A little advice I think I need

[kohlrollen]

Hey there! So I decided I was going to stretch my ears this past September, and before I started I really neglected to do much research. So the deal is, I've been wearing those peg earrings, and my ears were about a 14 gauge size just from wearing heavy earrings and having my ears pierced since I was about 2. So I put in a 10 gauge stainless taper, which was a real bitch. It got really crusty and everything, but I ignored it thinking it was normal. From there about 2 weeks later I put in the 8g's which healed super fast, and then I put in the 6g the day after thanksgiving, so Oct 11th, and I lubed them up with oil and they didn't hurt at all. Now I am at a 2g, aiming to go to 1/2".

Now I am concerned that I might be stretching too fast? The 4g tapers hurt a bit when I put them in, and my left ear seemed a little irritated, so I put some plugs in and it got better, so I figured it was the acrylic. Now about a week ago I got some 2g horn tapers, they are the curly ones, but I think the girl at culture craze mixed up one of them, because I didn't notice when I put them in. My left ear was fine, but my right ear has been crusty and swollen a bit and just overall not happy. So yesterday I switched them between ears and my right ear is healed up nice I think, and the larger taper went into the left ear fine, but I got my boyfriend to look at them too, and he agrees that one might be larger than the other. So I think one is a 2g and the other might be a 1 or a 0g.

I am just wondering, they feel fine now, but should I take them both out just to be cautious or leave them now that they feel okay? I have been putting lavender, vitamin E and rosehip oil on them everyday too. I'm just wondering how long do I need to wait on average between stretches? Does anyone think I am stretching too fast? And I also have a 2nd ear piercing in above my stretches, but I don't usually wear earrings in them, but will they possibly interfere if I stretch too big?

Thanks input would be super awesome!!!
Patricia

[StrickyCub]

You've definately been going too fast. That's the main problem when people start stretching, is not knowing the right way to do it ( I know i've been there myself).
If your ears feel alright, and you have checked to make sure you don't have a blowout, just leave the jewellery in.
Do sea salt soaks 2-3 times a day (1/8th to 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt with pre-boiled water allowed to cool down to shower temperature). This will help your ear lobes to heal up quicker. Don't take the jewellery out when you do this, just take the o-rings off (if you have them) or the screw on bit of your plug (if you have it) so that the water can get to your hole.

The oil massages are also a good idea, although most people don't reccommend doing them until your ear is healed up enough to take the jewellery out and then put it back in, which can take anywhere between 2-4 weeks.

Just so you know there is a difference between "being healed enough to take out your jewellery" and "being ready to stretch again".

You will probably have to wait at least 5-6 months now before you stretch again, just to be on the safe side. Although everybody's body differs in this sense. It could take less or it could even take up to a year of oil massages before you're able to stretch again.

Either way, I hope your ears heal up well for you, and looking forward to seeing some pics from you :3

~Zack

[kohlrollen]

Hey thanks a ton! Just one more question, how will I know if I can stretch? Like determine if I need to wait 6 months or wait a year?

Thanks

[StrickyCub]

Hey thanks a ton! Just one more question, how will I know if I can stretch? Like determine if I need to wait 6 months or wait a year?

Thanks

Well, you can take the jewellery out and sort of squeeze your lobe hole between your fingers gently, and feel it a little, and see if it feels like there's a lot of "hard" or "lumpy" feeling scar tissue. If it's ready to stretch there should be little to none of this, and the inside of the hole should closely resemble the skin on the outside of your lobe (normal skin).

Don't go stretching if it feels too tight when you try to put a taper through, if it's red on the inside or is sore/tender.

There's no real way to determine how long it will take your ears to be ready to stretch again, it's all to do with the individual person's body

But if you do some oil massages on your ears daily, it will help to loosen up your lobes and break up the scar tissue, which will speed up the process of being ready to stretch.

Hope this helps

~Zack

[Nic]

u stretched at the same speed as me. 6 months waitin to stretch is kind of pointless. I mean, if u want to wait a long time to reach ur goal then its chill. U could definitly stretch way before that tho.

[StrickyCub]

Nic, if you actually bothered to read my post thoroughly, you'll see that I said she might NOT have to wait as long as 6 months, and that it all depends on the person

[Nic]

lol i needa stop postin shit when im wasted. hahahaha my bad stricky xD

[StrickyCub]

All good xD I remember those days of being wasted on 13 beers and 2x 1 litre bottles of 13% alcohol liquor. I'm sure my liver hated me for it :p 1 year sober now though ^_^

[Nic]

hahahahahahaha sounds like a good time. i used to just do drugs. now i drink cuz i get tested by my work, my parents, an my PO. xD i can take a pee test like a champ now. Drinking is so fun tho =D

[StrickyCub]

I take drugs, but only medicated ones. I have anti-anxiety pills, 2 different types of sleeping pills for insomnia, anti-depressants, and anti-histamines for my eczema which is really playing up now since it's nearly Summer here and all.... oh well I also sometimes smoke weed, also for insomnia and anxiety.

Drinking made me go mental and made all my illnesses 10 times worse, when I was an alcoholic I cheated on my previous girlfriend with 4 different women. Let's just say I'm glad I don't drink anymore lol.