Hello, this experience is an encouragement to stretch. I first pierced my lobes about 6 months ago. Until this time I only had a cartilage piercing which would never quite heal. However, I love the look of stretched lobes so I decided to do it.
At A Glance Author James Contact James@bme.anon When N/A Studio The Ink Fountain Location Batesville, AR I finally convinced my grandparents(whom I live with) to let me do it and my grandma took me to the same piercing place I had been to before. I hadn't seen many others, but this one was really clean and the people were very kind to me so I went back. I brought in a pair of 14G hoops and sat in the waiting room forever. This was by far the worst part because even though it seems like a pretty safe piercing to me now, it was relatively terrifying waiting and not knowing what to expect. Finally, he called me back there and he was already set up and ready to pierce.
First, he did the left ear. I was expecting the worst so when it happened it was far better than I thought it was going to be. The right ear was very similar. The whole experience was only semi-painful, nothing to worry about, and I didn't get dizzy or anything like that.
They gave me a sheet with washing instructions and it was similar to the one I already had. I didn't wash them that night. The next morning they were a little crusted so I got in the shower and ran hot water on them to loosen it as my cleaning instructions paper said it would. Then I covered them and my ear with antibacterial soap and slid them back and forth several times. I repeated this in the shower or in the sink, morning and night, for about a week. They were looking really healthy so I got lazy and began washing them less. Stuff like that is a problem for me but I don't recommend it. Keeping them clean is very important. I also touched them with my unclean hands way too often, but they felt so odd I couldn't help it.
I was already getting bored with these but I waited about 5 weeks before taking them out. I had purchased 12's and 10's the same day I originally bought these. They were the kind that circle around and have just one ball in the middle. The balls were always very difficult for me to get in and out but I managed with a couple pair of pliers.
As I said, after about 5 weeks I took them out and put the 12G's in. I pushed them through with little resistance. This is most likely because I played with the others so much that they were stretched a slight amount. I kept these in for about 3 weeks. Then I did the same process with the 10G's. It was a little harder to push through this time but I managed. However, I couldn't get one of the balls on. It seems like it was the right ear. I tried several different times but my ear kept getting irritated and I never got the ball on. I thought it would be fine. During a concert about a week later, it feel out on stage and I didn't know it. Someone told me when I got off and I began looking but couldn't find out. The hole was already smaller and so I asked a guy if I could borrow his 6G because it tapered up to full size in the middle. I painfully got it about half way in and soon after someone found mine. This was probably not the best solution but I had no other so I did it. I went back home and finally got the ball on.
I think I had these in for about a month, until I could purchase new jewelry. I found some 8G half circles that tapered up. These seemed a wonderful change because they had O-rings instead of balls. This was first time I had experienced the awful scent that comes with some jewelry. I was forced to wash these more often because I couldn't stand it. I still didn't wash them very much though.
This summer we were on tour for 2 months and while we were on the road I purchased some 4's. They were metal and had the ring around them that makes them appear bigger than the hole in your ear truly is. I had them put in at the place I bought them. It was somewhere in MN and they charged me $5, I believe. I kept them in until we got to California(or maybe Arizona) and then got some black acrylic ones with a pink star. I had the gentlemen at the place I bought them put these in also.
I've had these in for a while now and I am more than ready to move up. I've been told I have small lobes and I can't go above a zero. Then another said I could make it to 1/2" easily. I'm not sure and I want to be safe so I am planning on stopping at 00. I have never had any problems or major infections. There has been minimal pain and I am extremely happy with my ears(although one is slightly higher than the other). If anyone is thinking about it, go for it. Just don't go too fast. Enjoy you body. Jesus loves you.