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Pony Talk => Pony Corral => Topic started by: DappledHazel on August 30, 2017, 05:19:47 PM

Title: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: DappledHazel on August 30, 2017, 05:19:47 PM
I bought a Twinkle-Eyed pony a bit ago and the first thing I noticed about her was that she had a brown spot on her. I saw it in the image before purchasing her but I didn't think anything of it, I thought it was dirt. Recently I've started to notice some more brown spots and her back leg is starting to bend, become thin, and feel sticky when you touch it. It looks as if the plastic is melting, but it is only 76 degrees in the house and my other ponies are not melting like this, so I assume it's the pony cancer/brown spots. This is the only pony I've ever had with brown spots and the appearance of melting, so I'm curious, what's the worst you've seen? Do they get very bad quickly? Could it be something else?

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This is one of the spots on Masquerade. This is the only picture I have that focused on the spots.
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: orangepeachmango on August 30, 2017, 05:46:41 PM
Your pony isn't "melting" per se, she is leaking plastisizer. Unfortunately, this process can't be stopped once begun. But it can be delayed, if you're so inclined. Thought honestly the ultimate effect of the plasticizer leaking is that the plastic will become really really really hard. like hard as rock. You can curb the browning spots by thouroughly cleaning on the inside with an oxiclean bath, but her condition will never fully go away.

there is nothing """"bad""" about hardening plastic, it's just something that happens. It will take some time though. she will be sticky for possibly months or longer. you can clean her with dish soap reguarly every time you notice her getting sticky.
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: DappledHazel on August 30, 2017, 06:56:43 PM
Your pony isn't "melting" per se, she is leaking plastisizer. Unfortunately, this process can't be stopped once begun. But it can be delayed, if you're so inclined. Thought honestly the ultimate effect of the plasticizer leaking is that the plastic will become really really really hard. like hard as rock. You can curb the browning spots by thouroughly cleaning on the inside with an oxiclean bath, but her condition will never fully go away.

there is nothing """"bad""" about hardening plastic, it's just something that happens. It will take some time though. she will be sticky for possibly months or longer. you can clean her with dish soap reguarly every time you notice her getting sticky.

Interesting. I've never had a pony with such problems. The one leg feels extremely thin and bendable, it will harden after a while?
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: Kikwifluff on August 30, 2017, 07:20:45 PM
Your pony isn't "melting" per se, she is leaking plastisizer. Unfortunately, this process can't be stopped once begun. But it can be delayed, if you're so inclined. Thought honestly the ultimate effect of the plasticizer leaking is that the plastic will become really really really hard. like hard as rock. You can curb the browning spots by thouroughly cleaning on the inside with an oxiclean bath, but her condition will never fully go away.

there is nothing """"bad""" about hardening plastic, it's just something that happens. It will take some time though. she will be sticky for possibly months or longer. you can clean her with dish soap reguarly every time you notice her getting sticky.

Interesting. I've never had a pony with such problems. The one leg feels extremely thin and bendable, it will harden after a while?


I've had the same thing happen to my ponies, and their plastic always became harder. :) I just wash them carefully, since I don't like sticky ponies :P
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: orangepeachmango on August 30, 2017, 07:33:44 PM
Interesting. I've never had a pony with such problems. The one leg feels extremely thin and bendable, it will harden after a while?

I've had the same thing happen to my ponies, and their plastic always became harder. :) I just wash them carefully, since I don't like sticky ponies :P

yes, it will harden eventually. try not to bend it and squish it too much while its sticky just to be safe.
i reccomend cleaning her gently with dish soap on the outside, and an oxy bath on the inside.
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: TheBeatlesPkmnFan42 on August 30, 2017, 08:05:15 PM
My Merry Treats has hardened, she was already like that when I got her. I don't really mind it too much. I'd rather have a pony who's already gone through the process of loosing her plasticizer rather than one that's in the process, personally. I don't like having sticky ponies cause then I hate touching them.
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: Baby Sugarberry on August 30, 2017, 08:05:59 PM
Oxyclean doesn't do anything for age spots.  IT WILL ALSO RUIN TWINKLE EYE COATINGS.
Please don't dump Masquarade into oxyclean!  The brown spots and stickiness and thin plastic are not related - three separate problems.  Age spots are common to certain ponies more than others, and simply a fact of life we'll all eventually have to live with.  Nothing lasts forever.  Keeping a stable temperature and avoiding excess humidity will slow down deterioration, but it can't be halted.

Stickiness is, as mentioned, plasticizer leech.  Clean it off with soap and water until it stops.

Thin plastic is the result of a pony's mould being improperly filled while the liquid vinyl was being formed at the factory.
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: orangepeachmango on August 30, 2017, 08:16:16 PM
Oxyclean doesn't do anything for age spots.  IT WILL ALSO RUIN TWINKLE EYE COATINGS.
Please don't dump Masquarade into oxyclean!  The brown spots and stickiness and thin plastic are not related - three separate problems.  Age spots are common to certain ponies more than others, and simply a fact of life we'll all eventually have to live with.  Nothing lasts forever.  Keeping a stable temperature and avoiding excess humidity will slow down deterioration, but it can't be halted.

Stickiness is, as mentioned, plasticizer leech.  Clean it off with soap and water until it stops.

Thin plastic is the result of a pony's mould being improperly filled while the liquid vinyl was being formed at the factory.

thank you sugarberry!! i didn't know that about twinkle eyes!
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: DappledHazel on August 30, 2017, 08:23:26 PM
Oxyclean doesn't do anything for age spots.  IT WILL ALSO RUIN TWINKLE EYE COATINGS.
Please don't dump Masquarade into oxyclean!  The brown spots and stickiness and thin plastic are not related - three separate problems.  Age spots are common to certain ponies more than others, and simply a fact of life we'll all eventually have to live with.  Nothing lasts forever.  Keeping a stable temperature and avoiding excess humidity will slow down deterioration, but it can't be halted.

Stickiness is, as mentioned, plasticizer leech.  Clean it off with soap and water until it stops.

Thin plastic is the result of a pony's mould being improperly filled while the liquid vinyl was being formed at the factory.

Thank you for the information. I wasn't planning on using anything on her. I will probably get a wet wash cloth and wipe the stickiness off once it stops. :)
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: Crystal-Sushi on August 30, 2017, 08:43:45 PM
Improperly filled moulds seem to be a problem for Masquerade - mine has the same problem! The plastic on her back legs is nearly transparent and super squishy  ^.^
Additionally certain temperatures (or a change in temperature) seem to aid plasticizer breakdown in progressing to the hard non-sticky stage. I've bought ponies advertised as horrendously sticky but after a few days in the Australian weather they're all good.

Also, as a side note, I love your Mini Mozzarella avatar! Retro animatronics are awesome! :heart:
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: DappledHazel on August 30, 2017, 09:36:44 PM
Improperly filled moulds seem to be a problem for Masquerade - mine has the same problem! The plastic on her back legs is nearly transparent and super squishy  ^.^
Additionally certain temperatures (or a change in temperature) seem to aid plasticizer breakdown in progressing to the hard non-sticky stage. I've bought ponies advertised as horrendously sticky but after a few days in the Australian weather they're all good.

Also, as a side note, I love your Mini Mozzarella avatar! Retro animatronics are awesome! :heart:

That's odd, I wonder if its most Twinkle-Eyed ponies or just Masquerade.
Thanks! I agree  ^.^
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: TheBeatlesPkmnFan42 on August 30, 2017, 10:24:43 PM
Re: improperly filled molds

My Baby Surprise seems to have this issue on her back legs. Much squishier than the rest of her. Not visually transparent or anything, but the plastic is certainly thinner!
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: Stormness_1 on September 05, 2017, 04:13:49 PM
For sticky ponies, I just keep them separate until it's done and they go hard, and don't leave them on painted surfaces. If they're on a painted shelf, put them onto something, like an old CD, or they'll stick to the paint. I rinse them whenever I have a bit of time, or have to move them, to keep dust from getting all over sticky ponies, that's just gross!

Most of my G3 glitter ponies, and my Trickles are weapons now, you could do some serious damage! Twinkle Eyes are sometimes naturally harder, so once she's hardened, she'll just be like most of the TE population! My Masquerade has definitely not started leaking yet, she's not that hard, but she's still awfully rigid considering. maybe they either got too much or not enough plastic?!
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: DappledHazel on September 05, 2017, 09:32:22 PM
For sticky ponies, I just keep them separate until it's done and they go hard, and don't leave them on painted surfaces. If they're on a painted shelf, put them onto something, like an old CD, or they'll stick to the paint. I rinse them whenever I have a bit of time, or have to move them, to keep dust from getting all over sticky ponies, that's just gross!

Most of my G3 glitter ponies, and my Trickles are weapons now, you could do some serious damage! Twinkle Eyes are sometimes naturally harder, so once she's hardened, she'll just be like most of the TE population! My Masquerade has definitely not started leaking yet, she's not that hard, but she's still awfully rigid considering. maybe they either got too much or not enough plastic?!
It's interesting how this happens to ponies. I have an Italian Bowtie who feels hard, do you know if they were made differently or perhaps she went through this process too?
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: Baby Sugarberry on September 05, 2017, 09:40:20 PM
Some ponies were just naturally harder to begin with - I remember my Boysenberry Pie being rather durable compared to all the other ponies I had.  It varies by plastic batch and colour. 
Title: Re: "pony cancer" how bad can it get and how much longer do you think my pony has?
Post by: Taffeta on September 06, 2017, 02:49:13 PM
Most all ponies in the Fizzy mould tend to be quite substantial. We used to use them to deter boys who liked throwing ponies on the roof and they were very effective 'lances' in those days...

My childhood Masquerade has not got the thin plastic problem so maybe it's batch. I have had others with that soft plastic feel but my Masquerade has always been a sturdy character. Good thing too as I used to throw her across the playground to make her fly...

I don't think she has either of the other problems either but I do know that most of this set are prone to both. I also wonder whether it is something more seen in HK made ponies and ponies of the early years as there do seem some ponies more prone than others - or whether it relates to batch and how the plastic was formed at the time of manufacture. I wonder this because there are Starshines that go totally brown and icky and those that don't...
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