Day 6 - taking the rubber bands off?

It seems crowded to be. I want to see what's going on, or should I just leave it be?
Maybe I'll take a few of them off just so I can see what I'm working with.

Super excited because I just ordered me some pressure earrings!
Most people have said that they receive theirs in about 10 days. That means It's possible for me to get it almost just in time before school starts. This keloid looks dead as can be. It almost seems like it'll take half the time my first keloid took to fall off.

Here is a current picture: not much of a difference right? Can't see the keloid well because of the bands.

 

 Next step will be to see how the cleaning process goes today. Is the base still tearing? and is it safe to remove some bands + add a string or a tighter band.

update: I didn't end up taking the bands off. Though I do feel it will be necessary at another point.

Day 5 - the first clean :S

I didn't feel the need for cleaning at first, because there was nothing to clean. I waited until I could see something to clean, and I saw something last night. [It was a crispy golden substance LOL]. I let it chill over night because I got up in the morning to clean it.

 

Photo: In the morning, before cleaning. It is not focussed on the golden crisp. However, in this pic you can see it is  mostly rubber bands showing. In the very centre, You can see the shrunken, shrivelled up, black keloid.

I didn't want to take a photo of it. Not even for the purpose of this blog. 1, with my tablet, it's quite awkward. 2, my tablet was low and needed to be charged. 3, I'm not too keen on my tablet being with me in the bathroom while I shower. I have this thing about electronics and steam [please... don't mention the kettle/ teapot].

You might be wondering why I say shower.
I give my keloid a really good rinse in the shower. I don't ever touch it with my fingers when cleaning. In the shower, I find it is easiest to rinse. You are able to let the water run over it for most of your shower. By then, your keloid will be well rinsed, the crust has softened, the gunk that could be blasted away is gone and you didn't irritate it in the process.

While it's still soft and wet.. This part it totally up to you now.
If you have a tonne of gunk! Then I suggest you use a dry q-tip to get rid of it and then continue with your disinfectant routine. If not then just go straight in with your disinfectant routine.

Don't have a disinfectant routine?
I put some disinfectant on a q-tip and apply it around the keloid. I pay special attention to open skin areas. If there is residue, I would use it to clean those out too. Of course, depending on how messy it is, I wouldn't hold back on how many q-tips to use.
And then I go on about my normal day.

Disinfectant? I use one called 'Dettol', it's whatever you have or whatever you prefer.

Update, I am able to squeeze my keloid. It's very solid. Not as sensitive as I thought it'd be. But still sore if it's bumped. Can't lie on it. I was gonna tamper with the rubber bands but I chose not to because I haven't ordered the pressure earring just yet.

Day 4 - where's my hope?

Hello!

I don't know where we are going? I am losing hope. I need some motivation. But here I am sticking it out. Oh dear. What to do... wait it out some more I guess....

I've noticed that it's shrinking. Or is it? well the rubberbands are losing its tightness I can see because they're thicker. But they are also spreading out upwards. Whereas before they were all tightly around the base. I hope something is happening.. The string is too much maintenance for my liking.
No pain. Only pain when bumped. Haven't had a thorough clean just yet because it's not leaking or anything like that.

Updated photo:

Left: taken in the noon time. The Keloid is still visible in the centre.

Middle: Taken in the late afternoon. You can see the keloid has shrunk inside the rubber bands.

Right: A side view in the late afternoon. The Keloid has clearly shrunk.

I'm really hoping this is an express route to having the keloid fall off. I haven't experienced it this way before. This is a good sign to me. We will see as time comes.

I am thinking about removing the rubber bands. Will that be a good idea? It seems like there's an overload on it now.. Then I'd probably put a really tight rubber band on it, or a tight string on it. Who knows. I'll keep you all in the loop.

 

Further update: I was trying to take another picture of it before bed time but couldn't get a good pic. Quality problems. I did examine the keloid closely in the mirror and noticed dried excrement. Its minor enough that my hair doesn't get stuck to it so I'm guessing the base has started to cut. I will leave it for now and will clean it in my shower.

Day 3 - I've lost most feeling

So the stinging has stopped. I have just woken up. My keloid is purple and is completely losing its flesh tone. It doesn't hurt at all when it's just chilling there. Of course when it's disturbed, you're definitely gonna feel something lol.

This is the Keloid in the night before on the left, and what it looks like now in the afternoon.

 

As you can see there is a drastic change. This is a good sign. The Keloid is suffocating and losing life. The aim is to get it off period. Although this is my second time round doing this rubber band method (Yes, it grew back) I understand that it won't be the exact same as my journey last time, so I will have to be patient. I got to admit though, that I was comparing before, judging if it were going faster or slower, but I shouldn't be. The same with how you shouldn't compare your journey with somebody else's. The aim is to get it to drop off, no matter how long the journey (:

You can see around my ear is getting red. I'm not worrying too much about it. My Keloid hasn't leaked any fluids just yet. Cleaning hasn't happened. Just a quick rinse while in the shower is all it's had so far. So far so good. Now it's just the waiting game.

I really do hope it falls off on its own without having to use string.. The tightening process is such a drag...

New update: So here it is at night. One from the front view and the other a side view. Now it's the waiting game... Tick tock tick tock.

 

I really do hope it manages to come off on its own because I really don't want to use thread.. But I will have to if I feel the need to.
It is currently the holidays and I am hoping this comes off before school starts back up.

Day 1 & 2 - Rubber bands of doom!

It's been fifteen minutes since I've put on my rubber bands and the throb has started. I can only imagine that it can get worse than this. The time is 10.16pm and I feel this is the best time to do it for me because I am currently on holiday (So I am mostly at home, being comfortable) and because I am about to go to sleep. I will be sleeping through the most painful parts of the process.

I can feel the pain, it is sore. Because this is my second time doing this, I know what to expect. I have tied on more bands. a combination of plastic elastic and rubber bands. I probably have 5-7 in total on my ear right now. Last time I had only put on two plastic elastics. I'm hoping to speed up the process this time round. I have a good feeling about this.
Last time it took a while for it to turn a lil purple, but it's changing colour very quickly. I might just call it a night now to make the pain go awayyyy.

See you in the morn.

 

 [Left, taken 15 minutes after rubber band application. Right, taken the next morning]

Before I did fall asleep last night. I was in tremendous pain! Even though it is only on a small portion of my body, that little bit was in excruciating pain! No pain, no gain. This morning it has a sting to it. Very bearable tho. Can't wait for this to be over.

Update photos of it at noon and evening. The pictures don't capture the change well, but it has gone more purple. Looking forward to a black dead keloid.