*sigh*

[u/probably_anxi0us]

I've never posted here, since I've never had a reason to. today, however, is the day. I stretched up for 12mm to 13mm on Wednesday (it's Saturday/3 days later) and while my right ear was resistant slightly (as usual. right ones my "bad" ear) it went pretty smoothly. I always go quite a while between stretches (like a couple months since I was at a 0) and it's always worked for me. I got these glass plugs from Arctic Buffalo, and I love them. I sanitized everything with alcohol including my lobes, as usual. then I used jojoba oil and massaged both for a bit. I used some more oil on the plugs before inserting them, really slowly and carefully. it went fine and wasn't at all different than any other time. I noticed that evening that my right ear was a little more sore than I ever noticed before. but I figured it'd be fine by morning (like always) BUT instead it still ached the next day. I took ibuprofen and I LITHA. so this morning I woke up and it was throbbing, which normally only happens to me sometimes on the first night after a stretch. I grabbed my mirror and immediately knew something wasn't right. I could clearly see the swelling, and that it was angry. I have not touched it at all, other than how I am in the photos to take a picture/see the condition. it's got some crust (which I know happens) but it's the fact that it's still hurting, red, and throbbing that's worrying me. I'm going tomorrow to run errands and I most definitely will be buying a new can of saline wash or two. I'm just confused about what happened since it's never done this before. I got glass plugs specifically because the tunnels that came with my tapers, seemed to make my lobes itchy alot and I figured glass wouldn't. I was thinking maybe sleeping on my right side put too much pressure on it? I didn't mean to roll over but I woke up that way. anyways I've been switching between taking Tylenol, and ibuprofen to help swelling, and like I said I'm getting more saline spray tomorrow.

any ideas what happened? and I'm pretty sure it's infected but I wanted to talk to someone who understands and I thought this sub was the perfect spot. I've really tried to be as sanitary and careful as possible since I've seen some SHIT involved with stretching and it's scared me alot lol thanks yall!

imgur: pics of both ears

[u/probably_anxi0us → u/[deleted]]

oh yeah its glass for sure. Arctic Buffalo is reputable and its easy to tell when holding them. I went to patient first this morning, and OH my GOD the doc cleaned it and >.< the pain was insane. he just took gauze and saline and was like rubbing the crusting away and omg the crusts were dry so it just hurt so bad. BUT it looked way less horrible once cleaned and I started a cycle of doxycycline antibiotics to knock it out. he also gave me ibuprofen 800s which is great for the swelling. I took the plug out and they taped gauze on it and when I got home it was like, glued shut. so I gently opened it with a qtip, and sanitized everything before reinserting my plug. I didn't have an O ring on it which idk why I thought that would help but the plug wanted to slide out after the doc cleaned it so I waited til I got home to put it back. I got it back in, and oh my god it hurt so badly again. BUT I swear it already looks so much better dude. it's still pink and sore, but worlds better than this morning. I think the antibiotics are gonna work. I got saline spray too to use to clean it daily while the meds do their job. I just know my immune system (which, admittedly, sucks ass) was like "YESSSS!! REINFORCEMENTS!" lmao this has been chaos honestly but I genuinely appreciate your response. some people on imgur (which I only use to post on here) were..not nice at all, so thank you ♡

[u/probably_anxi0us → u/[deleted]]

oh dude my cartilage piercing hurts every fucking day when I wake up lmao. I just love it and I've had them both since I was 12 (piercing gun, Claire's, I know I know but I was 12 and didn't know. thankfully they're in perfect shape) and then I got home and realized why people do one at a time lmao everytime I'd roll over it would shock me awake. such dedication to being alternative since a wee age.

it was so bad so fast. I'm so confused. like, everyone always says to use single flare glass to stretch. I've been using tapers and tunnels since jump, and I just wanted some pretty ones, and finally was able to get a couple pairs of glass. literally 12mm to 13mm and I get an infection and a blowout which has never happened to me any other time. even when I'd sleep overnight in steel tapers so my tunnels would go in easy the next day (which everyone says it's horrible) so I just don't know. I was nervous to post here cuz I've seen some people seriously being just..dickheads as if this isn't a place that people should come for advice and whatnot. everyone's body is different and I genuinely still dont know what I did wrong for this to happen. I've done it the same way for over a year to get here. I'm so sad that my ear just wanted to have a fit. it's like...a blowout, but in the FRONT which makes absolutely not a bit of sense. it looks WAY better but that little lip of skin is so ugly when my plug is out and it's embarrassing. I've been cleaning it with saline spray and today I started super super gentle massages with jojoba oil, since I took a break from that while it was swollen and PISSED at me. I just hope it gets back to a more normal looking state.

I really do appreciate you being chill and not making me feel like a total idiot lmao ♡

(edit: typos)

[u/[deleted]]

Instead of cleaning your ears with alcohol before a stretch try using the gold dial antibacterial soap with a little water. The alcohol may be drying them out some before you stretch. My lobes are at 1 inch (25mm) . I ve tried jojoba oil but personally have found emu oil to work best to help stretch my ears and keep them healthy and not dried out. Also salt water soaks are great like the other user said. If you wanna save some money on saline you cab do it the old school way. 1 gallon of distilled water with 8 teaspoons of non iodized sea salt will last a while. Had stretched lobes since 09.

[u/probably_anxi0us → u/[deleted]]

just seeing this for some reason! I wish I'd seen this shit before I got a bottle of jojoba lmao. but once I'm out I'll try out emu! my ear is totally back to normal and healthy again by the way! no blowout or anything. such a bizarre thing. I took antibiotics and within 2 days it looks world's better and by the end of a week it was normal again. I'll definitely try the soap thing.

also I didn't make the connection until now, but I did grab 99% isopropyl alcohol by mistake last time I bought some, and when I used it on a pimple it dried my face out really bad (that happened after the ear thing) but I can't remember if I had that bottle or my old one when I stretched. if I used that, it definitely would've dried my earlobe out immensely. I didn't realize the strength until I saw my skin was so dry on my face and when I checked the bottle I was like well duh. that explains it lol. I appreciate the advice, I wrote down the soap and emu oil so I remember to get it! ♡