Earstretching.net

I've had stretched lobes for almost 11 years now (that makes me feel old!), and I've always stretched well and safely, so I don't know quite where this problem came from. I have a set of 0g and 4g in my ears.

Backstory!
So. The problem is with the 4g in my right lobe, I'm not sure if I accidentally tore it in my sleep or being overzealous with jewelry insertion. Now my lobe is swollen and I've got a small knot of scar tissue on the side of the hole. It's making the 0g hole lower down irritated and cat-butty. It's odd, because the holes in my left lobe are great and perfectly happy. I admit to some slacking off on my oil massage--I use Naked oil-- (I had to have emergency gallbladder removal surgery, I also had pancreatitis...then I healed from that and caught Mono for the third[!] time and finished the semester >.<), though I always remove my jewelry at night.

I mostly wear stone double flared plugs, and I've never had an issue with the m before. But not the holes in my right ear feel tight and cranky, and I'm not feeling really comfortable about just shoving the DF-plugs in there.

Question!
What can I do to help resolve this knot of scar tissue and help my lobes return to their healthy and elastic state?

Photo!

I would like to sorta piggy back on this same question/thread. I waited a decent time between stretches and i'm now at a 2g. I noticed a small red bump only on the back side of my left ear near the actual hole...no swelling, pain, blood, or puss. I don't keloid, so my assumption is hypertrophic scar tissue. I've been reading about tea tree oil, so I bought some and applied to the bump. Then I read that it MUST be diluted...but why? I didn't dilute it and didn't experience any irratation. Any experienced/knowledgable input would nice.

Oil massages, and get some high quality glass jewelry, tunnels would be good since they're lighter. Usually glass is the nicest thing for an irritated piercing. Nothing flared until it's feeling better. Saline soak for awhile and massage them daily with a good oil, like emu or vitamin E. If a piercing is really irritated, downsizing for a month or two can often work wonders, because it will heal faster under less pressure from the jewelry.

To the piggybacker, tea tree is just a very strong essential oil, and a common irritant to people with sensitive skin. It can make some people break out or get red, and it can sting like hell in an open wound. It wouldn't cause any long term damage, but it can dry your piercing out temporarily.

But I've done it too when I didn't want to wait for results from diluting it in a saline soak. I mess with essential oils a lot for various reasons, and I don't have sensitive skin, so for me I don't worry about it. But if you've got tender skin, an open wound, or aren't sure how tea tree will affect you, it's best to dilute it.