Stretching from 18g

[elclipo]

I started stretching, slowly, from 18g a couple of years back. After 8g I started using tape to stretch rather than using tapers. It worked well until I was at 6g going to 4g. It bled a bit so I took the tape off, went back to 6g for a month tried again and it worked well. I made it to 4g. After about two months there I lost my right plug, went on a trip for work, took the other one off and it all went back down to 18g.

Now I'm starting again. I made it to 8g pretty easy within 2 weeks. I then used loop tapers to go to 4g. They were not perfectly round, more like oval shaped a bit. Put them in (not all the way) and used the retainer rings to hold it. That night I was able to put in my left straight plug (round) but my right bled a bit.

That's where my question comes in. I found instructions regarding using sea salt warm water solution to help the ear heal. I didn't want to go all the way back to 18g yet again so I put in my 10g after 30 mins of soaking (I used a cotton ball not dunking it in the water). So far I think I did things right but I want to make sure that, putting earrings back in was the right move or if I sohould have let it heal first and thus having to start from 18g again.

Sorry for the length, here's some Cliffs:
-stretched to 6g
-bled a bit when stretching ot 4g
-lost a plug so went back down to 18g
-stretching again
-up to 8g, bled going to 6g
-back to 10g

Was putting in 10g after bleeding a good idea or should I have left them out to heal?

[twosharks]

Putting in smaller jewelry is good, as a precaution. It wouldn't hurt to go to even 12g or 14g for faster healing, but down to 18g isn't really necessary. Smaller jewelry will help it heal faster, but any jewelry helps ensure that if all goes wrong and you get an infection, then there's an open path for drainage of pus and whatnot. It's a worst case scenario, but a good reason to never leave an irritated piercing totally naked. As long as the jewelry is appropriate for a new piercing, you'll be ok.

Now that you're using saline soaks, let them relax and heal for a few months. Baby them, and when they're totally healed start daily oil massages if you're not doing them. Then start taping back through each size, and probably you should give them more time between sizes this time around, since they're been through some unpleasantness.

[elclipo]

I am doing oil massages twice a day actually. Not so much the saline. I did the saline the firt couple of days and that was it. I am definitelly giving it plenty of time this time around. I want to make sure the process is done right. I am usually impatient but I am definitely going to be patient this time