by corazon_de_oro » Fri Jun 29, 2012 10:29 pm
Dermal punches really aren't good for lobes because they remove tissue that you'll wish you had when you get to larger sizes. Punches are mainly for cartilage and things that are difficult to stretch. But you've already had it done, so I guess that doesn't matter, haha.
Why did they put in a taper? Did they stretch it more after it was punched? Tapers aren't suitable jewelry for any healing piercing or even a new stretch, so it's good that you switched to the tunnel.
Instead of using antibacterial soap to clean piercings, it's really best to soak them in a mixture of sea salt and water. Use no more than 1/4 teaspoon sea salt per one cup hot water, and soak your piercings for 5-10 minutes per day. Some people just prefer to leave their piercings alone and rinse them in the shower. Honestly, infections are very rare in piercings so you really don't want to over-clean them; it can be drying and cause irritation. What's in the solution your piercer gave you? If it's a saline solution like H2Ocean it's fine to use, but if it's something with harsh chemicals, avoid it.
You'll probably be healed enough to change the jewelry in about 8-12 weeks. That's to change to jewelry of the same size, not to stretch. If you plan on stretching any bigger, wait around 6 months.
It's not necessary to take out your jewelry when cleaning. Actually, it does more harm than good as you're disturbing healing tissue. Piercings prefer being left alone; make sure you never remove the jewelry or even twist/move it at all during the healing time.
I'm Lindsay.
I have 1/2" lobes and 11 piercings: left helix x2, both conches, both nostrils, septum, navel, and VCH.
My lobes are small but I know a lot about stretching and how to do it safely, so message me if you have any questions!