Friday June 6th, 2008 @ 7:46 PM
Filed under: Ear
First i would like to say that I know this would be easier if I had a pic I could show you… but my cam isn’t working..
Last night my 00g was really sore so i took out the double flare titanium tube i had in it and imedietly after it was out my lobe got verry sore and a little red.. the hole has almost completly closed now… I would say its maybe a 10g now, and its only been a little over 12 hours. its now overly red or sore anymore, but the hole is still shrunk.
How can i save it? do you think there could be an infection causing it?
Oh and so you know I havent done any stretching lately, its been about 2 years since i reached 00g and i had it to 0g for about 3 years before that.
Thanks for your time..
Stretched lobes can be temperamental at times. Sometimes changes in the weather, being a little run-down or even getting a hair caught can cause a stretched piercing to flare up. Sometimes they get pissy for no obvious reason. You did right to take out the jewellery. I would keep the jewellery out until it is back to being all nice and healthy and then stretch up again from whatever size jewellery your rested lobe will accomodate comfortably. In the meantime, do twice daily seasalt soaks - especially if it is weeping and once the lobe is dry, try massaging it every other day with something like Holey Butt’r (my personal favourite - I should get commission!!) and you will be back up to your normal size in no time. Be patient. Don’t rush. Don’t hurt it. Give it the baby treatment.
+3 / 3 votes 
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Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | 1 Comment
Thursday June 5th, 2008 @ 11:17 PM
Filed under: Ear
i’ve got quite a bit of scarring on the back of my right conch. its stretched to 6mm as is my left. i never had any problems with scarring on my left conch and i can’t understand why its happened.
i stretched it slowly as i did with my left conch. ive been using emu oil on it but the scarring won’t go down.
have you got any suggestions as to how i can make it go away?
helen.
Cartilage can be a fickle and unpredictable mistress when it comes to both piercing and stretching. The fundamental reason this happened is because the piercing on that side of your head is irritated/traumatized/mad. Exactly why that is could be a bit difficult to pin-point.
However, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find out that you sleep on that side more often and/or use the phone on that side more often. Those sorts of things cause additional irritation, which can cause scar tissue build-up. It’s also possible that the cartilage tissue on that ear is reacting differently to the stretching…just because. That probably sounds lame, but the human body is a mysterious thing.
While you may not want to do this, downsizing one or two sizes might help the scar tissue go away. Scar tissue usually forms because your body is irritated…it’s how your body protects itself from irritation. If you remove the source of irritation, often the scar tissue will go away…or at least decrease. Emu oil and things of that nature may help reduce the scarring, but very often they are only a temporary fix if you don’t address the actual problem.
Best of luck.
+2 / 4 votes 
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Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | 1 Comment
Wednesday June 4th, 2008 @ 1:58 AM
im looking into geting my cartilage stretched on my left ear where i already have a 1.6mm stud that ive had for a few years. any tips on the best way to do it as im having trouble finding a guide and the studio’s in my area say the best way is to have a dermal punch which im not too keen on.
thanks,
max.
Depending on the size you’re interested in getting to Max might dictate what is ideal and what is not ideal. As with stretching ear cartilage there is a lot more that can go wrong, then say just stretching an ear lobe.
I’d advise you to check out this previous question: http://ask.bmezine.com/2008/05/27/cartilage/.
Know that if you ARE going to stretch your ear cartilage I strongly advise you to do so slowly, wait YEARS and be very careful…Because with this its not just about causing a tear in the fistula, but more so causing a spider fracture(s) in the cartilage itself.
+4 / 4 votes
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Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | 4 Comments
Sunday June 1st, 2008 @ 3:06 AM
Filed under: Ear
I went today to get my tragus pierced. I asked the guy who was doing my piercing if there was any way he could do it w/ a labret stud instead of a CBR. He said he could but b/c of the flat back pushing into the back and the ball on the front, the piercing would not be able to drain properly. My question is was he just bullshitting me or what?
I wouldn’t use such a harsh word as “bullshitting” but more so that they are just misinformed. If the right length is utilized the stud will most definitely allow for easy drainage of the piercing. Not only that but it reduces the amount of irritation that occurs normally with CBR’s as they often rotate in and out of the piercing dragging bacteria that can collect on the outer portions of the ring.
But yeah they aren’t technically “bullshitting” but more so they are just not informed and/or never even tried using a labret stud in that specific piercing. That or they just aren’t doing the research well enough because many reputable artists have been using labret studs in tragus piercings for quite a few years now, problem free.
So maybe just ask them to try or perhaps visit a different artist(s) for second, third, forth,etc opinions.
0 / 0 votes 
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Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | Comments
Tuesday May 27th, 2008 @ 6:50 PM
Filed under: Ear
In a few months I’m going to get my tragus pierced but I want to be as informed as possible before getting it done. I dont know whether to use a ring or a bar as my starter jewelry. I really want a ring but I heard they make the healing process more difficult. Is this true? I’m willing to settle on a bar if it means that there’s a better chance of avoiding complications.
As with many piercings, a barbell is going to be the best option for a tragus piercing. A barbell is going to get caught on fewer things, get moved around less and have less pressure put on it than a ring will. This is going to result in a piercing that is more-comfortable and heals faster. You shouldn’t have any problems changing your jewelry to a ring once the piercing is healed.
+1 / 1 votes
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Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | Comments
Tuesday May 27th, 2008 @ 4:13 AM
Filed under: Ear
Hi,
I stretched my lobes to 6g approximately half a year ago and figured that I was ready to move up. I recently purchased a quality pair of 4g spring loaded CBRs but can’t get them through through the fistula. The ends, as you know, are very different from the standard CBR. I’ve tried twice in 4 days without any success.
Does this kind of jewelry require my lobes to already sit at a larger gauge or am I missing something? Is there anything else I could do?
Correspondence is appreciated!
The other thing you can do, is simply wait longer. As sometimes the body just needs longer time to become more relaxed and uniformed to slide another larger size in. If the jewelry isn’t going in, don’t force it. Massage your lobes in a warm/hot shower and even try to perhaps use some Vit. E, Neem Oil, Jojoba Oil based products, personally Neem Oil works very well on relaxing and loosening up my lobes.
Continue doing these two methods until when you gently tug down on the jewelry in your lobe and if you can see a little bit of light through the lobe, attempt to slide the jewelry through. If it does not work, give it more time.
+2 / 2 votes
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Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | 2 Comments
Tuesday May 27th, 2008 @ 4:08 AM
Filed under: Ear
a few questions, if you dont mind =]
is it possible to stretch a cartilage piercing?
does cartilage heal back or does the skin close the hole up but theres always a gap in the cartilage?
does the needle take a section of flesh out or just push it aside?
thankyou, im a bit confused! =]
Yes its possible to stretch cartilage piercings however the main concern is how much stress is applied to the cartilage when you stretch it. What can occur later on eventually is distortion and even stress/spider cracks within the cartilage as it makes an attempt to relieve the pressure that has been applied via stretching.
Cartilage does not grow back, the only thing that can possibly heal back together is the skin once the jewelry is removed. Even then its also in relation to how long you kept the piercing, how healed the fistula is,etc.
A proper piercing with a proper needle will/should not core out tissue. Instead with a proper needle and the proper speed in which to pass the needle through the body, the needle makes an incision and then tapers its way through thus displacing(pushing it aside) the tissue as it cuts its way through the skin.
+4 / 4 votes
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Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | 4 Comments
Tuesday May 27th, 2008 @ 3:52 AM
Filed under: Ear
I got my lobes pierced with a gun three months ago, it was the starter earring, I think it was 24 gauge or something. Now at this point in time I stretched out my lobes to an 8 gauge and I was just wondering if there is any possible danger in going from a 24 gauge to an 8 gauge in less then half a year? Also I can’t seem to fit any single flare or cylinder type of jewelery into my ear, it seems that the only thing that will fit into my lobes are these horn type of earrings, that start off small then they gradually get bigger and bigger, till they stop at an 8 gauge. Last question, when I remove the earrings and I look at the piercing there is a small discolored circle of skin where the hole is at, is that normal, or is that a miniature blowout?
Stop what you’re doing immediately yes this is by far way too fast to be stretching your lobes and yes the discoloration you’re seeing is quite possibly the result of stretching too fast, as you’ve created a lot of scar tissue via tearing the lobes with each stretch you’ve done.
If you would take a moment and search AskBME for lobe stretching advice you’ll find a fountain of knowledge on the do’s and do not’s of stretching your lobes.
My advice to you, in the simplest and purest form, is to stop using organic jewelry and to only use Steel, Titanium or Pyrex jewelry and to stop stretching your ears until you’re properly educated/informed on how to stretch your lobes. Ideally you’ll might even need to remove the jewelry you have in let your lobes relax at a more comfortable size and not consider stretching your ears again for a good 1-2 years.
+4 / 8 votes
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Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | 4 Comments
Wednesday May 21st, 2008 @ 7:40 AM
Filed under: Ear
I am wishing to downsize for the purpose of gaining more tissue for further stretching i have dropped from 5/8th/9/16th to 9mm, is this gonna be beneficial i went from really heavy Blackline plugs, to stainless steel single flair eyelets. Or should i downsize more? I have NO blow outs or very much thinning just when i put 5/8ths plugs in they seem very thin, so i have decided to downsize, Thanks for any help.
Although my lobes aren’t massive per se (22mm at their largest), I periodically remove the jewellery for a couple of weeks at a time and massage my lobes with my favourite ear product - Holey Butt’r (although a good quality vitamin E oil will also be beneficial) - and then stretch back up from where is comfortable. This gives my ears a break and the massages help stimulate the blood supply whilst the Holey Butt’r moisturises and softens the skin. Also, when you get to your desired size, leave the jewellery out overnight.
You say you have nice, healthy blow-out-free lobes, which leads me to believe that you live by the mantra - slow, steady stretching without skipping sizes - already. Keep that in mind, give your ears the TLC treatment and you’re doing good.
+5 / 9 votes
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Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | Comments
Saturday May 17th, 2008 @ 1:22 PM
Filed under: Ear
Hi.
A year and a half ago, in September 2006, I had my helix gunned at 16g. (Stupid, I know. Spare me the lecture.) It healed up fine, it hasn’t given me any trouble since, and it’s been healed for more than a year now. However, the fistula is extremely thick; it extends about 1mm out of the ear and looks disgusting! I’ve tried sea salt soaks and tea tree oil, but no improvements. How can i get rid of it? (I’m having the same trouble with my DIY lobe piercing as well.)
Thanks a lot.
As requested, I’ll save you the lecture. 
The extended “fistula” that you are referring to is most likely some hypertrophic scarring on the piercing. This type of scar tissue is common with piercings (and other wounds) where there is a lot of mechanical irritation. Given the less-than-ideal nature of the way the ear piercing gun does the piercing, as well as the often less-than-spectacular jewelry that goes into the piercing…scarring like this is not uncommon with cartilage piercings done with ear piercings. (Simmer down…not lecturing…just explaining).
There are a variety of things you can try to reduce the scar tissue.
You should be able to find a few different types of scar-reduction products at your local pharmacy. These products claim to reduce scarring…and I have seen them work well for some people…not so well for others. Some people take a more “homemade” approach to things and they will massage the area with things like Vitamin E oil or extra virgin olive oil. The act of physically massaging it can help break up the scar tissue, making it easier for your body to re-absorb it. The various oils can, for some people, help break up the scar tissue even more.
Best of luck.
+6 / 6 votes
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Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | 1 Comment
