Sore lobe!!

[Jingle Bells]

Hi everyone.

Just need some advice....

I waited six week before stretching up from a 2.5 to a 3mm surgical stainless steel plug. I warmed and manipulated my lobe before hand so the stretch would be easier etc. The plug went in fine but did pinch a little more than usual. It's been four days now and it is all swollen/ red and warm.

I have been doing sss twice a day.

This morning I took it out the plug and the surrounding area looks fine but when I gently squeezed the lobe there was discharge uhhhh

So I have downsized back to 2mm plug and sss this morning.

Is there anything else I should do and is it ok to leave a 2mm in?

Thank for the advice.

Jingle Bells.

[StrickyCub]

You shouldn't have been taking out the jewellery at all after stretching, not until it's healed up after a few weeks anyway.
If you've been taking out the jewellery every day since stretching, this could be causing irritation and swelling.

"Discharge" is relatively normal, it's dead skin particles that get trapped in your ear and have no where else to go, so they stay in there until you clean your ear and take the jewellery out. It's also referred to as ear cheese.

It could also be a tear, but since you didn't mention there being any blood, it's most likely that your ear is just irritated. Downsizing is a good idea, let it calm down a bit and take painkillers for the swelling and discomfort, try stretching again in a month or so.

Also, tugging gently on your jewellery everyday (not just before the stretch) is the best way to loosen up your lobe before the next stretch.

[Jingle Bells]

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

I do not take the plugs out at all once fresh stretched, not til today.

The lobe is really swollen and sore. The discharge that I squeezed out was puss and the lobe is infected. I went to the Doctor today and she told me to take it out and wash it with antiseptic!!!! Which I am not so sure is a great idea.

When I did the stretch there was no blood But a possible tear I think.

I thought I had downsized to a 2mm but It is a 2.5mm, shall I downsize to a 2mm?

Thanks for the advice

[StrickyCub]

You're right to not want to take the jewellery out if you have been diagnosed with an infection. If you take it out, there's a chance the hole could close up and trap the infection inside.

If your ear feels fine at 2.5mm then I wouldn't worry about going down to 2mm, although the less pressure that's on your lobe the better. Have you been prescribed antibiotics?

It's possible you might have had a small tear, but if you didn't have any blood it probably wasn't a very big one. Did you make sure you cleaned everything thoroughly before you stretched? It could have even been that your jewellery had contaminants on them that got into the micro-tears caused when stretching.

You need to be very careful of this, make sure everything has been sterilized or at the very least washed thoroughly with antibacterial soap beforehand.

Just keep up with the SSS, don't take the jewellery out like the doctor told you to, and wash it with antibacterial soap while you're in the shower.

Hope your ear heals up quickly

[Jingle Bells]

Hi

A big thank you for your reply and help

I did think that if the hole closed up before the infection had time to clear up, there would be a strong possibility of infection being trapped hmmmm not a great thing.
No meds were given and was just told to use antiseptic solution......don't think so as that would burn like a B...h

I clean my plugs with antibacterial soap, rinse'd off and then soaked in boiling water. Hand are washed before doing anything with my lobes prior stretching. So as my cleaning routine is top notch I can only think that I inflicted a small tear!

I will chalk this one up to experience and be a little more aware that maybe my lobes need more time than most.

Thanks for the replies....very much appreciated from a newby

[StrickyCub]

Indeed everyone's ears are different, although I'm kind of appalled that your doctor didn't give you antibiotics if they were sure you had an infection.

I hope your ears heal up, let us know how it goes