Well, let me start by saying that my name is Travis, and I live in a small, narrow-mindedly conservative town in Upper Michigan - Escanaba. I'm currently a 16 year old junior at Escanaba Public High School, and have recently gotten very interested and active in body modification. I now have a single 4ga. hole in my left lobe, but I'm not here to describe the entire process, simply provide some "words of wisdom," if you will, into how NOT to stretch your lobe(s).
At A Glance Author Travis Contact Travis@bme.anon When A month ago Artist My ignorant self Studio An unsanitary public restroom Location Escanaba, Michigan On December 23rd, I received a christmas gift from a family member that I've wanted for a long time, and had previously talked my mom into - a single ear piercing. I'm sure when I initially asked to get it done, my mom had no clue that I really intended to stretch it, particularly because I could visualize her response in my head. (Something along the lines of "only freaks and wack-jobs do that african crap!"). So anyhow, I received the money, and packed my mom, and a close friend into the car for a jaunt to the arguably best piercing/tattoo shop in my town - Ink Supremacy. I was informed in private that if I wanted to stretch I would have to start with a 12-14ga. hole and work my way down, because I don't exactly have the largest lobes. I agreed to 14 and was given the run-around about being careful, only stretch with surgical steel, don't wear acrylic on a regular basis, ect. ect. Most of this information was already known by me because I opted to research a ton before hand. So anyway - the piercing goes off without a hitch, besides a minor error when he couldn't close the CBR, nearly ripping my lobe off (not literally, but it felt damn near), and I was sent home with aftercare instructions and a 14ga. CBR in my newly pierced lobe.
Of course, I immediately caught the lobe stretching bug, and began chomping at the bit to get it done. After about 2 1/2 weeks, I was convinced that the piercing was healed (I really think it was), and began searching online for tapers/plugs/ect., but was told by my mom that she wasn't about to use her credit card to "mutilate my son." So that was shot, but luckily I'm in touch with multiple people also very into body modification and found a friend of mine who was willing to lend me an 8ga. taper/plug for as long as I needed because she'd let her gauges close a while back. I was overjoyed beyond belief, and the next day sitting on my desk in english was a pink taper and a black plug, both acrylic.
Sitting in class nearly drooling was enough for me to make a very stupid decision that cost me alot of pain, aspirin, and blood. I signed out of class that day, convinced that plug would be in my ear by the end of class.
So I signed out and could have sprinted to the bathroom I was so excited. I got into the bathroom, and noticed there was no soap in the dispenser, so I began to run the hot water, yet another highly stupid move. I'm almost sure she sterilized them to a level, but I can guarantee they weren't fully sterile, especially after sitting on my desk and in my pocket for the past 20 minutes. So I took out the CBR, which was without the bead because I knew I was going to stretch it that day and took the bead out the night before, and watered down the taper with scalding water. Not to my surprise, I put the end of the taper into the hole and found that even the first few mm were bigger than the hole (well, of course they are dumbass, it's an 8ga. taper going into a 14ga. hole). This minor resistance did not falter my will to stretch it, though, and I pushed with increasing force. The first half went through much like a well-done stretch, slight pressure and a faint burn, so I thought "what the hell, I may as well finish," and began to push it in harder. The burning increased, and within a few seconds I felt the tear. That hurt like a bitch and bled more in comparison, but did not stop my hand, I kept pushing. After a few agonizing seconds and a crimson sink, the taper was through. I let a sigh of relief right before realizing fully the throbbing pain now sourcing in my ear. I rinsed it off, visibly seeing the tear in my ear now, maybe a couple of mm in length, it kept gushing blood. After a few minutes, now about 10 in total, I got the blood to stop a little, and tried to insert the plug (also acrylic.. dummy), behind the taper. I spent a good 5-10 minutes just trying this, because the hole wasn't taking it in for some reason, that or I was shying away slightly because now it felt as if someone was cutting off my lobe with a rusty butter knife, and eventually got it, which induced more pain. I cleaned up and went back into class, having been gone for at least 15 minutes.
After this experience, I kept up my stupidity streak, knowing the risks and blindly ignoring them for the will to gauge. I cleaned the thing maybe once a day for the first week, which resulted in my lobes nearly swelling completely over the o-rings on the plug, and pussing more than I care to imagine. They were so swollen that if I even pulled the o-ring forward, even if I didn't remove it from it's bracket, a huge ball of puss and blood would flow from the partially exposed area, creating more pain. My ear was like this for over a week , and then gradually got better over another week, until it was totally healed (besides the ear cheese given off because of my completely bacteria-ridden acrylic plug.
Since this incident, I have only stretched with surgical steel, and only worn pyrex or surgical steel plugs, with great success. I'm stretching down to 2 within the next few days, and may stop at zero (but most likely not).
My point is guys, a few days worth of patience could save you weeks of pain and infection. If something really became wrong, I would have done it to myself, and would be alot more pissed at myself now than I already am. Be smart. Be safe. Research everything.