Earstretching.net

Hi! I'm new to stretching (obviously, that's why I'm on the "New to Stretching" thread) so I just have a few questions before I delve into this whole thing.
I've had my ears regularly pierced (so an 18g?) since June and I was considering going straight to 14g since it's only skipping one size, but I saw another post where someone said you shouldn't skip, at all, even to just a 14g. So they scared me out of it but now where can I get size 16g plugs? I haven't been to too many sites because I don't know what's reliable but it seems like they all start at 14 or 10.
Also what material should I start out with? I've heard both stainless steel and titanium and I just want to know which is the absolute safest.

If I got any of the terminology wrong I apologize in advance, haha. Thanks!

I'm also new to stretching, but I can relate to this situation and I hope I can help you out.

Your best bet to go up in the small sizes is studs.
I first moved from up I think 18 or 16g to try and slightly stretch my lobe to help it heal (and it worked). I'm now at 14g/1.6mm.
All you need is a slightly wider stud to stretch it just a teeeeeeny little bit, until you're at a size which you can get tapers.

It will be a little uncomfortable for a while, but I guess that's just inevitable with stretching. Jump in a hot shower before you put the wider stud in just to ease it up, it should be pretty much painless!

Thank you! Stretching with studs for now definitely seems to make a lot more sense, haha.
And I have another question, literally probably the stupidest question on this forum but I'm going to ask anyway, haha. Okay so I've been looking at websites and it seems like a lot of them specifically say that they're sold in pairs, or it'll say "1 $20.42 (pair is $40.84)" or something like that. I mean, I don't understand why they're specifying this stuff, are plugs sold individually? I would assume they're sold in pairs? Hahaha. You can laugh at me now.

It really depends on the website, and also the make of jewellery. Some of them are sold in pairs, and others are sold individually, it's just one of those things you'll come accross as you're looking at jewellery.
Sometimes people might accidentally break one of their plugs and only need the one replacement, or sometimes people only stretch one ear, so I guess it makes sense that they sell some of them individually

Ahhh, yeah, that makes sense =]
After I posted that I realized that in the stores I've been in that have sold plugs they are usually placed out individually in the glass counter, not really placed together in pairs. I don't know why that didn't hit me until afterward, hahah.
So do you think if it doesn't specify that it's sold in pairs or individually that it's just one plug? It's titanium...if that helps? I suppose I could just email them, haha.
Thanks for the reply!

i hate to be the odd duck here but when I first started stretching I skipped from an 18 standard size to a 14, it really wasn't too bad. I haven't skipped any since then, and i don't want to either. skipping gets really bad in the big sizes, in the smalls, if you skip a size it isn't too horrible.

Yeah, I haven't bought the guages yet and I'll be honest, I've been thinking about just going to a 14, hahah. I'm almost scared to admit I'm thinking about skipping on this forum, everyone is so against it (understandably so, though, skipping is baaad news).
Do you think I should just go for it? My biggest concern is my ears returning back to normal if/when I decide to stop stretching; skipping just a 16 won't affect that, right? I doubt it but I don't know much of anything about stretching either, hahah.
Of course this would be the only size I'd ever skip, ever.

What's your goal size? There's no guarantee of your ears "going back to normal" after you've stretched, even if it's just a small size.

I really hope you can consider not skipping, especially because I know a website that offers a 16g stretching kit!

http://www.kingsbodyjewelry.com/circula ... g-00g.aspx
There's a link right there. Yeah, it's about $15 US, but it's worth it! That's where I bought my kit, and it did its job.

I don't think skipping 16g will affect your chance to return back to normal; that depends on how big you want to stretch. Many people say that 0g or 00g is the "point of no return," but it really depends.

And I must say that pain doesn't have to be inevitable when stretching. This is something I've learned and I believe. It's just a matter of stretching in a way that is completely or nearly painless, but I'll digress on that. x3 I don't want to derail your thread.

Oh yeah I'll definitely consider it, I'm still kind of on the fence about it I guess =] I think what appeals to me with skipping 16, besides my impatience, is saving the money not buying 16g plugs. I'm psychotic about putting all the money I can into savings, ahaha. Definitely still thinking about it, though.
And thanks for the link! That kit would definitely be helpful, I'll look into it!
And derail all you want! I'm here to learn =] Hahaha.