Maintenance questions and concerns

[CrimsonChaos]

I got my ears pierced a twelve gauge by a professional back in October. I waited four months to start stretching and did a non iodized salt bath on my ears almost everyday. From early February up to now I am at a 2 gauge. I guess I'm wondering if I went to fast? I didn't skip any sizes. It did hurt a little bit stretching up each size but I would assume that's typical since you are in fact stretching your ears. Anyways my question is about maintenance. I stretched to a 2 yesterday and it hurt more than usual, is pretty swollen, and this time around I can't really even twist them in my ears since they hurt(stinging pain) to twist. So I'm wondering is my piercing fine? Should I bathe them in a salt water bath? Am I just over reacting? And then I just want some advice on maintaining the piercing as I don't plan to go any larger than where I am now. Thanks.

[corazon_de_oro]

Ideally you should wait about 6 months after a new piercing to do your first stretch and 6-8+ weeks between sizes after that. Stretching should never be painful or cause swelling.

My advice would be to go down at least one size and take some ibuprofen to reduce swelling. Also continue your sea salt soaks but make sure they're not too salty (no more than 1/4 teaspoon salt per one cup water). Don't twist/move the jewelry as that can cause irritation and make swelling and other issues worse.

[KAISERROLLS]

Ideally you should wait about 6 months after a new piercing to do your first stretch and 6-8+ weeks between sizes after that. Stretching should never be painful or cause swelling.

My advice would be to go down at least one size and take some ibuprofen to reduce swelling. Also continue your sea salt soaks but make sure they're not too salty (no more than 1/4 teaspoon salt per one cup water). Don't twist/move the jewelry as that can cause irritation and make swelling and other issues worse.

I totally agree with everything she has to say, I would also advise at least one size downsizing, if not two, I started stretching back in October also, and I'm only at an 8, but a 6 this weekend. Although it seems to me by the way you typed, you were pierced in October, and didn't start till February, so you stretched 10, 8, 6, and 4 in only a month? Thats where the bad comes in your going way to fast in my opinion, your probably going to see some cat butt, or thinning pretty soon. But hey, there your ears, do what you want, and have fun with it

[CrimsonChaos]

Yeah that makes a lot of sense. I bought some tea tree oil today and was massaging my ears a bit while the taper was still in. I was able to take both the tapers out. There was blood and puss in both lobes so that was definitely not a good sign. Anyways, they actually don't hurt as much now. I did a salt bath and rubbed a little more oil on them just a little bit ago and they feel pretty good right now. Do you think it would be okay to leave the 2's in?

Also no cat butthole lol. The left ear hole is perfectly circular although my right lobe is slightly oval shaped but still almost a perfect circle haha.

[ViolentJayne]

Yeah that makes a lot of sense. I bought some tea tree oil today and was massaging my ears a bit while the taper was still in. I was able to take both the tapers out. There was blood and puss in both lobes so that was definitely not a good sign. Anyways, they actually don't hurt as much now. I did a salt bath and rubbed a little more oil on them just a little bit ago and they feel pretty good right now. Do you think it would be okay to leave the 2's in?

Also no cat butthole lol. The left ear hole is perfectly circular although my right lobe is slightly oval shaped but still almost a perfect circle haha.

you shouldnt be using oils if there is any sign of blood or puss . oil is not meant to be used on open wounds as it can cause irritation or infection .. stick with the sea slat soaks and start the oil in a few weeks .. you really should downsize even if they look and feel ok .. this is why here is some advice from Pauly Unstoppable that I always like to pass along because he words it so clear and easy to understand why taking it slow is important " The general reasoning behind why you should wait a minimum of a month or so to stretch all boils down to collagen and skin elasticity. Sort of long story short when you stretch your ears you are stretching out the spaces between the collagen molecules of your ear skin, your body needs time to fill back in those gaps with more collagen, when you rush and stretch before your ear has had a chance to replace those molecules you then make the gaps bigger, in turn making the areas weaker and thinner, this is what causes thin spots and weak spots, that’s why it’s imperative you do not stretch faster than your ears want you to go, and you don’t skip sizes. In the same respect when you skip sizes you are stretching those spaces out so far it takes the body wayyy longer to fill them in and sometimes just can’t at all, which is again where you get thin spots. So take it from me take your time have patience and don’t skip sizes your ears will thank you for it and you will thank me later if you listen to me that is, but who am I just some crazy guy with a lot of shit in his face ha-ha"

also Id like to say that cat butt and thinning are not things you would be able to see this soon in you stretching journy ... cat butt and thinning are problems caused by fast stretching but they usually dont make themselves known for about a year or so , your ears may look ok now but Im positive that if you downsize a lil and restart very slowly your ears will continue to look good in the future .. but if you keep stretching at this p[ace you will have to retire your badly scared ears within a few years

Im not trying to jump on you or be rude , everyone starts stretching without knowing all there is to know and we learn as we go ..., Id just like to see you have the best outcome and going to fast will not give you the best outcome

[ViolentJayne]

Yeah that makes a lot of sense. I bought some tea tree oil today and was massaging my ears a bit while the taper was still in. I was able to take both the tapers out. There was blood and puss in both lobes so that was definitely not a good sign. Anyways, they actually don't hurt as much now. I did a salt bath and rubbed a little more oil on them just a little bit ago and they feel pretty good right now. Do you think it would be okay to leave the 2's in?

Also no cat butthole lol. The left ear hole is perfectly circular although my right lobe is slightly oval shaped but still almost a perfect circle haha.

you shouldnt be using oils if there is any sign of blood or puss . oil is not meant to be used on open wounds as it can cause irritation or infection .. stick with the sea slat soaks and start the oil in a few weeks .. you really should downsize even if they look and feel ok .. this is why here is some advice from Pauly Unstoppable that I always like to pass along because he words it so clear and easy to understand why taking it slow is important " The general reasoning behind why you should wait a minimum of a month or so to stretch all boils down to collagen and skin elasticity. Sort of long story short when you stretch your ears you are stretching out the spaces between the collagen molecules of your ear skin, your body needs time to fill back in those gaps with more collagen, when you rush and stretch before your ear has had a chance to replace those molecules you then make the gaps bigger, in turn making the areas weaker and thinner, this is what causes thin spots and weak spots, that’s why it’s imperative you do not stretch faster than your ears want you to go, and you don’t skip sizes. In the same respect when you skip sizes you are stretching those spaces out so far it takes the body wayyy longer to fill them in and sometimes just can’t at all, which is again where you get thin spots. So take it from me take your time have patience and don’t skip sizes your ears will thank you for it and you will thank me later if you listen to me that is, but who am I just some crazy guy with a lot of shit in his face ha-ha"

also Id like to say that cat butt and thinning are not things you would be able to see this soon in you stretching journy ... cat butt and thinning are problems caused by fast stretching but they usually dont make themselves known for about a year or so , your ears may look ok now but Im positive that if you downsize a lil and restart very slowly your ears will continue to look good in the future .. but if you keep stretching at this p[ace you will have to retire your badly scared ears within a few years

Im not trying to jump on you or be rude , everyone starts stretching without knowing all there is to know and we learn as we go ..., Id just like to see you have the best outcome and going to fast will not give you the best outcome

[CrimsonChaos]

Okay thank you for the advice

Also 2 gauge was my goal and I don't have any current plans to go any larger than this. I will downsize to my fours again and continue doing salt baths.

Once again I really appreciate your advise and I didn't take any of it offensively at all