Problems with Blowout

[wowippyiscool]

It's a long story, please bear with me...

About two and a half years ago I stretched my 0g to a 00g.
Later on that night, the taper fell out and it reduced the gauge significantly.
I panicked and shoved the taper though without a second thought.
There was a great deal of blood and even puss a few hours later.
I called my ex boyfriend (who was a piercer at the time) and asked what to do.
He told me not to worry about it and it'll take care of itself.
Little did I know, he was still bitter about me breaking up with him.
Six months later I noticed a rather alarming flap of skin around my earring.
(I didn't have internet at the time, so I was never able to look anything up.)
So I went to a nearby tattoo shop and they said that it was a blowout.
The flap of skin was (dun dun duuuun!) the dreaded scar tissue.
The damage had been done.



Thanks, a*****e.

Anyway, two years later, I've gathered enough balls to stretch my ears some more.
I used teflon tape to help me stretch my ears to a 7/16g.
My undamaged ear went without a fuss.
However, my blowout ear was a complete NIGHTMARE.
It took me two weeks to stretch the goddamn thing.

Now, I'm trying to put in some screw-on tunnels.
(Forgive me, I'm not sure what the proper name is.)
And I can't get the earring in on the blowout ear, even with lubrication.

It has gotten irritated with the passed dozen tries and is crusting.
I've decided to just leave it alone for now, but... blast!

Questions:
- How can I get this earring in? Is my ear too thick with the blowout?
- Should I be stretching? If not, what's the worst that can happen if I do?
- I've heard that taping is the best way to stretched damaged ears. Is this true?
- I know intense pain isn't normal when stretching, but is it with blowouts?
- Is there anything I should definitely know about stretching with blowouts?

 

[Annihilation Sky]

Have you tried oil massages and wearing the jewellery back to front inorder to help get the blow out to reabsorb? Seeing as its been this long this may or may not work. Another option is to have it cut off.

If its blown out, I wouldn't continue stretching until its sorted out. Its likely to just make the problem worse. Go back down a size and have a go at trying to reabsorb it.  

[wowippyiscool]

Yeah, I used to wear the jewelry back to front
just to try to shove the damned thing inside and hide it.
It was in that position for almost two years.
No progress on fixing itself. It's already 100% healed.

Downsizing hasn't helped it either,
so I moved on and continued stretching.

I've talked to a piercer and she said that if I stretch it
there's a possibility that I could "thin" and stretch the
scar tissue and it may even become less noticeable in time.

But I've never heard that before and
I can't find any information on it.

 

[Annihilation Sky]

I've never heard of that either confused . I'm pretty sure stretching a blow out just makes it more pronounced.
I think you may have to have it removed if you've tried the other stuffs.  

[wowippyiscool]

I wish I had the money to get it removed.
(Although, getting it removed does scare the s**t out of me...)
Isn't it like $200 to get it done?

 

[Annihilation Sky]

I don't know how much it is over there sorry, I'm from England sweatdrop .

I found this on bmewiki, it might be worth a shot to try doing.

The only other option I can find is to completely remove the jewellery, massage with oil and hope for it to reabsorb into the skin, could take a very long time though, AskBME says 1-2 yrs.  

[wowippyiscool]

Quote:

"I stretched my ears to 5/8", my right ear had a blowout. I left the plug in for a month or two. It didn't get any better, so I took the jewelry out. A month went by I still had a huge flap behind my ear.

A plastic surgeon said he would inject my lobe with a steroid and it would soften it up. It cost $100.00 per injection and he said it might take two or three. If that didn't work, he would cut it off, either with a laser or a scalpel.

I went home and thought about it, and the costs involved. Since I had two weeks before the treatment, I thought I'd try something else first. I'd heard extra virgin olive oil softens the tissues up, so I massaged it in really good, twice a day.

I thought though, even with the tissues soft, how are they going to straighten out? I went to the hardware store, and bought a nylon 1/2" spacer (1/2" x 1" nylon tube) then I got two 1" nylon spacers (1" washers with 1/2" holes in the center about 1/4" thick) and two 1/2" o-rings. I used nylon because it wasn't heavy. I put the 1/2" tube through the hole in my earlobe, just like a plug, then a washer on each side of the ear lobe, and an o-ring on each side of that to hold it tightly together.

The results were amazing: in less than a week, only wearing it 12 hours a day, my ear is almost completely healed no more flap. I'll be canceling my appointment too. The oil and the pressure really works, and only cost me a dollar or two. Please pass this on to others, it really works, I'm proof of it."

I'm afraid I don't understand.
He "squished" his ear and it reabsorbed?
I'd definitely give it a try, it just seems very DIY and... questionable.
Haha.

 

[wowippyiscool]

Annihilation Sky

I don't know how much it is over there sorry, I'm from England sweatdrop .

I found this on bmewiki, it might be worth a shot to try doing.

The only other option I can find is to completely remove the jewellery, massage with oil and hope for it to reabsorb into the skin, could take a very long time though, AskBME says 1-2 yrs.

I'm so torn!
I really want this gone, but two years?
gonk heart

Well... I guess if everything else fails... I don't know.
I don't know if I'd rather just keep the damned thing.

 

[wowippyiscool]

I just talked to both the tattoo shops in my town.
Both of them refused to help with the blowout.

Sigh.

 

[apanda999]

The advice above was pretty much the best you can do. I would not recommend stretching scar tissue, you are feeling all of that pain because you are doing more damage.

 

[dagon is a gloomy bear]

Dunno what else to add. If you have lots of money you can go to a plastic surgeon and have it fixed.

Big Lobed b***h Bible:
Blowouts:
A blowout happens when one stretches too fast. These generally happen during or immediately preceding (within 48hrs) a stretch. A blowout occurs when the pressure on the insides of the piercing is too great, and the hole deforms itself by twisting inside out, resulting in the "blowout," or section of tissue that appears as a flap on the backside of the piercing. There are a few things you can do to try and recover from a blowout.


1. You must downsize immediately. Being stubborn and not taking this action could result in the blowout healing, which almost always requires surgery to fix.


2. The piercing absolutely must be treated like a brand new piercing. This means doing religious sea salt soaks. Blowouts go hand in hand with tears and most blowouts result in at least minimal tears to the lobe, so the aftercare becomes especially important.


3. Emu oil can help the torn tissue heal while minimizing scaring. After healing you may want to use oil rubs and scar cream to prevent scar tissue.


4. Wait several months before attempting to stretch again.  

[ViviSectionist]

I've heard good stories about tying it off. Obviously though, it's dangerous and shouldn't be attempted if you're not sure about it.

I had a friend that had a massive blowout on her 7/16 and she tied it off with the advice and help of a pro-piercer, and it came out great. It took about a month and it smelled a lot, but the end result she said was worth it.  

[wowippyiscool]

King Louie V

I've heard good stories about tying it off. Obviously though, it's dangerous and shouldn't be attempted if you're not sure about it.

I had a friend that had a massive blowout on her 7/16 and she tied it off with the advice and help of a pro-piercer, and it came out great. It took about a month and it smelled a lot, but the end result she said was worth it.

Do you think you could get more information about it from her?
Maybe I could talk my doctor/one of the piercers to help me or give me advice.

 

[wowippyiscool]

I have an appointment set up with my doctor.
He's going to give me this type of lotion that will give me
some of the same effects as steroids being injected in my ear.
Hopefully this will soften the tissue enough to reabsorb.

I have my fingers crossed.

 

[Annihilation Sky]

I hope it goes well for you ippy