lobe stretching

[jennifer]

i recently bought a pair of 4g doulbe flares. i was already at a 6g and have sucessfuly stretched my right ear and have the 4g in. on the other hand, i have stretched my left ear to a 4g. (of course i will have to go to a 2g to get the flare through) but my lobe is swollen. i have never had my ear swell while stretching and was just wondering, is it normal or should i be concerned?

jennifer

[The little frog Bubbles]

When i stretched mine they both got swollen. It took 2 or more weeks for it to go down. I just iced them and made sure to keep them clean. My ears are no longer stretched i ripped my right flesh tunnel out with a helmet 2 summers ago. (that was a mess) Im going to to do it again but they both needed time to heal.
Good luck.

[crimsonkiss.]

it should go away within a couple days.
when i stretched my ears only the first ear was swollen.
just be concerened if its still swollen in like two weeks time.
speaking of,
my i peirced my web by myself. i'd done it two previous times and it was fine.. but i started playing with it and it got swollen and hurt alot.
i took it out on new years eve, so thats over a week ago and its still swollen.
does anyone know if its alright; will it go back to normal?.
and will the hard peice of scar tissure stay like that.. or will it heal eventually?

[Ichigo]

My ear has gotten swollen before, and other people I know have had the same experience. I think it's a normal thing.

[Jax]

Lobes should defineately NOT swell if done properly! Swelling means your ears were not ready to stretch, or you have gone too big for what your ear has the capability for at one time and have gone too fast. Going from a 6 to a 2 just to get the flares in is BAD for your ears. I recommend when stretching always get a single flair, so you dont have to go through so much trauma and pain.

I also do not recommend home piercings. For crimsonkiss, you will more than likely always have that scar tissue now. You might get lucky and the scar tissue may break down and get smaller, but having done it so many times, its not likely. You might have an infection. Go to a professional and have them look at it.

Please guys, if you dont know 100% what youre doing, go to a professional.

[adorn_shadow]

Jax rules for peircing info!
BTW my ears are all nice and purty now, they stopped pussing and shit.

I finally got them from the 12 guage to the 2 i was looking for without pain, blood, or even a burning sensation.
I have a question for you though if I wanted to stretch them out a bit more with plugs is teflon tape a good idea? I heard it is fine cuz you can put just a ittl on and its sterile, however will it seal in all kinds of bad stuff?

[Jax]

Lol, thats good to know;] Next time for a jump like that if you REALLY want to jump that big, go have them scalpeled;] Itll make your ears MUCH more even.

I have had no problems at all with teflon. Its some tricky stuff though. Last I heard, teflon tape is a porous material and will seal in EVERYTHING, good and bad. Which makes your ear 'stick' to it. You cannot take them out or move them around until it is fully healed, or you will tear off all the new cell growth. I never used teflon tape, as I always recommend stretching when your ear tells you its ready. Your ears may not be pussing and whatnot now, but I can almost guarantee they are not ready for you to keep going. Unless you want to risk blow out and tears. Do the teflon slowly, only adding a layer or two every 5-7 days.

[jennifer]

i have had my 6g for over a year, so by playing with them a bit, a 4g is not much of a stretch. all my piercings have been done by a professional, except this stretch. i am using a taper and there doesn't seem to be an infection...no bleeding or gunk, no pain...just never had them swell...it isnt huge, just bigger than normal...

jennifer

[Jax]

i have had my 6g for over a year, so by playing with them a bit, a 4g is not much of a stretch. all my piercings have been done by a professional, except this stretch. i am using a taper and there doesn't seem to be an infection...no bleeding or gunk, no pain...just never had them swell...it isnt huge, just bigger than normal...

jennifer

What did you use to lube the taper up to stretch with? Swelling isnt normal, what youre probably experiencing is your skin bunching up around the jewelry until it settles. Lol, thats the easiest way to describe it.

[Morning Glory]

if you are in such a hurry to get the "look" you want it seems to me that you're trying to please other people and not yourself. Like jax said If you don't know what you're doing then don't do it, and if you really do care about doing something, then take the time to learn about it first.

[jennifer]

just wondering exactly what "look" you were refering to? i didn't know people piercied or stretched their ears to impress others...definatly doesn't impress me...

[crimsonkiss.]

I also do not recommend home piercings. For crimsonkiss, you will more than likely always have that scar tissue now. You might get lucky and the scar tissue may break down and get smaller, but having done it so many times, its not likely. You might have an infection. Go to a professional and have them look at it.

Please guys, if you dont know 100% what youre doing, go to a professional.

Esh.
i have a tendanCy to do self peircings that i dont know anything about.
*blush*
but thats the only one thats fucked up.
and twas only that time.
right.
but bad idea.

[adorn_shadow]

Teflon has been working i started with two wraps around my talon, its been about a wek now i am going to take that off and put 3 wraps on this time. yay!I want plugs that i can have a live gold fish inside!

[bre.star]

hrmm since Jax seems to be of peircing expertise, i have a question i have had my ears at 00g for well over half a year (i dont plan on stretching them anymore), and i was wondering what i can do to eliminate the aweful stench. i used to use neosporin on my ears but i was told that it is moisture that causes the ear to smell. so these days i just clean the white crap off my plugs with a tissue to keep them dry, but they still smell. what do you suggest is a good cleaning practice to eliminate the smell?

[Morning Glory]

just wondering exactly what "look" you were refering to? i didn't know people piercied or stretched their ears to impress others...definatly doesn't impress me...

exactly, so there's no point in rushing it, unless you're in a hurry for something, which would be to impress someone. that's the "look' I'm refering to.

[Jax]

hrmm since Jax seems to be of peircing expertise, i have a question i have had my ears at 00g for well over half a year (i dont plan on stretching them anymore), and i was wondering what i can do to eliminate the aweful stench. i used to use neosporin on my ears but i was told that it is moisture that causes the ear to smell. so these days i just clean the white crap off my plugs with a tissue to keep them dry, but they still smell. what do you suggest is a good cleaning practice to eliminate the smell?

You will never eliminate the smell. Thats one of the fun parts to having stretched anything;] Ive actually grown quite find to the smell, as has many of the people I know. We call it ear cheese. lol. I have my septum at a 6g, and it stinks to high heaven, and never has NOT had a smell. No piercer I know has gotten their smell to go away either.

Its another one of those things that sucks when it comes to modification;]

[Jax]

just wondering exactly what "look" you were refering to? i didn't know people piercied or stretched their ears to impress others...definatly doesn't impress me...

Im confused...if it doesnt impress you, why are you doing it?

[Jax]

Teflon has been working i started with two wraps around my talon, its been about a wek now i am going to take that off and put 3 wraps on this time. yay!I want plugs that i can have a live gold fish inside!

I shudder at that thought. Poor goldfish. How in the hell are you going to feed it? Thats just as dumb (IMO) as people who put live animals in their boot platforms.

[Tequila Zaire]

I shudder at that thought. Poor goldfish. How in the hell are you going to feed it? Thats just as dumb (IMO) as people who put live animals in their boot platforms.

I'm no great animal lover but that's just sadistic...and not in the fun way.

[Jax]

I'm no great animal lover but that's just sadistic...and not in the fun way.

Agreed!

[bre.star]

You will never eliminate the smell. Thats one of the fun parts to having stretched anything;] Ive actually grown quite find to the smell, as has many of the people I know. We call it ear cheese. lol. I have my septum at a 6g, and it stinks to high heaven, and never has NOT had a smell. No piercer I know has gotten their smell to go away either.

Its another one of those things that sucks when it comes to modification;]

ear cheese! hehe i love it! <3 hehe! i myself have gotten used the smell... its fun to touch my ears and ask someone to "smell my finger!" hehe... i just never want anyone to nibble at my ears because they might taste my 'ear cheese'

[adorn_shadow]

I shudder at that thought. Poor goldfish. How in the hell are you going to feed it? Thats just as dumb (IMO) as people who put live animals in their boot platforms.

Yeah i must agree, me and my GF have like 11 or 12 fish, i dont know how many and to think of them in bots makes me squemish, let alone in my ears!

[SerialLover]

i recently bought a pair of 4g doulbe flares. i was already at a 6g and have sucessfuly stretched my right ear and have the 4g in. on the other hand, i have stretched my left ear to a 4g. (of course i will have to go to a 2g to get the flare through) but my lobe is swollen. i have never had my ear swell while stretching and was just wondering, is it normal or should i be concerned?

jennifer

I had my ears stretched from a 4 to a 0. So ofcourse my ears were swollen. But you shouldn't worry. Up until that point I was doing all my stretching myself. I also suggest not wearing acrylics for long periods of time. They can splinter of in your ears and cause major problems.

[23*]

can anyone explain this whole gauge thing to me?.....I'm interested.

[Jax]

I had my ears stretched from a 4 to a 0. So ofcourse my ears were swollen. But you shouldn't worry. Up until that point I was doing all my stretching myself. I also suggest not wearing acrylics for long periods of time. They can splinter of in your ears and cause major problems.

Actually acrylic splintering isnt an issue. Acrylic is porous, which means itll cause your ear fluids (bad and good) to get trapped in the material, causing your ear to 'stick' to the jewelry. Infection is a high possibility, and if you move the jewelry youll tear any healing tissues. Not good. Same with bone and organic materials. You only want to use these types of jewelry once your ears are completely healed.

[Jax]

can anyone explain this whole gauge thing to me?.....I'm interested.

Guage is a measurement of the circumference of the jewelry. Its different here than in england (for example). They go by actual units of measurements.

[adorn_shadow]

Alrighty I;ve got a question, I've got 2 gauge acrylics in right now, however i dont think my ears are completly healed over yet. I can stretch them quite a bit without a burning sensation however when i take my jewlery out on the very inside i can still see red fleshy shit i guess. It doesnt hurt to put the jewlery in or take out however I would really like to avoid infection so i have been taking them out cleaning them with peroxide diluted with water and then putting them back in. Bad idea good idea... any other advice on something to use while it is still healing up?

[jennifer]

i used dial soap for my jewelry and salt water soaks on my ear..well really rinses. i don't think i had an infection. but one ear was a little swollen and when i used the salt water, the swelling went away.

[adorn_shadow]

Salt water eh...l ill hav to give that a try, ive ben using peroxide and goats milk soap.

[pagan]

I advise against soap or peroxide for any piercing. You don't want to kill healthy cells. Salt water solution works well. (sea salt) like H2Ocean or similar products. I make body jewelry for a living and hear tons of horror stories, please be safe and clean everyone. Also I would only use acrylics on healed piercings.

[Kidthorazine]

acording to every peircing person ive talked to the best stuff to use for cleaning to prevent infection is band-aid brand antesepctic rinse also its cheap and has some pain reliever stuff in it as well

[pagan]

Granted I am kind of bias because our booth was across from theirs and I know the owners and they are sooo nice but, please check out:
www.h2ocean.com

I stand by their product.

[Jax]

Granted I am kind of bias because our booth was across from theirs and I know the owners and they are sooo nice but, please check out:
www.h2ocean.com

I stand by their product.

Was this at the tat convention in Pomona recently? My ex Steve and his crew ran the booths there.

[pagan]

It was the Woodstock convention, I saw your pics on the facial piercing thread though. I bet we know similar people. I don't want to say the name of my employer on here but Im sure you know of us. send me a message if your curious...Nice to meet you Jax and maybe we'll cross paths someday at a convention.