Ear Emergency

So I got my ear pierced on Saturday, and got a new plug for the hole that was already there. I now have three holes in my left ear, two of which are completely healthy. I had them done with 3mm crescents for stretching, as the nice photo shows.

Because it was fine to do when advised previously, I began stretching the top hole yesterday morning. I didn't need any lubricant, but it was much harder than previously to get the jewellery back in.

I found out why when I took the jewellery out again that evening. The blood had died down a lot, so I could see that it was badly swollen all around that hole. So swollen that this had closed over most of the hole, though I got the crescent back in after ages trying.

This morning, I took the crescent out and tried to butt a 6mm taper in, just to see if it would go. It was then that I realised what the problem was. The curved piece had pulled on the hole, causing the swelling. I then put a 2mm taper in, and the swelling is going down. I also had this problem with my right ear when I'd let it heal for over a month, and didn't have it with the first hole. Because of this, I know it's not just that I was doing it too early.