Originally my lobes were gunned when I was 14. At the time I had no idea there were any problems with piercing guns and so 3 sets of studs were put in my ears, a few months between each set.
At A Glance Author Uberkitty Contact Uberkitty@bme.anon IAM Uberkitty When A year ago Artist Justin Studio Expressions Location Chapel Hill, NC By the time I went to college I had developed a significant interest in tattoos and piercings. I had learned all the problems associated with piercing guns and the small studs in my ears didn't match my other modifications. They felt out of place and I decided that stretching them was the only way to make them match the rest of my body. Looking at the current placement of the holes I realized that the third hole on the right was terribly misplaced so I took it out and began rubbing it with Vitamin E oil so to help it heal. I intended to stretch the remaining holes to 14 gauge and then needle repierce the sixth one I had to take out so that both ears would be symmetrical.
I went to Expressions to look at the jewelry selection. Two green niobium CBRs caught my eye. While looking at the case Justin approached me and asked if I wanted to get anything pierced. I told him of my intention to stretch my ears. He said he could do it right then but I told him I was only looking. I didn't have much money with me and besides, there were only two CBRs. He said he had more of them in the back, ready to use and that was willing to cut me a deal since he knew me so well.
Justin looked at my ears to check the placement. He said the bottom two sets were placed decently enough to look well with minor stretching but that the third hole on the left (companion to the one I let grow over) was too close to the hole below it and would need to be repierced as well.
I removed my earrings as Justin prepared the piercing room. I went back and he had 4 CBRs and a 14 gauge taper straight from the autoclave. He changed gloves and I sat down in the chair. He cleaned my ears, which turned out to be needed. The backs were kind of gross from constant contact with the low quality stud backs. He lubed up the taper and started on the lower hole on my left ear. He pushed it through slowly and kept me updated on how far a long it was ("about halfway there" or "one third left.") The very last bit stung a bit but was certainly bearable. He put the CBR in although he did not yet close it completely. He moved to stretch the second hole in that ear. It went much the same although it did not sting like the previous one. In fact, the last three did not sting at all. After he had stretched them all he finished up by putting the beads in place. He told me not to rotate them since the new stretch would make them tight for a while and forcing them could cause d amage. I paid and felt pretty bad that I couldn't tip him because I didn't have enough money.
Once I was home I couldn't help but stop in front of every mirror and admire my newly stretched ears. This was somewhat problematic because the communal halls were lined in them. I also continued the Vitamin E oil massages on the original hole I let close and began them on the second. I tried to avoid getting the oil on the newly stretched piercings but because they were so close to the ones I was allowing to heal closed it was difficult and I wasn't entirely successful. The CBRs were, as expected, held very tight on the first day and were slightly painful. Even the three that didn't hurt during the initial stretching stung a little now. I prepared a sea salt soak to help appease my ears even though it wasn't recommended to me. It just seemed like a good idea and felt very nice.
When I woke up the next morning they were just as tight and had lymphed up some during the night. The lower left hole that had been painful during the stretch actually bled some and there was a scab on the back of the CBR. I did another sea salt soak to clean it off and continued them for the next 6 days. The lymph lasted only three days and the slight bleeding was a one time thing. The CBRs loosened up one by one. The first began rotating on the forth day and the last one did at the one week mark.
I decided not to repierce the 3 set that I had to remove. I would like to continue stretching the lower set but while the placement was ok for minor stretching it would not work well with the major stretching I have planned, so sometime soon I will have to remove them all so it can heal and be repierced properly. Even though they have to go I enjoyed the time I had with the four 14 gauge lobe piercings and do not regret stretching them. If there is anything to regret it is the fact they were gunned.