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.
Here are some infection symptoms to watch out for:. Extreme stretching may leave permanent holes in your earlobes. Stretching too quickly may cause an infection or injure your ears permanently.
Taking good care of your ears is also crucial. Stretch your ears slowly. Ear piercings are one of the most common types of piercings.
Jennifer Boidy, RN. You should avoid skipping a size. This is never a good idea, because it increases the chance of complications, such as infection and tearing which can cause permanent damage to your ears.
Not Helpful 9 Helpful Can you use Neosporin to help slide it through your previous hole? I'm going into a 10g. You can use Neosporin, and also be sure the expander is clean and that you wash your hands before inserting. Always remember to only go up one size at a time. Not Helpful 22 Helpful Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
At a certain point, ear stretching cannot be reversed. If you ever decided to no longer wear gauges, the hole will not close back up on its own and you will need surgery. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. After stretching leave the ear alone. Don't let yourself or your friends mess with it, and if have to touch it make sure your hands are clean. A fresh stretch is like a new cut; it's susceptible to infections.
Related wikiHows How to. How to. More References 1. About This Article. Medically reviewed by:. Co-authors: Updated: August 12, Categories: Ear Health. Medical Disclaimer The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment.
Article Summary X The best way to stretch your ears without pain is to use a taper rod set, which comes with small cone-shaped rods you put in your pierced ears to gradually stretch them without tearing your skin. Nederlands: Je oren pijnloos oprekken. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read , times. The article was more than helpful on what method to use when doing it, but I also have heard that after a while you should not use tapers anymore because the weight is too much, and taping is the best way to go instead.
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Very good page, will definitely be bookmarking! Tapers are a great way to begin your ear stretching journey. A taper is a straight piece either steel or acrylic that is small on one side and larger on the other. When you insert a taper it will increase the size of your piercing. The 1st thing you will need to know about tapers is what the difference is between the various styles and which to choose. Acrylic tapers are an economy style of tapers that are pretty popular since they are the least expensive.
They will get the job done, but acrylic can never be sterilized and it is a bit harder to get through than steel is. If you are on a budget then acrylic is ok, but its highly recommended to use steel tapers for stretching. Basic steel tapers are a good option for those who are on a budget but looking for better quality than acrylic. These tapers can be totally autoclaved and sterilized for a safe and clean stretch.
Steel tapers will slide through much easier than acrylic tapers and they are much better quality. The only problem with these is that they have a flat back, so when doing the insertion of your plugs, you will have to have a really steady hand to get them through following the taper. Concave tapers are the best and highest quality tapers to use. Like the basic steel tapers, they can be totally autoclaved and sterilized for a safe and clean stretch. They also are a bit longer in the stretchable area so they aren't as blunt on your piercing when pushing it through.
And the best thing about the concave tapers, is that they have a concave back an indention on the end of the taper so that the plugs actually fit inside of the taper. This is what makes them just perfect; you can insert your taper, put the plug into the back of the taper, and follow through for an extremely easy stretch.
You don't have to keep your hand steady or anything, just insert the taper and the plug is ready for an easy follow through. These are usually a little more expensive, but for the extra few dollars it's well worth it. So once you have decided on what style of taper you want to use, the next part is getting the stretch done. The 1st thing you will need will be a lubricant to use on your taper. Lubricant will make the taper super slick so it will slide through really easy.
We recommend using a sterile lubricant like surgilube. Lube up your ears and also the taper. Then just insert the taper all the way up to the base of the bigger side.
If it takes you a few minutes to get it through it is ok, you don't have to rush it. Once it is through then just take your plugs and follow through after the taper. Once you get to a larger size generally around 0 gauge then using the tape wrapping method is a good option to use for stretching and it is the method almost everyone uses over 1 inch.
The way that the tape wrapping method works is you take a set of plugs of your current size and do wraps of tape around your plugs to slowly increase the size of your piercing. It's highly recommended to use a set of single flare tunnels for each size you use this method with since you can wrap the tape around your plugs and tuck the excess into the back of the tunnels.
See picture below What's good about the tape wrapping method is that you can really take your time and slowly increase the size of your piercing without the healing issues of tapers. Just do wraps every week and generally after about months you will be up to the next size. You can also read more about ear stretching sizes here. The biggest mistake people make when stretching their ears is being impatient and trying to increase sizes too quickly.
The general rules of thumb are:. This helps you avoid lasting damage, scar tissue forming which prevents you from stretching further - particularly at the large gauges , and any complications or infection. Ear stretching can be done as soon as you want. The only real condition is that you need to have a completely healed piercing before you start. Everyone always asks, how long does it take for stretched ears to close and the problem is, it depends entirely on the individual, because every ear is different.
However, there are some factors that will affect how long it will take, including:. If this is the case, reduce the size and give it an extra couple of weeks healing time.
In the meantime, make sure you apply the oil of your choice to the earlobes at least two times a day to help speed things up a bit. We suggest using Jojoba Oil. Most people can stretch up to 0 gauge and shrink their ears back without having an issue. 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.
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