Stretching piercings 101

05 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment

by Glowing Jade in Uncategorized Tags: stretched lobes

Alright so here we go! (OH BTW! Just a little disclaimer: I am not a doctor or professional piercer, all of this information was acquired from personal experience and extensive research)

So You Wanna Stretch Your Ears??

Sounds like a good idea right?

FIRST OFF… some people will call it “Gauging” … Gauging is basically another word for measuring. You do not “measure” your ears.. you stretch them.. Same with plugs.. they’re called PLUGS, tunnels or eyelets NOT gauges. That’s a major pet peeve of mine. But now that we’ve got that out of the way! Onto the different methods of stretching!

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TAPERS

• These are a cone-shaped tool which you insert and SLOWLY push through the piercing to stretch it
• You do not wear these are jewelry, once it is pushed through you insert a plug in right away
• Although I have seen tapers made out of acrylic and wood (OUCH!) stainless steel tapers are the best
• Once you reach a certain point (4g-2g) tapers should no longer be used, they can cause tears and blowouts

HOW TO USE:

• After a nice hot shower massage your lobes with your favorite oil
• Lube up the taper with the oil
• GENTLY push the taper through the piercing, if you feel any resistance STOP your piercing is not ready.

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TAPING METHOD

• With this method you wrap tape around your plug and add a layer every 2-3 days until you have reached the next size
• It is best to use PTFE tape (plumbers tape) or Bondage tape, these tapes do not have adhesives
• Although some people can use electrical tape and get away with it, others develop allergic reactions

HOW TO USE:

• After a nice hot shower massage your lobes with your favorite oil
• Wrap 2-3 layers of tape around your plug, coat it in oil
• GENTLY re-insert the plug into your piercing
• Repeat every few days until you have reached the next size!

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PROS and CONS of different plug materials!

ACRYLIC

PROS:

• Cheap
• Readily Available
• Comes in many different colours

CONS:

• Ear “cheese”
• Porous
• Cannot sterilize properly

 

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STAINLESS STEEL / METAL

 

PROS:

• Readily Available
• Easily sterilized
• Lower priced     
• Great on a freshly stretched piercing

CONS:

• Ear “cheese”
• Can adhere to skin during the winter and cause irritation
• Can be very uncomfortable to sleep on

 

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SILICONE 

PROS:

• EXTREMELY comfortable and lightweight
• Reasonably priced
• Comes in many different colours

CONS:

• NOT for use on fresh stretch
• Can cause allergic reactions

 

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GLASS

PROS:

• Great for a fresh stretch!
• Comes in many different colours and styles
• Moderatly priced

CONS:

• Since they are hand made sizes are not always true to gauge
• Can break (they are glass afterall)

 

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WOODS/ ORGANICS

PROS:

•  Tends to absorb all ear “cheese”
• This is as natural as you’re going to get

CONS:

• Tend to be a little pricey
• NOT for fresh stretch
• Tend to dry out your ears

 And there you have it! Just a quick 101 guide! Later on I will explain the importance of sea salt soaks and daily cleaning!