Infections are important to get taken care of as soon as possible so that they don't turn into something worse. Its best to stick to water-based or natural lubricants like Jojoba Oil. Oil massages are the best practice after stretching your earlobes and this is best done after a shower because they need to stay moisturised. As we age, our skin loses moisture, making it ore prone to sagging. How long do you leave tapers in before putting plugs in? Most people assume that they can use regular tape, electrical tape, or duct tape but this is not true! However, there are some factors that will affect how long it will take, including: That said, youll be looking at a few months, usually around 4 months for smaller gauges, all the way up to a year or two for larger gauges. Helping plug wearers find the perfect pair of plugs since '11 -Shop our wide range of plugs, body jewellery and clothing. Is it OK to get your ears pierced at Claires? There is no such thing as stretching too slowly, but stretching too quickly can cause scarring, injury, and prevent ears from healing evenly and properly. Your earlobe is a part of your body and it needs taken care of! As said in the beginning, stretching slowly and carefully will help with your earlobe health. Tape Wrapping - Once you get to a larger size, (generally around 0g or 8mm) then using the tape wrapping method is a good option to use for stretching. They come in a range of sizes and youll want to make sure you use tapers made from a non-porous material that is designed to stretch your ears. The lubricant will keep your ears moisturized and more protected vs dry stretching. They can start with the piercing and then show you how to gauge your ears the healthy way until you get to the size you want. When youre ready for your stretch make sure to clean and disinfect the area. Is it bad if your ear bleeds when stretching? Most people can go between 2g (6mm) 00g (10mm) and expect their ears to revert back to a normal piercing, after a few months of healing. The smaller your ear lobes are, the harder it is to wear double flared plugs. We strongly recommend using GaugeGear Stretching Balm. A blowout is another common problem that happens when you stretch too quickly or skip sizes. Massage with oil. Note: Some funky smells can indicate an infection, so if you have a smell along with any oozing or pain you should take a trip to your doctor to get it checked out and potentially antibiotics. Most people can go between 2g (6mm) 00g (10mm) and expect their ears to revert back to a normal piercing, after a few months of healing. Neither time was excruciating painful, just somewhat uncomfortable. This process tends to take longer but you can increase the amount of tape every couple of weeks and it means your ears are more likely to stay healthy if youre aiming for a larger gauge size. Lube up your ears and also the taper. But everyone is different. If it's uncomfortable but not painful, stay at that time between stretches. Register with UBJ to receive updates, access to exclusive deals, new product drops, and more. My personal rule while stretching was that if it hurt at all, wait another week. The single flare steel plugs come in a larger size range (1.6mm - 38mm) and we have 3 different kits ready to go to get you to certain common milestones. Olive oil is one of my favorites (its cheap and softens the skin). This is what makes the concave tapers better. My ears smell funky after stretching. ), but we recommend steel. They can also give you advice on how to take care of stretched ears, as well as what to do if you think you might have an infection! If you want dont want stretched ears forever, be sure to stretch slowly and never skip sizes. Once it is through, take your plugsand follow through after the taper. Organic plugs need to be taken care of just like other plugs. Also,the slower you go the thicker and healthier your ears will be in the long run (which is important if you plan on going to a large size). Repeat that process a few times. Unfortunately, this means that you are going to have to backtrack to heal before you can consider stretching again. Wood, bone, and horn jewelry should be oiled at least monthly with. If you have recently stretched your ears and are having all the above problems, then it's for sure best to downsize and let your ears get back to normal. To stretch with the tape wrapping method, take a set of plugs in your current size and do 2-3 wraps of tape aroundthem to slowly increase the size of your piercing. This is what is happening with your ears, but the dead skin cells are held in place by your jewelry. This is it, youve successfully done the next stretch. For all things related to modifying the human body. I waited around 3-4 weeks when I was actively stretching. Try to avoid putting cream on it without consulting your doctor first as it might aggravate the infection. Top Tip: The easiest way to work out if your ears will heal or not is to check whether your normal sized piercings are prone to closing if you dont wear jewellery. Once you decide on stretching youll then increase to a size 12 gauge (2mm)taper. If youre having trouble and cant put the taper through, use a smaller size and make sure you have the right size plug too. Once you get to a larger size, (generally around 0g or 8mm) then using the, Every week or two, do an additional 2-3 wraps to continue increasing the size of the plug. (but not enough to be in pain). The first thing you'll need to do is to switch your jewelry to something like steel or glass. At smaller sizes I was able to go a size a month. When stretching, one stretch should start by pushing the taper in from the front, and the next stretch should be pushed in from the back. Some people say taking a hot shower before stretching helps to make your ear a bit more stretchy. Once it is through, take your. But, its important to note that this isnt always the same for everyone. When you do this, you are doing more ripping of your skin than actual stretching. What are tapers and how do I use them to stretch ears? Apply new tape daily. Only stretch with surgical steel, titanium or glass. Patience, grasshopper. Human skin only has a certain elasticity, so going too big and too fast is enough to cause ripping and tearing of your skin. Also,the slower you go the thicker and healthier your ears will be in the long run (, To prevent blowouts while ear stretching, make sure you size up gradually. Why do I get it and how can I fix it? This is fine for a healed piercing, but not okay to stretch with or be worn in a freshly stretched ear. Only stretch once you have healed from the previous stretch. The tape wrapping method is usually used once you get above a 0 gauge. history of ear stretching check out our guide here, Black Steel Double Flared Tunnel / Plug / Gauge, Rose Gold Steel Double Flared Tunnel / Plug / Gauge, Black Faceted Obsidian Teardrop Glass Plug / Gauge, Blue & Green Iridescent Plug / Tunnel / Gauge, Leviathan Cross Plug / Gauge - Black Glass | Flat Faced Double Flare, Duo Pearlescent White & Teak Plug / Gauge, Black Cracked Teardrop Glass Plug / Gauge, Rose Quartz Stone - Circular Keyhole Ear Weights (Pair), Black Onyx Stone - Oval Keyhole Ear Weights (Pair), Clear Quartz Stone - Pincer Keyhole Ear Weights (Pair), Opalite Glass - Oval Keyhole Ear Weights (Pair), Gold Steel Double Flared Tunnel / Plug / Gauge, Silver Steel Double Flared Tunnel / Plug / Gauge. PTFE is a great and inexpensive tape that you can use to stretch. Keep in mind that your best expectation is to shrink the size of the holes. In reality, ear funk is actually dead skin cells. 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. How to care for your ears/lobes after stretching? Another reason to take good care of your lobes! 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. Lubricants make a stretch easier. We strongly recommend using, Keep it clean and hydrated! Be on the lookout for anything unusual like red, swollen ear lobes, extreme itching, discharge, or a warmth coming from your lobes. After a certain point, theres one way to get your ears back to normal and it's surgery. The guide goes into detail about the initial stretching process and different methods to get you to your desired size, comfortably and safely. To do that you can purchase what is called a taper. All organic jewelry should be kept dry but moisturized. This is the reason we recommend that you wait at least a month between stretches, if not longer. Stretching too quickly and skipping sizes is a common problem that can do some serious damage to your piercings. When you stretch too fast, this fistula literally is forced out of the piercing. Taping takes longer than using a taper, but it will help you keep your ear lobes thick and healthy for the bigger sized gauges. Besides downsizing a few sizes, you can also massage your ears a few times a day with vitamin e oil to help aid the process of healing along. It's highly recommended to use a set of single flare plugs or tunnels, so you can easily trim the excess tape. It's highly recommended to use a set of, So once you have decided on what size of taper you need to use, the next part is getting the stretch done. So, we want to give you the complete low-down on how to stretch / gauge your ears, what to expect, and answer all the questions you have before you get started. We suggest using Jojoba Oil. This will really give your lobes the optimal time to heal, reduce the risk of tearing, let your ear lobes thicken up, and get your circulation back in your skin. They are in the same shape as the acrylic tapers; just in a different material. Care instructions vary depending on the material the plugs are made of i.e., whether they are porous or not. Do sea salt soaks (, Youll want to clean your ears at least daily (. Also,massaging it to get the blood flowing is a good way to increase elasticity in the ear lobe before stretching. You'll only want to go one size bigger during each stretch. Not only does it aid in healing, but it also helps your ear lobe circulation and greatly reduces the risk of tearing and blowouts. Wait for inflammation and pain to subside before increasing the size of your gauge. Another tip to prevent blowouts is to use a lubricate while stretching. Rub the balm into your ears just before stretching, and rub some on the jewelry you're about to use to stretch up. If there is no resistance and it feels comfortable, simply line up the next gauge of tunnels or plugs and push them through. Once I was at 0g for a while, I started dead stretching and was able to go up a size every 2 months. When you do this, you are doing more ripping of your skin than actual stretching. The material isn't good to wear since it can hold bacteria, but you can stretch with it if you need to. After stretching your ears may feel warm and often feel a slight tingle or sting. To prepare your ears for stretching, apply a warm compress to the piercing for several minutes in order to ease up the tissue and make the stretch easier. What's the difference between plugs, tunnels, and gauges? There are a lot of different opinions on this topic, but the majority of professionals in the body modification industry recommend never going any larger than 2 0 gauge if you want your ears to totally close up where you cant see through them. What kind of earring do you use for a tragus piercing? Use ear care solution for cleaning away crusties or little bits of sand-like tissue that comes out of your ears. If you stop at this point, you should have no problem with your ears shrinking back. Wait 4 to 6 weeks before increasing sizes. If you are stretching beyond 38mm, the tape wrapping method is preferred (NEVER USE SILICONE TO STRETCH). After making sure that your ears are fully healed from the initial piercing, you can start stretching at a 16 gauge. We provide you with long-term stretching methods and how to reach your goal size without injury, infections and blowouts. I first got my ears pierced at an 8g and I'm currently at a 4g and the last two times I've waited about a month to stretch. If you have stretched way too fast and tore your earlobes, it's going to be harder for your earlobes to shrink back down to a normal size. Acrylic tapers are going to be your cheapest option. Can you use olive oil as lube for ear stretching? Its all about knowing how to stretch your ears properly - and the truth is, thats a long and slow process. Every person is different, and many factors, such as the elasticity of your skin and the time and method of stretching, can affect this. This is called a blowout, as it looks like the piercing is turning inside out. As you're pushing the tapers through, this puts the new plug in place without the hassle of having to wait until your ear is ready to put the new size in. All healed piercings form a fistula, a tunnel of skin that your jewelry goes through. They are easier to stretch with than acrylic because they are slicker than acrylic. You'll want to use tape that is not only safe for your ears but is also thin enough to use properly. The lubricant will keep your ears moisturized and more protected vs dry stretching. If there is resistance or pain, you should wait to stretch your ears further. It's highly recommended to wait at least a full month between each stretch and to never skip sizes, so your ears will have minimal chances for long term damage. It is about " in width so it fits well on almost all plugs under 1 inch. The best time to insert plugs is right after a hot shower. You can fix it by making sure you wash your ears daily while you're in the shower. This is also another popular question that has a lot of opinions. With steel tapers, when you stretch you normally have to wait a bit or fight with the new, bigger plugs to get them in. If its too tight, what youll do is tear the skin off the inside of your hole. We also go over the best cleaning practices for your ears and jewelry. Its best uses are to soften skin, reduce scar tissue and to moisturize. Single Flare Glass -Our single flare glass plugs are our recommended method for stretching (often referred to as "dead stretching"). The more slowly you stretch, the healthier your ears will be! If you are experiencing anything beyond a slight soreness, or you are bleeding, then you have stretched your piercing too quickly. If youve only recently healed from a regular ear piercing, you may want to start out with 16g plugs, just to be on the safe side. Whether you had any issues in the process of stretching your ears, How quickly you heal to the actual stretching process, The amount of scar tissue from stretching (if there is any). As with many other parts of the body, we have a ton of dead skin cells that usually drop off on their own, but with stretched ears, the skin can get trapped between the tunnel/plug and the skin. It's a lot slower than using tapers, but it is a really efficient and gradual way to stretch with minimal risk. Instead of washing them, only clean them with a damp cloth mixed with antibacterial soap, and pat them dry afterwards. Go up one size at a time. For some metals youll need to make you dry them properly after cleaning so that you avoid them dulling or tarnishing. Silicone and acrylic cant be autoclaved, so even after washing with antimicrobial soap, there may still be trace amounts of bacteria. For example, if you're using wood plugs, you'll need to know that when they get wet that will expand. We accept a wide range of payment methods including: Keep up-to-date with all the latest promotions, news and releases! This is a good ear size chart to determine how long you should wait in between stretches: Bleeding and pain should never occur during the stretching process! I'd wait the full 3 months or more when you go bigger. It also helps to reduce the size of blowouts over time if massaged daily. The first thing to do is downsize, so theres not so much pressure on the piercing, and then treat it the same way as a fresh piercing withsterile saline wound wash, not saltwater. If youve had pierced ears for some time you may find that youve already stretched your ears slightly. When it comes to stretching "beyond the point of no return, youll hear a different answer from everyone you ask. Tapers are normally made out of acrylic or stainless steel and are exactly as they sound: tapered. Acrylic plugs can be worn during the day but should be replaced with. 9 ways to hide and shrink drooping earlobes. Organic plugs are made out of wood, horns, bones and many other materials. Professional body piercers can measure your ears to see what size they are. We'd recommend using Neilmed sterile saline wound wash in the fine mist. Allow your ears to fully heal before you start a new stretch. Leave it for at least a couple of hours, ideally overnight. You should avoid using cotton wool or cloths that might moult and get fibres in the area. It isn't impossible, but it is a bit harder to put through. If you're set on having a piercer stretch for you, 6 weeks minimum. If you have established healed, regular earring piercings and you wear earrings regularly, you should be fine starting with our single flare glass plugs. Usually about 3 weeks or so but I have super stretchy ears. (Use the button below to get your special REDUCED PRICE + FREEshipping + 2 FREE Gifts). We use cookies on our websites for a number of purposes, including analytics and performance, functionality and advertising. They are round at one end, normally the gauge that you are going up to, and then taper down to a point for easy insertion. Make sure you search the web for people's personal accounts on lobe stretching. My general rule of thumb was to wait about 2 or 3 months. The tape wrapping method helps to stretch your lobes slowly and carefully. Years of wearing long, dangly earrings and tugging on your piercings may make your piercings bigger! Go ToStretching Plugs, Single Flare Steel- Same as our glass single flare plugs, but in stainless steel. Only stretch once you have healed from the previous stretch. You will also need a lubricant too. These are very important factors when picking the right taper. Stay away from showering or swimming with wooden plugs. Because your ear lobes have healed around the tunnel, plug, or taper you used to stretch the ear, your ears will never completely close. Depends on how well your body handles stretching. Years of wearing long, dangly earrings and tugging on your piercings may make your piercings bigger! If it doesn't go all the way in, wait. Lubricant: Youll also want a lubricant. Stretching slowly can be a huge factor in whether your lobes will go back to standard size. Steel tapers are recommended for a few reasons. We have a big selection of tapers made from different materials here on UBJ. The only real condition is that you need to have a completely healed piercing before you start. Remember, you can do it faster too, but your earlobes will thank you if you take it nice and slow. You can use PTFE tape and Bondage tape. Find out what size your earlobe piercings are. This will leave extra skin around your ears. Here is a good example timeline to get from regular piercing to 00 gauge: Of course you should always listen to your body and if youre struggling to fit the taper through or stretch you should wait for further healing.
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