I had finally graduated from college, and I had to celebrate it. But since I enjoy more having a piercing than drinking beer, I decided that I should get something done to remember this occasion. I always feared to have my ears done since I love to stretch, and I didn't know if I could keep the control onto it. I looked for other options, but the lobes were the perfect thing to do.
At A Glance Author kyo Contact kyo@bme.anon IAM kyo When Three months ago
Please take note that DIY are not safe, and can be dangerous. I've done a lot of research, and I still chose to do it. But please don't repeat what I did, this is only for information, and you should try to learn from my mistakes.
As I was setting up my station, I looked at BME to see what the usual lobe emplacement was. I marked my lobes, and proceed. I used my clamps to do it as strait as possible. I took about 2 minutes of constant pressure to get the 12ga needle trought, followed by the jewelry. And I was on for the next one. I tried to push, but the needle wouldn't budge, so I push with more might. It got trought, but my eyes almost felled out of their orbits! The pain was sharp and was rushing trough my whole body. It took me about 5 minutes to recover and get the jewelry in place.
Although I love to stretch (I've stretch almost every piercing I have), I had to set a minimum waiting time. I taught 20 days were plenty, and it would be the most I could wait. I really don't recommend this since I should have waited at leases twice as long. I did some stretching way faster than this, but ear lobes are way more insight than the metal in my pants.
About ten days after the piercing, I had a contact in a studio. After an interview I was turned down, walking out, I bought a pair of 10ga plugs. Back at home, I took out my taper, lube it up, and got ready to push it trought. I pulled on my lobe from one had, and put the taper from the top. While I was reaching underneath to pull it, it fell trough. That was totally amazing to see that the weight of the barbell had stretched in so little time. I got lined up for my left ear, but only ¾ of the taper got trought. I gave a small push, and it was trought.
About 2 weeks later I got my skin removal. Sadly, my whole body started to produce an immense amount of lymphatic liquid. Everyday I could do 4 sea salt soak, and it seem not to be enough. Meanwhile I received a pair of 8 ga single flair tunnels. They were calling me. On the 20th day (about 5 day after the skin removal), I was still doing crusties, but yet I couldn't resist anymore. So I lube the taper, and got it trough, within 2 minutes it was over. The stretching was a bit sharp, feeling like I was breaking a crust in my fistula. Odd, but not painful.
The same very night I got a taste of what could go wrong, the O-ring was not allowing selling to go back, so it moved forward, and suck up the flair. I had to push them out with my taper. It was quite painful, and created a lot of swelling. I got some acrylic plug, onto witch I didn't have to put the O-rings since they were in the way; the crusties were holding my plugs in place. About 2 weeks into the 8ga, my right ear ended doing crusties. This meant I didn't have anything to hold the plug in place. But not aware of it, I lost the plug in my sleep. But it was never to be found. I took my left plug in my right ear, with O-rings, and in my left, I got a pincher. I flip it up (like a septum retainer) to allow it to be worn without O-rings. This gave it a chance to drain, and wash the lymphatic liquid away.
I stayed in the 8ga for about 4 weeks. Until I got my 6ga Pyrex long plugs. I made sure these were extra long so I could swell, and wear an O-ring. I lubed up my taper, and it got trought my right ear with minimal pushing. But like the precedent stretch, my left one required a bit more pressur. I was pushing the taper slowly when I slip, and it got right trough. I was in pain, and afraid that I torn the fistula. I rushed to the mirror and saw nothing wrong. I figured I was better to put the jewelry, and let it heal.
Very strangely, I always had an excess of crusties on my left side, but this time I barely had any. My right ear did a few, very thick ones. I pick at it uncontrollably, and succeed to wound my lobe. Although I had no more crusties after 3 days, I had 2 wound the size of a grain of rice on my right lobe. I got to my hair dresser and she told me "if you don't take your jewelry out, you'll lose your ear" This really make me felt like no one knows what's actually happening while healing a wound.
Still had the wounds on the 20th day, I was just unable to stand it anymore. My Pyrex plug 4ga were calling me. Especially since it was my goal! I couldn't stand it anymore and did the stretch. This one was painful, but the worse is the plugs were slightly thicker than the taper (about 3ga). I had to keep a good contact, and force the end to get in the piercing. The pain was way worse than the piercing it-self. But the feeling of accomplishment was enough to make me smile.
I kept the 4ga plugs for a week, and then headed for my goal; the Kaos eyelet. According to the notice I got with it, I had to fold it to get it trought. But the 4ga is so small, I couldn't keep it folded. I took out some tea tree oil to lube the jewelry, and push it trought. There was some pain, but it was almost like using externally treaded jewelry. Slight discomfort for half an hour, then I forgot it.
I'm still unsure at this point if I'm willing to get my lobes any bigger. I don't mind that much the look of large size lobes without jewelry, and it amazes me how you can get things trought the stretched piercing! But if I ever change my mind, I can get them sow back. For now I'm obviously taking a break, and staying at 4ga for a month, at lease...