Ear Stretching Blowouts
Dec 31, 2023 / by Alex Peace
What is a Stretched Ear Blowout
If you are an ear stretcher, there might come a time when you experience a blowout. Typically when someone pushes too quickly to the next size and does not allow proper healing time for your ears, scar tissue will start to develop around the hole. Your ear will be red and irritated. The hole in the lobe will almost seem to be turning inside out. Ear Blowouts can be painful so they are something you want to try to avoid. If you are experiencing a severe reaction it is important to see a doctor. Doctors are good people. They will help you :)
What causes an ear stretching blowout?
We cannot stress more on our website that while stretching your ears you need to take your time. The number one cause of most issues with stretching your ears is rushing to reach a bigger size. This is also the main reason for ear blowouts. When you stretch your ears too quickly a blowout is almost inevitable. You are not allowing your ears to heal properly. Small tears will create scar tissue and will eventually build up and a blowout will happen.
You should never force a new gauge size plug into your ears if your ears are not ready. Forcing plugs into your stretched ears that are not ready will cause a gauged ear blowout.
Another big reason can be the type of plugs you wear. We have seen a lot of people who have used materials such as silicone to stretch their ears have blowouts. Silicone should not be used to stretch your ears. Silicone is porous and will trap bacteria. This bacteria in an unhealed ear will lead to infection, and eventually a blowout. We typically recommend using materials such as stainless steel plugs or glass plugs while stretching your ears.
How to prevent a gauged ear stretching blowout
Stretch Slowly
I know I have already said this earlier in this blog, but just to smack you in the face one more time. STRETCH SLOWLY. Now everyone's ears are different and every ear will heal and stretch at a different rate, but I know some people really need to know a time frame. The most common answer on how long to wait between sizes is 4-6 weeks.
Massage your Ears with Oil
One tip for keeping your stretched ears healthy is to massage them. There are studies that show that massaging your ears 5 minutes a day will help break down scar tissue that may have been forming. Adding oil like Jojoba oil will help keep your skin from drying out and cracking. Dry cracked stretched ears are one of the first steps toward an ear blowout.
Do not skip sizes while stretching ears
When you stretch your ears it is important not to skip sizes and properly let your ears heal. Typically ears are stretched in increments of 1mm. For example, we have seen a lot of people who have blowouts when they jump from 2G (6mm) up to 0G (8mm). This is a big jump. To ease the stretch of your ears we recommend stretching from 2G (6mm) to 1G (7mm).
The same goes for the stretch from 0G (8mm) to 00G (10mm). We recommend giving your ears a break by stretching to 9mm. Here is a link to single flare plugs that we sell both 7mm and 9mm to help prevent a blowout. SINGLE FLARE OBSIDIAN PLUGS
If you feel pain STOP.
The number one thing to remember while stretching your ears is it should not be a constant painful experience. You should not be forcing plugs in your ears. Obviously, if you are bleeding this is not good. If you are feeling extreme pain or bleeding it is time to stop and allow your ears to heal. If you do not you WILL have an ear blowout.
How to Treat a Stretching Ear Blowout
When a Blowout occurs in your stretched ears it is important to take the following steps. Properly treating your Blowout can reverse the effects and allow you to once again start the stretching process.
Step 1 - Downsize your Gauged Ear
The first step to healing your stretched ear blowout is to downsize your gauge size. The amount to decrease will depend on the extent of your blowout. Typically you will need to decrease between 2-3mm. You will want to downsize to relieve the pressure between the plugs and your ears. If you do not, the scar tissue will not have room to heal.
Single Flare Obsidian Plugs (Pair)
Jack Stainless Steel Tunnels - (Pair)
Aqua Tree of Life Plugs - (Pair)
Step 2 - Healing your Ear Blowout
It is important to let your Blowout heal. Keep your ear clean with soap and water and allow it time to heal. We also recommend doing a Salt Soak. You might consider doing the salt soak 3 times a day for the best results. Over the next 1-2 weeks you will start to see the redness and inflammation go down (progress will vary depending on the severity and the individual's healing ability).
Step 3 - Massage your Healing Ears
After the skin has healed it is important to start massaging your lobes with a natural oil such as jojoba oil. Massaging your ears will help break down the scar tissue and allow your stretched ears to heal properly. We recommend doing this for 5 minutes every night. Keep in mind the blowout may have resulted in a permanent scar.
Keep in Mind
If you experience a gauged ear blowout while stretching your ears chances are it is because you moved too fast. Now chances are you are in a hurry to get your ears healed and back to stretching. Keep in mind this is what got you in trouble in the first place. SLOW DOWN!!! Let your ears heal. If you continue to blowout your ears, you might eventually require surgery to fix them.
Step 4 - Tucking in your Ear Blowout
Once you are ready to start putting plugs in again it is time to tuck in your blowout. Your plugs should be at least 2mm - 3mm smaller than the size you were at during the blowout. Put your plugs in from the opposite side where you normally put in your plugs. This is where the blowout occured. You can then tuck the tissue back into the ear.
The downsized plugs should allow room for the blowout to be placed back in the ear. Natural oil will help with the tuck-in process. The ears should start to heal and the blowout will start to tuck-in.
Every Gauged Ear Blowout is different
Keep in mind every Blowout from stretching ears is different. Everyone's healing process will be different. If your ears do not heal it is important to consult a doctor immediately.