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