I'm pretty sure I just ruined my ears, help!

[soupedupvinyl]

So I bought some silicone earings from a gift shop called Spencer's, and wow, that was the worst idea ever. I had always gotten them online, but really liked these ones haha. I was a size 7/16, and now I'm really worried that my ears are going to close up.
I woke up at 3am this morning with both of my ears hurting so bad, one of the earings somehow managed to slip through half of my ear while the other was still in there. I popped both out to only have like a massive amount of bleeding. I had had no prior bleeding or trouble with my gauges and I'm so dissapointed, the one hole in the back is like swollen shut, my lobe is huge and red, and I have no cu-tips to swab it out and can't run out to the store because it's so late, not to mention I was supposed to get up at 530am for school. I'm just at a loss, I don't want to stick anything in there because it's scary swollen, n I guess that that's probably best as not to agitate it much, but should i put like a regular earing in there or something or just deal with my hole healing closed because of all the blood? Ew.
Any advice/help would be appreciated, thanks!!!

[StrickyCub]

If the silicone tunnels you bought were larger than the size you already have, then yes that's bad. You're not supposed to stretch using silicone, you're only supposed to wear it in a healed stretch.
If I were you I'd find the jewelery for your previous size and put that in if you can, if it's too swollen or hurts too much to put that in, then put in whatever jewelery fits the best without causing you too much pain (assuming you still have the jewelery from your previous sizes).

Do Sea Salt Soaks (1/8th to 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt with luke warm water). It will help to calm your ear down and ease some of the swelling, as well as drawing out any impurities or germs.

The thing with silicone is, like Acrylic, unless it's coated with medical grade stuff (like some of the Kaos Earskins on the Bodyartforms website) in fresh stretches it will absorb any germs and bacteria as well as bodily fluids, and this can cause irritations, swelling, bleeding and infection, as well as skin necrosis (in the most extreme cases).

I know it would be incredibly disappointing if you had to let your ears close up completely and then start again from scratch, so just take my advice and fit whatever goes in without pain or discomfort (it's going to be tender either way if your ears are blownout or torn).

As long as you baby your ear and take really good care of it, you shouldn't have to let your ears close up to fit regular jewelery. It will heal up with some TLC, and at least now you know not to use silicon in a fresh stretch.

~Zack

[soupedupvinyl]

Thanks, I had already had a 7/16 size that was totally healed up for 4 weeks, that's what I don't get. I think it may have been the material used, it's way less squishy that those kaos ones, I used one of those a while back.

I've been soaking it since I got up, but now I have to go to school from 6am to 6pm, so I'm not going to have much time to treat it.

I also can't get anything in either hole. It's just way too tender, bloody, and infected still. It'll probably be all closed up by the time i get back from school.

But I guess I'll see what happens, I just hope they're not ruined after previously not having any problems, it makes me so mad. But thanks again for the detailed help, I'm gonna try to deal with it when I get back, and hopefully all goes well....

[StrickyCub]

Yeah if you want silicone I'd only ever get the Kaos ones, from what I hear they're the most comfortable thing you could wear.

If you're on your way to school, then just shove a pair of regular earrings (like 16 or 18g) in there so the holes don't close up completely. If you soak them before you leave for school and when you get home it should be fine, you can't really be running off to the bathroom to do it in the middle of a class

Good luck and happy healing

~Zack

[soupedupvinyl]

I managed to get some 2g's in after a lot of soaking and massaging, my ears are still very red and nasty, but the swelling's gone down. I think they'll be ok after a hot shower tomorrow morning, thanks again for all the help.

[StrickyCub]

Having the smaller 2G jewellery in will really help speed up the healing, since it's quite a bit smaller than what you were at before. Plus it's important to have some jewelery in your lobes just in case they're infected, to stop them from closing up and trapping the infection inside.

Your ears are gonna be red and nasty looking for a while until they settle down, but since some of the swelling has gone down that's a good sign. Just keep them clean

And you're welcome xD

~Zack