How to Stretch Your Ears or Any Body Piercing
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Ear Gauging
Although it is fairly old process, it is now pretty popular that today's younger people get piercings and not only that but to stretch them.
Even if you have a piercing that was pierced to a standard size, generally 20 gauge, 18 gauge, and 16 gauge, you can still stretch your ears to a larger size, and it doesn't matter if you had them pierced when you were 5 and you're 21 and want to stretch now.
It takes time to stretch your piercings properly, as you will want to give your ear time to relax after stretching. Stretching too quickly can cause other concerns.
You can stretch any piercing, but the most common piercing that is stretched is the lobe piercings. Other commonly stretched piercings include the inner conch, septum, nose, belly button, tongue and ear cartilage.
Piercing Gauges
The typical gauge that lobes are pierced is going to be either 20, 18, or 16 gauge, but it will usually depending on where you go to get your piercing, as the mall, for instance, pierces with piercing guns, the gauge of the piercing will be the gauge of the stud that you choose to start off with, which is a 20 gauge.
As for other piercings, for the most part, you will find that they are pierced with 14 gauge piercings. Cartilage, nose, septum, navel, etc, are all typically pierced at a 14 guage.
Common gauge sizes are named in even numbers down to 00, with the size of the gauge increasing as the number decreases. For example, a 10 gauge piercing is smaller than a 2 gauge piercing. For larger sizes above 00, the gauges are represented by fractions.
Ear Gauge Size Chart
Will They Shrink Back?
When stretching a piercing, the odds are not in your favor that it will shrink back to normal size. So, when you decide to stretch, be sure that you are prepared to handle a permanent stretch.
But, it is not impossible for a stretched piercings to return to a normal size. However, it will depend on a few factors:
- Size of Stretch: The larger you go, the less likely it will go back to its original size. Generally, 0 gauge has been coined "the point of no return," meaning that once you have stretched that far, it's not going to go back. Over the point of no return, your ears can shrink, but they may not return to normal, just a smaller gauge.
- Length of Stretch Time: If your piercing has been stretched for a couple of years or more, it's pretty well set and probably isn't going to shrink back to a full normal size. A smaller gauge is possible, though.
- How It Was Stretched: If the piercing was stretched too quickly, especially if there was resulting scar tissue, it probably won't revert very easily. If it was done with a scalpel or dermal punch, it definitely won't shrink.
But, as everyone's body is different, the amount of shrinkage will depend on you. Just make sure that you make every stretch as though it will be permanent.
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Tools to Stretch a Piercing
There are several different methods that you can use to stretch a piercing.
- Tapering: (the most common and safest method of stretching most soft tissue piercings, such as ear lobes) A tapered, surgical stainless steel rod is inserted into the piercing. The smaller end of the rod goes in first and the hole is slowly stretched as the wider end of the rod is gently pushed through the hole. Larger gauge jewelry is then inserted behind the taper to keep the hole at its new size.
- Weights: (not recommended by as it doesn't stretch the piercing evenly and can thin the skin around the piercing, causing drooping and sagging) The weights apply pressure to the piercing to help weigh down the hole; you can use heavy steel jewelry as a weight. Just make sure that you only wear the weights for short periods of time, if at all.
- Dermal Punch: This method cuts away a section of flesh by "punching" a hole through it. The dermal punch method is as traumatic to the skin as it sounds, but it is sometimes preferred over tapering for stretching cartilage piercings, as cartilage has less blood flow and can be damaged under the pressure of tapered stretching. The dermal punch can also be used to stretch several gauges at once, but it is still only recommended for cartilage, not soft tissue. Just make sure that you know that the guy who's doing your dermal punch knows what he's doing.
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- Tapered Claws and Talons: The use of pinschers and similar body jewelry to slowly pushed through the piercing, until it is at its thickest point, which depending on the jewelry is either in the middle or the end. This method allows you to push the jewelry through as you see fit, allowing yourself healing time. (This is my personal favorite method, as it is the easiest and least painful.)
- Scalpeling: (A more extreme technique that is near a surgical method) A sharp blade is used to cut away enough flesh to allow for larger gauge jewelry. Sometimes the blade is heated enough to cauterize the skin as it cuts, and then the jewelry is inserted. This technique is prone to infection and generally requires a long healing process.
- Taping: (most common method used to stretch a piercing that has already been stretched to a larger size) A plug or tunnel is wrapped with a layer of tape in order to increase the diameter of the jewelry, which is then inserted back into the hole. This is repeated (after each stretch has healed) until the desired size is reached.
Dermal Punch
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Tips to Stretching Your Ears
It's important that you change your gauge gradually, allowing plenty of healing time between sizes because if you move too fast, you might damage your skin enough to create scar tissue. Scars make your ear look as if it is cracking around the hole and also makes it very difficult to change gauge, whether up or down.
Use stainless steel jewelry for initial stretching because steel is not porous, so it will not absorb bacteria. Also, steel is heavy, and the weight will help the stretching process, every so slightly. You do not want to use acrylic or wood jewelry to stretch you ears because they are porous; save them for when your piercing has healed.
Note: You never want to use acrylic, silicone, bone, stone, wood, or any other material that's notsteel or even titanium to stretch a piercing.
As everyone is different, you will need to listen to your own body while you are in the process of stretching your piercings. Don't stretch to a larger size until you are comfortable doing so.
You will want to buy jewelry that is the next size up to your current gauge; if your piercing is a 16 gauge, then purchase 14 gauge jewelry. You do not want to skip gauges becuase you risk complication.
The longer you keep the old gauge, usually, the easier it will be to insert the new, larger jewelry.
Do consider that smaller gauges tend to be easier to pop right through, than larger gauges, especially if you have the smalelr gauge in your ear for a longer period of time. So your best bet, to an easier stretching is to wait longer in between stretches. The minimum time lapse in between should be no less than two weeks.
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Stretching Your Ear Piercing
- Make sure that your hands, the piercing, and the jewelry are clean.
- Massage the earlobe for a few minutes.
- Inster the larger piece of jewelry into the piercing. Depending on the gauge that you are stretching too, the new jewelry may not slide right in, so gently push the jewelry through. You may have to use some kind of lubricant (water-based) to help the jewelry through.
Do not force the jewelry in as you can cause tears and bleeding. If you have problems inserting the new jewelry, even with a lubricant, give the piercing a rest and try again later or the following day.
Another option, you can try, is to stretch your ears in the shower. The warm water will loosing the piercing, making it a little easier to slide the new jewelry carefully through the hole.
Expect some soreness as your lobes heal and adjust to the new hole size.
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Stretched Ear Aftercare
Healing a newly stretched piercing is going to be similar to healing a brand new piercing. It's very important to keep the piercing clean and allow it the opportunity to "breathe."
Sea salt or saline soaks are important in keeping an infection from developing. The soaks will, also, soothe the soreness of the piercing.
Do not use alcohol or ointments on a newly stretched and healing piercing.
Complications while stretching your ears
Bleeding and soreness are common but can continue longer than necessary if you stretch too fast.
Blow-outs can occur if you stretch too early and too quickly before the piercing has the proper time to heal. A blowout occurs when the skin tunnel is forced out of the back of the piercng, which results in an extra "lip," or skin tissue around the edge. The skin will cntinue to grow with further stretching. You need to downsizethe gauge if this occurs; some people have to have it removed if they insist on stretching further.
Tearing can occur when you stretch too fast too soon. This particular complication will not heal itself, and the ear lobe will remain with a large split or opening. You may want to inquire about plastic surgery to correct ear tearing. If your piercing tears, it's not recommended to continue stretching after you consult assistance of a doctor.
Infections can develop if the piercing is not cleaned regularly/properly, or if you use improper jewelry.
Pictures of Stretched Piercings
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Comments
Thank you so much for this. I gauged one of my ears once before, and pretty much didn't follow any of these things. After my mother saw it, she wouldn't let me have it and made me remove it at once. It healed quickly. It's been three years or so, and she's decided to let me do it again. Thank you so much for all the helpful information. Before, I went from a 2G to a 0G in one day. And ouch! Although I'm a bit worried because I've heard before that at 0G, they will still heal back, and that's the size I want. So now I'm slightly wary, because I can't afford to buy 2G plugs. Oh, the decisions I have to make. But again, thank you for all the useful information!
You want to start slow and work your way up. it's going to be slightly costly to work your way up to 0G, but the money and wait is worth it, if that's what you want.
I know a lot of people with gauges like the one in the first picture and they're convinced it'll shrink back to normal years from now when they decide they're out of college and want to start their career. I'll be sure to forward this Hub to them. Thanks!
To some extent, some of the gauges may shrink back to normal, but that all depends on the size of the guage and the person's individual body.
I have both my ears gauged to a four right now. I'm using a plastic material taper, that I purchased from hottopic. I originally bought a size four plug but it was flared at the end and wouldn't go in. Is there anyway possible that I can get the flared plugs in without having to purchase tapers or pinchers first? Just wondering for when I get to two..
Typically, it's going to be very hard to get the flared in to actually stretch the ear. The flared end is going to be bigger than the actual gauge, so you usually can't get them in unless the piercing is already stretched to the gauge of the middle of the flare, if that makes any sense. Just stick with what you're doing.
Im currently at 1 3/4 inches and ive noticed that once u get passed 00g you dont need a taper at all because your ears are so stretchy..in fact back in the day when i stretched to 7/16 i used double flared plugs and same with 1/2 inch
Ok I'm 14 and have a 4g in each ear, but I want them to be able to grow up if I change my mind later on, is it too late or am I in the clear?lol
In all reality, it will depend on your body. Some people can shrink back to a normal gauge from a large gauge, whereas others cannot. If you think there's a possibility that you may want them reduced, then don't go any further. You make every stretch as though it is irreversable
i gauged my ears to an inch it took me about a year and a half or more to stretch them. i had a blowout in my ear yesterday, and its painful. but anyways thank you for this site it was helpful = )
Is is okay to use plugs when you're beginning to stretch out our ears ? i don't like tapers....
No... It's not...
I just peirced my ears a few days ago and I was wondering if its okay to go to a 12 in a couple days?
No. You should wait at least a few months before the initial stretch.
its not worth rushing i went from a 20 or 18 to a 2 in 3 days it didnt hurt but its swolen so the 2 plug wont fit in anyway take it easy and you cant go wrong
I told you.... You can go wrong. Hopefully, you will not develop and infection or irritation that will cause you to lose your gauges, and hopefully you will not get a blowout.... Following precautions prevents problems, being naive that it won't happen to you is stupid when your health is in question.
i want to gauge my ears but i really dont no how and i want to get them done fast but i dont want to mes up my ears,i started streching them a little bit but i wanta real small size nothing to big like i want it the size of a regular stud earing
Follow the tips above as to how. Also do not rush stretching, as the right way is not the fast way. Are you saying you want the hole to be the size of a stud? If so that's just a 16 or 14 gauge. If you're saying you want a hole that looks like what a stud would look like in your ear, you'll probably want a 10-6g depending on what size stud you're talking about. You're better off doing things slow, and following the tips in the article.
hey i have a question.. im stretching my second hole on my ear lobes from a regular 20g to a size 2g or 4g but im using clear tapers to do it...is that okay? (i can't wear noticeable ones at work and the steel ones were too expensive)
It's not a good idea to stretch with acrylic, as mentioned in the article.
is it going to ruin my ears in the long run?
Acryllic and the other materials mentioned NOT to use can all harbor bacteria and fungal spores and can potentailly cause infection. THe infection can lead to downgrading the size of the gauge and potentially not being able to stretch further.
Whitney05, love your hubs! This is another great one and you hit all the points right on! I have gauged up to a 4 and am very happy with my decision. Each time I've gone up I did it at a shop and they used tapers and/or glass plugs. I have yet to move to steel gauges (only have glass, acrylic, and wood now), but I really like the look of them.
i used to have my ears gaged to a zero the process took about 5 months. went from a 12 to zero within that time. Last year i took them out and they went to about a 8. But now i want to gage again is it ok or safe to do it all over?
orygun, thank you for your comment. It sounds like you've responsibly stretched your ears. More people should take more care in stretching.
Ricky j, it is safe to do, just make sure that you do so slowly without rushing. It's especially important that you don't rush because you're sort of going to be stretching through scar tissue.
I started stretching my ears and I am using a plastic earring from Hot Topic. Is this ok?
As mentioned, no.
hi i made the mistake of stetching my lobes too quickly, i went from a 20g to a 2g in just one week! it was incredibly painful and messy! I had to leave it to heal for 3 months and start again from 14g which i will leave in for a good while before stretching again... stick to the advice on here to avoid the problems i incured! trust me its not worth it!
All this information was very helpful. I have been gauging my ears since I was 13 and I am now 17. I wish I would have known some of this sooner.
hello...to every one who stretches there earlobes!!!
im doning a research projects on earlobe stretching and if anyone could let me know what the reasons are for doing it and does it symbolise anything to youself pirticularly...I would appreaciate your answers....gabie
the biggest thing to remember with any body modification is this, do what your comfortable with and deal with the consequences, if any. alot of these websites are somewhat "overprotective" but its your decision
ahhhh. to everyone who keeps asking this, PLASTIC JEWELRY AND TAPERS FROM HOT TOPIC ARE NOT OK FOR FRESH STRETCHES. plastic or acrylic is porous, and therefore holds bacteria, leaving your ears more prone to infection. if you want to use the acrylic tapers, you can sanitize them and use the tapers ONLY ONCE. but its not sanitary to leave any other material than titanium or steel in freshly stretched ears. and i think the author of this post forgot to mention that taping is an easy, slow, and safe way to stretch, and teflon or bondage tape is safe to use for fresh stretches.
i've only ever used plastic and i've been fine. thi is the 3rd time i've expanded the same ear to a 0 gauge, always goes back to normal piercing size.
all i would say is dont rush it. i'm up at 2 in the morning now cant sleep cos i've jumped from 8 gauge to 0 gauge within 5 days. it just hurts like f***.
The easiest way to do it is use vaseline or something similar. reduces blowouts e.t.c. by loads. my ear would have about 5 days ago if i hadn't lol.
hope i could be of some help :)
ive been stretchin my ears for 10 months now and im currently at 1-3/4's.
definetly follow the instructions given on this page. i used tapers up to 5/8's and got a blow out going to 5/8's. taping steel tunnels works the best and i highly recommend using that method.
i had my dumb time of skipping sizes the many times ive stretched my ears. the worst and most painful experience was going from a 14g to a 2g in one sitting. second most painful time was rushing into 1-1/2. ripped the inside of my lobe a bit and i will never do anything like that again.
Ok well a couple hours ago i stretched my ears from 12g (which i only did a couple days ago) to an 8g. I had only bought the acrylic taper (cause thats all I could find) and surgical steel plugs. I got my ears stretched using the tapers and went to put the plugs in but they won't go in because they're flared and I hadnt noticed that when I bought them. What should I do? Right now I still have the acrylic tapers in but I dont want my ears to get infected.
At this point, the only thing you can do is put the 12gs back in to be safe. Otherwise, just continue doing what you're doing. Just remember there is a safe way to do things, and it's your choice what and how to do them. It's just your body at risk to potential health complications, and it's up to you to decide if you want to risk the complications.
If you leave the tapers in, just remember it may be a while before you can use the flared tunnels, as generally the flare is at least one gauge larger than the middle.
I'm thinking about stretching my second ear piercing (just a little bit) but keeping the first one normal so I can wear my usual earrings. Is that possible? Or will the first hole go out of shape when I start stretching the second one? I've got a 1.2mm taper so I'm not stretching it far (just incase I decide I don't like it!)
Thanks, Sarah
It is possible that the stretched second hole can move the first hole depending on how large you stretch.
Can you use KY lubricant to help strtch your ears? I have a 00 and am trying to go the next size up
I wouldn't. I'd stick with surgical lube, if you're going to use lube.
ok you said u should waint a few months for a stretch but i waited 4 weeks took it out and put a 14g in its fine
I said it's best to wait as long as possible especially with larger gauges. 14gauge is pretty small and there's no need to wait weeks and weeks and months before stretching further. The higher you go, the loner you need to wait.
Im at a 00 how do i streth my ear up i have the other gauge and i can push my flesh tunnels through my ear without unscrewing them but i can push the next plug into my ear
I don't really understand what you mean. It's hard to piece what you're asking together without punctuation. If you can push the screw all the way, you may be able to go ahead and go up a guage, if that's what you're asking. Just don't force it.
I have a size 4 stretcher and tried to insert a size 2 stretcher.I could not insert the size 4 stretcher back so I have the size two partly in my ear.Any help you can advise?
I don't understand. Are you trying to shrink them by going from 2 to 4? If that's the case, then the 4 won't fit because the 2 is larger.
I started stretching my lobes when I was 15. By the time I turned 17, I was at 1/2 inch. When I turned 18 and got a "real job" that wouldn't allow jewelry, I took them out. They healed back up, no problem. I actually had to get them repierced at a studio a few months ago because I couldn't even fit 14g rings in them! I'm at a 10 now, working my way back up to where I was.
i have my ears streached to a 7/16, i took them out once for about a half an hour and it closed a little,
it I take them out do you think they will close?(i've had it done for about a year)
irichards, that's good that you were able to shrink them, not everyone can shrink especially at that large of a gauge size. Just remember not many jobs will allow it, but you've already ran into that problem.
Nicole, they may shrink a little but may not close all the way, especially if you're just going to put the jewelry back in again. Many people actually feel that by taking out the jewelry at night and putting it back in the next morning, your strengthening the hole, so to speak.
Never mind.In case you were wondering I tried putting a size 2 after my size four stretch.
Ah. I misunderstood. It sounded like you were talking the other way around. Stretching takes time, and you have to be patient when upping the gauge.
Ok, i've read through everything and the information u have provided, but i still am kind of confused and have some concerns. Well i've been interested in stretching my left ear for awhile now.. i had it pierced a couple years ago at a shop with a piercing gun, so right now its just a standard small pierced hole any person whould have. I want to make it larger and have a bigger peircing in my ear, but i really am clueless on how to do it. like step by step, what to buy, what to do, etc. The hole in my ear currently is a very small standard hole, and i dont know where to go from there in order to stretch it. I'm looking to have an 8 gauge or 6 gauge hole in my ear.
The instructions are above as to what you'll need to stretch and how to stretch. One gauge up each time, use steel jewelry. Piercing guns are 18g, but after a few years, you could probably say it's stretched and relaxced a god bit, so I'd just start with a 14 gauge, then 12g, 10, 8, 6.
Im stretching the top of my ear, and i was wondering how big can you go? im worried that because i stretched it my self it might split at a cirtain size. its already at 6mm.
How large you can stretch will depend on the shape and size of your earlobe. At this size, with what earlobe is left stretched out, if that tissue is thin, then you probably don't want to continue stretching. Use your best judgement with further stretching.
Is it ok to go from a 14g to 10g? And if i do get to a 10g what will it end up shrinking back to if i take it out?
It depends. Typically, no it's not ok. But, if you've had the piercing for years, you'll find that it will have stretched some naturally.
Shrinkage will vary. Make each stretch as though it won't shrink. If you're not prepared or wanting to live with the next size up forever, then don't stretch. You never know what your body's limit is until you try to shrink and you find that you may not be able to go as far down as you want.
I have always had my ears pierced with standard size, and I had taken them out for about 3 years. I just had 8 gauge plugs put in, it hurt for a day,but now 4 days later they are good. Im thinking of going larger in a week or so, should I wait even if my ears feel fine?
You should give your piercings time to adjust to the stretch. Even though it may not hurt, you still need to give the piercings time to adjust. If you stretch too fast, you will potentially run into a number of problems. See above
I'm interested in stretching my earlobes. as you told Keith above, it would be a good idea to start at 14g? I have standard ear piercings (from a gun, not a needle); I've had them for 5+ years. Also, with tapers, do you push them through all at once and put the plugs in right away? or do you push the tapers through day by day/week by week? and would you recommend pinchers over tapers? if so, how do you insert the pinchers?
sorry if I sound stupid, I just want to do it right in case I ever change my mind. thanks so much!
The taper goes all the way through, stopping at the largest point, to let the piercing get adjusted to that point. Depending on how large you go, the larger tapers may take more than one day to push through. If you rush it, you can cause tears. Having had the smaller gauge for 5 years, you may be able to skip to a 12 gauge, which is one size up from the 14.
Pinchers are just like tapers, but they're more decorative. I prefer them because they're not going to leave a piece of jewelry behind your ear. They curve down. They're inserted the same, with the middle being the gauge you want to stretch to.
i just blew out my ears and i have no idea why. i had had a 6g in previously and just took them out to clean and my left ear just popped and blood splattered and now theres skin hanging out of the back of my ear. im going to the docter and when he fixes it i guess i want to strtch again but they shrank completlet back. what gauge should i start on?
Once you have a blowout, it's not recommended to try stretching again. 6g is pretty small, so you probably won't get too far even if you're successful. If you do decide to stretch again, start as small as you can. Work slow. Do not rush.
my mom pierced my ears when I was a baby and the holes are not even. I want to stretch my ears but don't know if I am better off having them punched so they will def. be even.
If you have them punched, you'll probably never be able to shrink them back, but even regular stretching, you'll want to make each stretch as though it'll never get smaller. My normal gauges were crooked when I had them done as a young child, but when stretching they aren't as noticeable. It probably depends on how badly crooked they are and how big you plan on stretching.
There are more potential problems with punching, and it's very hard to find someone qualified to do it.
what do you mean i wont get far even if im succesful. sorry i just dont understand that sentence. and can you peirce over scar tissue?
You can pierce it, but stretching scar tissue is much harder, and not always successful. But, it sounds like you had more of a tear and not a blowout. Either way, from my understanding stretching after either of these incidents is not as simple or successful as otherwise.
thanks im still gonna try after its all healed and everything i just dont know if it will work =/. thanks for the info
well i wanna get my ears gauged. for the very first time and ive never had them pierced before. i understand i have to do that first but how much do i have to wait before i start the stretching?
ali, it's your body and you have to live with the consequences.
Carlos, you have to heal the piercings first. You can go to a tattoo shop and have them pierced at a larger gauge to start you off. It's best to wait at least a month after healing each new stretch and the initial piercing before stretching. That means wait for the new piercing to heal, another month for hte lobes to get used to the piercing, and then stretch. The larger you go, the longer you have to wait in-between stretches in order to be safe.
kudos to whitney on your commitment. quick question though. whats the difference between a tear and a blowout?
I have the difference between the two decribed above. Thanks :-)
thank you and this was very helpful i got my ears pierced today and well i guess you can say ill start soon :D
hey uhm im 15 and ive got 10mm stretches in both of my ears, ive had my right ear stretched to 10mm for about a year but i only recently stretched my left ear to a 10mm (last night) but i went from an 8mm up to a 10mm so i skipped the 9mm its a bit swollen and every now and then a bit of crust comes up and i cant remember if this happened to my right ear. will it be ok or hould i take it out and try again later
(i used a taper and the next morning i put a steel plug in)
Carlos, just be patient and do not rush. If you rush, you will see complications.
Charlie, Because you skipped a gauge, yes you can expect complication such as swelling, redness, etc. Generally, if you do not skip guages and you strectch with caution, you're not going to see any major soreness or redness unless you rush pushing the taper through. If you take your time, you'll see fewer problems. You're very young, you need to watch how far you stretch, as you should be prepared to live with the next gauge in case it doesn't shrink back if you opt to shrink them.
Hey Whitney.I just got into the seventh grade,and some stupid jerk,who was a senior jerked my tapers and ripped them from a size 0g down to a 000g.Can I still be a herpetologist? Unfortunately,I was not successful in shrinking them too much and I could not identify the guy running away somewhere in the huge,fourty-acre school.It is a good school and and have far lesser pot-heads,so I am hopeful it won't happen again.Also I got my helix punched,and the back is swollen,but not the front.Do you know what this could possibly be.I do clean it daily.I have read some stories about healing the punch without jewelry.Is this true.Thanks.
I've never heard healing without jewelry. Punches are harder to heal, and will more than likely not shrink back. You can still attempt to shrink, but it will take more than a few weeks or months to go back smaller. Just be careful that you didn't stretch too far at once, as going from 0 to 000 like that can have bad effects. I don't know the rules and regulations about appearnace of herpetolgists, so it'll vary. You're still very young.
You shouldn't have been wearing tapers that can go to 000 if you didn't want to stretch them; in a way it's your fault for egging on a bully like that. If you took out the tapers and let the ears relax on the gauge you want you shouldn't have any problems since it's a new stretch, and probably a very irritated one.
I did not say anything to him.I literally meant he was a pot head.You know someone who loves pot.I used a taper only to stop the bleeding,and took it out after my nurse said I could.I am sure that he was a victim of cannibus and possibly child abuse.He apologised after he noticed my ears turned bluish.Thanks for answering because you are the only hubber that answers to questions.Love your hubs.
I'm not an idiot, please do not speak to me as though I do not know what a pot head is. I'm a good bit older than you, so do not condescend me. And it's not good to assume why someone is the way he/she is; assuming he has been abused or whatever just because he bullied you, is ignorant.
Just remember do not wear jewelry if you're not willing to go to that size and it be permanent.
im 12 and i have a cartilage piercing& i want to get it guage.i have it at 20g right now but i want it to be at 18 or 16 so i can fit hoseshoes in.cuz i cant find any hoseshoes that are 20g.any advice before i get it done??or do u know a place that might have 20g horseshoes?
It is odd that the piercing is a 20 gauge, as it's supposed to be pierced with a 14 gauge needle; I'm assuming you had it done with a piercing gun. The only thing to do is let it heal and then push an 18 gauge through, let that heal, then 16 gauge, let that heal and if you want to go to 14 push a 14 through. You may be able to find pinchers that small, I'm not sure, otherwise you'll just have to use water-based lube or antibiotic ointment to push the jewelry through. Just make sure that your wipe off any extra left over. You don't want anything left around the piercing that could hold bacteria near the wound.
I use acrylics for my ears, and I was wondering that if I keep them clean (like I do daily to prevent bacteria) then will it effect my healing process at all?
I'm only going to a 6 or 4 and I was wondering what you thought.
Yes, there is still going to be potential for bacteria to affect the healing stretch. It's best to use steel until the piercing is healed.
im at a 6 now, i just put the pinchers in sunday. when can i put the plugs in?
When they're healed.
I stretched my ear too quickly today (down from a 12 to a 6) and after reading this could ruin my ears i took them out. My ears are bleeding, have i seriously messed them up? Or will i just not be able to go below something like an 8? I'm just curious as i would never go below a 4, but do not want to ruin my ears either.
I can't tell you if you permanently did anything bad to your ears. Because you skipped so many gauges you should have expected bleeding. If you stretch one gauge at a time and do not force it though, the stretch should not bleed. Let them heal and try stretching properly.
those are some of gnarliest pictures!
i let my 20 heal then skipped to a 14 with barley any swelling, pain, or blood, but my friend went from a 16 to a 14 & his ears were still bleeding the next day & had puss around them why?
Because his weren't ready to be stretched. How long had you had your 20s? How long did he have his 16s? They may not have been ready.
Hello, i was just wondering if i go past a 0 gauge will i be ok? I have pretty fatty ears and they are pretty thick. do you think the hole will go back to down a few sizes. Im asking because im only 15 and my mom is flippin out on me cause she thinks they wont grow back, and she worried about me getting a job with these in. Im at a zero now and i want to go to a 00 in a few months so i just need to make sure that im all set and she needs to know that they will grow back a little bit. but after im at a 00 im done, but i want to go bigger could i do that and still be ok?
thank you
Even at 0 gauge, your ears may not shrink back all the way. There's no guarantee that your ears will ever shrink back at any gauge. You make each gauge as though it will never shrink back because you're never guaranteed it. You mom is right to have worries about you continuing to stretch your ears. Most employers highly frown on stretched ears.
I recently decided to get a small flesh tunnel and had it pierced by a reputable studio straight away with a 3mm tunnel. After a couple of weeks of having the tunnel in, I woke up one morning and I must have been lying on the ear all night. It was quite sore, very swollen and I could only see the O ring on the front of the tunnel and not the one on the back. I went to the studio and the O ring had actually gone inside my lobe, so the piercer took it out and put a 2mm bar into my ear that was a lot longer to allow it to heal. He said after a few weeks I'd be fine to put the tunnel back in. I've decided I want to wear a taper in it most of the time, so I bought a 3mm taper which I pushed into my ear tonight. It went in without too much trouble and a bit of lube, slightly stinging and a tiny tiny bit of swelling. I'm worried that if I sleep with it tonight and lean on the taper it might cause some problems again, would I be okay taking the 3mm taper out at night and sleeping with the 2mm bar in, and then put the taper back in every day?
It could cause irritation if it's not fully healed yet. If it's healed, then you should be fine switching it out. Just be careful.
hi ive gauged up to a 2 and i took them out and they completely closed back up in 2-3 months approx... to the point where i had to take the original piercing i got my ears pierced with and shove it back in... i was curious im back at 2's now and thinkin about going to 0's... think that they would close back up similar to the 2's or no... i love my gauges and wanna go up.. im 20 but after my school getting a job could be difficult...so i wanted to see of they would close up from the experience i had with the 2's
thanks
There is a possibility, but it's not guaranteed. You're not even guaranteed the shrink if you tried it again. You should make every stretch as though it'll never go back.
Ok thank you again, i see now that it wasent just one of those mother things. Im glad to say that im going to a 00 then im done. so thank you once again
Good luck. Be prepared to make the stretch as though it'll never go back. Also keep in mind, it's sometimes hard to say you're done.
Pelona says:
11 months ago
wow. this is the most info i have been abe to find!
so thanks.