my lobes a little with it too. I also do regular oil massages to minimize the smell/keep them healthy.

[TOFU]

Wow! how can it be 3 months and it's still hurting?

[corazon_de_oro]

She skipped a few sizes and was wearing tapers that get knocked around easily... and cleaned them with alcohol. So it's really not surprising that they never healed.

[leighmarie]

Like Corazon said, you're definitely stretching to fast. You should be leaving closer to two months between sizes than two weeks!

[micheleee.rawrr]

thanks people!
and its not hurting the back of my ear just looks red, ad i think it looks gross.
it doesn't hurt at all.
and i would buy some plug, but tapers are cheaper and easier to buy.

[Nic]

At such a small size tapers arent very bad. its not until like 00g that they get to be bad for ur ears. (i personally cant sleep with tapers) I dont think u stretched to fast, but maybe the redness is a sign to take it a bit slower and not use alcohol, use water from the shower when u take one, its a good idea to start oil massages early on, makes stretching alot easier. good luck and happy stretching =D

[corazon_de_oro]

I don't know, the first taper I got was 8G and even that looked like it could get knocked around... and there's no way a 2G taper wouldn't.
And two weeks is WAY too fast. With stretching, you're not waiting for the hole to heal/stop hurting before you stretch again, you're waiting for it to be strong/loosened up enough to stretch. That doesn't happen in two weeks, and her redness/other issues prove it.

Edit: oil massages are great but not if you have any open wounds, which it sounds like you might. Also, are you using any lube when you stretch? That would help a lot.

[brutalSKITTLES]

Stop using the alcohol and it will heal, i was using alcohol to clean my lip perceing and it took 2 months &my other lip peirceing i never cleaned with anything but brushing my teeth healed in 3 weeks. Alcohol is bad for healing.

[Hardware]

thanks people!
and its not hurting the back of my ear just looks red, ad i think it looks gross.
it doesn't hurt at all.
and i would buy some plug, but tapers are cheaper and easier to buy.

Okay, this is your body you are talking about.
If you needed surgery done, would you pay a professional in the next city over or the hack job down the street because he is cheaper and easier? I don't mean to be a jerk dude, but good things are not cheap and cheap things are not good. You really owe it to yourself, and your ears, to take your time and do it right the first time. Blowout is painful, and expensive to remove if you don't take the proper action. Earlobes that resemble cow udders are not sexy. Anti-bacterial hand soap is cheaper than rubbing alcohol. Please be nice to your body.