Should i get stretchers

Whether you will be able to do the same depends on many factors including:. Some will easily be able to go up to 00g, whilst others might struggle to get back from 10g. If not, you might have issues getting back to your original size after stretching. Wear plugs and tunnels that are the smallest size your ears will shrink to. Opt for a reconstructive option like having the holes stitched and surgically altered back to their original size. The best time to insert plugs is right after a hot shower.

The warm water helps loosen the skin a bit and relaxes it, which makes it easier and more comfortable. You will also need a lubricant too. If you have recently stretched your ears you should wait around four to eight weeks before trying to wear double flared plugs. Note: Never, ever try to force plugs and tunnel in, or you could tear your earlobes, resulting in scarring, blowouts, and improper healing.

Tapers are specialised tools used to stretch ears that most of the time look like very long cones. Slowly insert the pointy side first and then try to slide it through.

If there is resistance or pain, you should wait to stretch your ears further. If there is no resistance and it feels comfortable, simply line up the next gauge of tunnels or plugs and push them through. Your earlobe may feel warm, tingly, or sting slightly but if you have any pain or discomfort, remove the jewelry and wait at least one or two more weeks.

Just as it sounds, taping bondage or PTFE tape specifically is used to increase your stretch size by wrapping tape around your plugs and tunnels a couple of times to help increase the stretch size with your own jewellery. The main rule here is the longer you wait between the stretches, the healthier your lobes will remain and the more viable they will be for the bigger gauges.

It will also avoid the build up of scar tissue. Following this process it would take roughly two years to get to 00 gauge this way.

Remember, you can do it faster too, but your earlobes will thank you if you take it nice and slow. Oil massages are the best practice after stretching your earlobes and this is best done after a shower because they need to stay moisturised. Use natural or water-based products to massage your earlobes, for at least five minutes each which helps get rid of any scar tissue, dead cells, and remaining sebum. If you get any tears or injuries you should treat your newly stretched ears like any new piercing and soak them in sterile saline wound wash, not saltwater for at least 10 minutes a day to speed up healing and avoid infection.

We'd recommend using Neilmed sterile saline wound wash in the fine mist. Try to avoid alcohol, peroxide, and similar chemical products because they are quite harsh on the skin and will dehydrate it or aggravate your stretched ears further. First and foremost, use antibacterial soap to clean your hands and the area, or you risk getting bacteria all over your plugs.

Care instructions vary depending on the material the plugs are made of — i. Plugs and tunnels made of porous materials like organic plugs require substantially different care from those made with non-porous materials.

Instead of washing them, only clean them with a damp cloth mixed with antibacterial soap, and pat them dry afterwards. For non-porous materials antibacterial water soaking is the best and easiest option!

The terms plugs , tunnels and gauges , are often used interchangeably, which leads to so much confusion when first starting with ear stretching. The most prominent difference is between plugs and tunnels : Plugs are solid, and tunnels are hollow. A personal fave ear stretching siren of mine whose lobe embellishments I love is singer Melanie Martinez. They were still smaller than they had been, but not small by conventional standards. Ashley tells me all about what tissue tears entail.

They can also prevent the skin from shrinking as quickly as it otherwise would, in the case that someone changes their mind and wants their earlobes to shrink back up. Ever wondered how stretching actually happens? This is as simple as going to a reputable piercing shop, getting your ear pierced, and letting the piercing heal for a few months.

Choose a piercer with a license to pierce in your state. Tattoo artists and estheticians often receive extra training on piercings. After the piercing has fully healed, then you can get all the equipment you need to increase the size of your piercings. These are the long, spiky things you put into your piercings to start stretching out the skin.

They come in various sizes or gauges , depending on how much you want to stretch out your piercing. Most tapers are acrylic or steel. Many people recommend steel tapers because they slide through the piercing easier. Cheaper tapers and cheaper plugs are often of unknown quality and may irritate the ears, slowing the healing process. Plugs are the round jewelry you put in to keep your ear stretched. Plenty of jewelry shops sell commercial-grade lubricant, but you can also use plant-based lubricants, like coconut oil or jojoba oil.

Try not to use any lubricants that have chemicals or additives in them, as these could irritate or infect your piercing. If you stretch your ears too much and too fast, you can tear or injure your ear cartilage. If you do, you may have torn or damaged your ear skin. This can result in permanent scarring.

Stretching too quickly can tear your ear tissue in half or cause earlobe skin to detach and hang from your head. Stretching too quickly or not taking care of your ear may also result in an infection.