A Guide To Stretching Your Ears.
There are many ways by which a person can physically alter his body. Stretching is one method of doing so and here is a deeper analysis of what the concept of stretching is all about. We will be discussing different approaches to stretching as well but first and foremost we have to understand how stretching happens.

Stretching is the process of enlarging a pierced hole in a person's body. Stretching causes further tearing to be done on the already existent piercing. There is no need to worry because the process involves a gradual stretching of the tissue where smaller tears or micro tears are formed. After the actual stretching process then the wounds are allowed to heal maintaining the new size of the piercing. After the process is completed then the person can repeat everything now enlarging the piercing a little more.
How Do I Start?
There is no limit to the number of times that stretching can be done to a piercing but it is important that the process be done correctly in order to achieve the desired piercing enlargement. Stretching the ear lobes to achieve a larger piercing may not work for everyone. There are some who may not even want to undergo the process but for those who see the beauty in doing so then the general rule of thumb is to allow the wounds to completely heal before doing any further stretching and this will take intervals of about a month or two per stretching.

When it comes to the possible sizes that can be achieved from stretching, you should consider that people have different body types and together with their frames may come to handle the size ranges quite differently as well. The two-gauge is the maximum size for stretching where the ear lobes lose their ability to shrink back to the size of a regular earring piercing. Consider the age factor as well and be sure that before you engage with the complex science of stretching you will be comfortable in knowing that you may have to spend your elderly years with that slightly larger ear lobe piercing.

There are different approaches to the stretching process and people have these options to choose from when they consider undergoing ear stretching. Different methods may involve varying healing periods as well and it is important to be familiar with these as you stretch. The first method is known as tapering. It is actually the easiest method for stretching allowing for minimal stress. Generally you will need to acquire a tapering device. Use a lubricant with the taper so that you can easily slide it through your ear. Use the taper as an extension for your ear jewelry by pushing the jewelry against the end of the taper device as you push it through the ear lobe. There may be some slight discomfort experienced when the tapering method is used but other than that the process should not be painful in any way. In addition, tapering will never result to bleeding if done correctly.
Next is the tape wrap. This is the method advised for larger gauges when stretching. You will need some Teflon tape which you can attain from any local hardware store. Considering that your ear lobes have healed already, wrap your jewelry around with the tape and insert them in. Slightly increase the amount of tape that you wrap your ear jewelry up with as you stretch. This is a gradual stretching process but is quite effective with most people. The only downside with using the tape is that they can sometimes get stuck inside the piercing which can make the removal of the jewelry a task that is quite challenging to accomplish.
Don't Stretch To Fast!
An important element with the stretching process is the healing part where proper care should be given to stretched ear lobes to eliminate any problems or infections whatsoever. First and foremost you should allow stretched ear lobes to relax for some time. Any type of jewelry no matter how big or how heavy will place a significant amount of stress on the ear lobes where proper oxygen and blood flow can easily be restricted. Exposing the ear lobes to such lack of blood and oxygen as well as nutrients over extended periods of time will cause the ear lobes to thin out becoming weak and susceptible to irritation. It is important to let the ear piercing have some time to rest each day allowing it to regenerate where the skin thickens allowing for further stretching to become possible in the future. To do this, simply take your jewelry off for a few hours each day.

When it comes to fresh stretches a variety of methods can also be used to allow healing to take place. One of these pertains to sea salt soaking which is actually the best option to take to allow for quick recovery. Dissolve some sea salt in some warm water then submerge your ears in the solution fro a few minutes. Repeat the ten minute process for about three times within the day. This will cause any impurities to be flushed out. Also the process soothes the ear lobes causing a faster healing period. The precaution here is not to use too much salt as too much salt can be bad for the piercing as well. A teaspoon is enough in this case per eight ounces of liquid. Then there are antibacterial soaps which can work well with the healing process. These antimicrobial soaps are highly recommended by the people who do piercing. Be sure to purchase a gentle brand for soaps like these.

When the piercing has healed there is still a maintenance regimen which will be required from you. The best things for healed lobes are oil massages which can relax the lobes. Jojoba and vitamin E oils are the top choices here. With regard to jojoba oil, this is the type of oil which is the closest to matching the oils that are released naturally by the body reducing the onset of irritation. Vitamin E oils on the other hand have the ability to break down any scar tissue. Ear lobes when stretched can result to scar tissue which is a bad problem to encounter. When it comes to massaging the process causes the flow of blood to the lobes to be regulated causing them to become healthier. Do not be alarmed when you discover some gunk on your jewelry even after your ear lobes have healed. The gunk is more often than not dead skin cells.

There are times when ear stretching can result to some significant bleeding and pain. When this happens, it means that you might have stretched your ear lobes too quickly. This is the point where you will need to reverse the process in order for your ears to heal and before you can be able to do some stretching again. You will need to wear smaller ear jewelry pieces at this time. During a situation like this it is best to treat your ears as if they have a fresh piercing or have just undergone a stretching. Rest them for a couple of weeks then start with the oil massages and do so for about a month or so before undergoing any stretching. On the average this kind of healing would require from two to four months to be on the safe side.

A blowout on the other hand is another problem that can arise with stretching the lobes too quickly. Usually these take effect right after a stretching has been done probably about a day or two after the process. This occurs when the pressure in the piercing is too great causing the piercing or hole to be deformed twisting itself from the inside out. Again, downsizing or wearing smaller ear jewelry is necessary. If you do not immediately address the problem then expect to encounter some surgery for the problem to be solved. Also consider the situation as a new piercing like the previous problem discussed. So resort to sea salt soaking and oil massages as well.
Everyone's Body Is Different, So Healing Time May Vary
Aftercare for stretching is very important but the materials used with stretching are equally as crucial. For stretching it is appropriate to make use of materials such as titanium, surgical stainless steel, niobium, glass, and even Teflon. Glass and organic materials can benefit you in terms of offering additional elements that can make your lobes all the more attractive and pleasant. These materials reduce having to deal with rough edges. In addition, a material like glass is hypo-allergenic making it great especially for people with sensitive skin. Organics on the other hand are better accepted by the body resulting into less discomfort for people who use them. These also decrease foul odors in the ears.

There are dangers that can be encountered when improper or acrylic materials are utilized when stretching the ear lobes. Products made from these materials are not meant to be used as long term jewelry. These are referred to as the novelty jewelry which pertaining to the term novelty are only meant to be worn for short periods of time. Any prolonged usage will only lead to infections. Another effect of long term use is that the body starts absorbing the materials from which these novelties have been fabricated from and so it reacts with the skin almost always in a negative way. The base materials have the tendency of breaking down with time and so the body can easily absorb the toxic components they emit. And so with these in mind you now have a better grasp with regard to stretching and how to properly handle the different situations that may be attributed to the stretching process if you consider undergoing such a transformation.

great tips for stretching

You may want to add that when taping, the person should use jojoba or another piercing safe lube, before putting the taped jewelry back into one's ears ears. Also, if the jewelry becomes stuck, working some oil into the piercing channel should alleviate that problem.

Just quick how do you stretch past 5/8s they dont make bigger tapers n i had uh buncha mates tell me to use tape but at the shop the guy told me not to so ima kinda round the twist here help?

I have seen a few places that have 1" tapers.. Acrylic though.. I haven't seen stainless steel

Hey there, my roommate is at an inch and he used tape from 1/2" on. Just pick up a roll or two of PTFE tape (found in most hardware stores in the plumbing section.) We have both found that No flare or single flare plugs work best. Just wrap two or three wraps around the plug, oil up the entire plug really well with jojoba, vitamin e, or emu oil, and slide them in. You should be able to add another 3 wraps every 4 or so days until you are at the next size. You shouldn't have to force the plug in, if there is any resistance just wait a few more days or use less tape. Be sure to take off all the tape at least once a week and replace with fresh. I hope this helps and saves you money, because a lot of times tapers at that size are really expensive.

Most places can order large guage tapers, they just don't keep them on hand because by the time people are at a size that large they are either taping or dead stretching. Glasswear Studios and Gorrilla Glass both will make glass tapers in whatever size/color you want.

Hey Guys,

I'm working on an article about ear stretching and I was wondering if anyone knew about the history of it. Can anyone be a primary source for this? I just had a few questions that I was hoping someone could answer.

Where did ear stretching originate and why was it done?

Is ear stretching seen as a sign of beauty in certain countries or tribes?

Is ear stretching associated with being unfeminine, emo, or punk?