I need help!! :S

[amayala]

Hi guys! I'm new to stretching... but I have done extensive research on the subject. I still need help (and a bit of reassurance) and of course I wish to become a part of this really cool community, so let me continue on...

I started out with my standard 20g ear piercings which i've had for many years, but i haven't been wearing earrings in them very often... two days ago, I very easily slid two filed down pieces of18g stainless steel wire (i'm impatient and didnt buy any stretching-related stuff at all YET) in so i didn't consider that stretching.. and i decided to move onto 16g (except that i actually can't tell if its 16g, or 14g, because i lost the tag on the spool of wire, ARGH)... problem with that being that i used two filed down wire hooks made with galvanized steel (i already know its bad for ears...), and they are STILL in. now... i have been disinfecting the area around the piercing 3 or 4 times daily, with Germ-Out, a hand disinfectant gel... and i have been rotating the earrings regularly. i am seeing nothing strange, except my right ear is slightly more swollen than my left because i had a tougher time stretching it than the left, but there is no redness, or swelling in other areas around it, no puss, no bleeding when i did the stretching or now...

the thing is... i haven't taken the wire out yet, and i really really want to, to give my piercings a relaxing and reassuringly disinfecting warm sea salt bath... but im afraid if i do take them out, i wont be able to get them back in without doing a lot more playing with them, and i dont want to play with them TOO much...

should i keep them in a little longer to ensure they wont close on me too much, or take them out to give sea salt baths regularly?

i know that galvy oxidizes especially with heat and/or moisture, which is bad for the skin.... ugh, i wish i had something better right now, but i have to wait for my paypal transfer!! it will be atleast 2-3 weeks til i can order something!

here is my main question: assuming i could get away with keeping galvy in my ears until i can order something better online, how long do you think would be safe and do you think i should do?

thanks!

[amayala]

Okay, i decided to do the safe thing and take them out... which is good because the galvanized steel was beginning to turn black on the part that was inside my lobe... ewww and there was the tiniest spot or two of blood because my lobes were starting to close in on the icky metal, which obviously doesn't help the healing process like gold does.

so i disinfected them both with sea salt water for 5 mins, then q-tip'd with Germ-Out, then put my standard sized gold earrings back in.

and now i think i shall do the smart thing and wait until i have the proper tools... it'll give them time to heal anyway! so i'll get 16g (just to be safe) and 14g stainless steel tapers and tunnels from ebay in a few weeks.

i guess i answered my own question lol i don't think the pain of an infection or the problems that come from a bad stretching is really worth it, all because i'm impatient lol

[joexxx]

If they were my ears, i would not leave the wire in.

Get a taper kit.

[joexxx]

People are very impatient in the beginning of their ear stretching process.

Im guilty of it too.. In the long run, so much better you and your ears to be patient

[amayala]

Thanks joexxx i do think you're right about people feeling impatient. you see a picture, and the result you desire, and you just want to achieve it as soon as you think it can be possible.

absolutely better to wait, i dont need to infect myself and then have to spend money on anti-biotics, not to mention, actually TAKE anti-biotics which is hard on the system. lol

[corazon_de_oro]

Stop putting all that stuff in your ears and get some real jewelry. Also, stop using the hand sanitizer and don't twist whatever you have in there. Sea salt soaks are great when you have a healing piercing but you shouldn't really need them (or anything else) for stretches if you wait long enough between them and don't tear your ears or anything.
Just get some jewelry in each size and stretch properly every 6-8 weeks. That's the best thing you can do for yourself.

[amayala]

Okay, thanks corazon_de_oro! i'll do that.

i really appreciate the advice! i'm feeling a lot better now.