Why you should not stretch your ears with silicone plugs
Aug 5, 2022 / by Alex Peace
Some of the most affordable and easiest plugs and tunnels on the market are silicone plugs. Silicone plugs and silicone tunnels are both lightweight, soft, and rubbery. They are one of the more comfortable tunnels or plugs. They are great to use while you sleep and also easier plugs to wear when in a moshpit.
Although silicone plugs are wonderful (in fact we sell silicone now), you should never stretch with silicone plugs. Silicone should be worn when your ears are fully healed. A healed ear is when your stretched ears are no longer discharged, swelling, or irritated ears. Here's why you should not stretch with silicone plugs.
Do not stretch with silicone plugs
Silicone Tunnels can stretch your ears up to the next ear gauge size, but it will typically cause a blowout because your ears are not ready for this next gauge size. The Silicone Tunnels will continue to expand out to their proper size whether your ears are ready for it or not. If your ears are not ready this will damage your ears. Silicone plugs also love to absorb bacteria. So if your ears are stretching and have micro tears or cuts this bacteria will enter the tear and lead to an infection in your stretched ear. It is also known that silicone will cause thinning of ears if they are not properly healed.
It is possible to stretch your ears with silicone plugs, but you have to be ultra careful and you will not know if it going badly until it's too late. It is best to wait until your ears are fully healed before you start using that size silicone plug. After your ears are completely healed (4-8 weeks after stretch) it will be safe to wear your comfortable silicone plugs. But be patient and wait until your stretched ears are healed.
We asked our customers what happened when they stretched with silicone plugs.
Here are their answers...
Black Kali Steel Saddles (Pair)
Sparkle Teardrops Plugs (Pair)
Lemon Drop Glass A/B Plugs (Pair)
Shakari
I stretched my ears with acrylic and they made my ears yucky and covered in puss. After I got my first holes to a 4 gauge I switched to silicone plugs and haven't had any issues since. I have a 0g and 2g right next to one another on my lobes.
Samantha
The first time I stretched my ears I used silicone plugs... it wasn't a good time. Pretty sure I was having allergic reactions. Then the second time I used glass and that went so smoothly.
Caer
It worked for me until I got to sizes over 8mm. My ears didn’t want to stretch as easily after that. I did try twice with silicone tunnels to get to 16mm before I got the hint. Stretching your ears up should be slow and painless, y’all. Glass plugs + Teflon tape worked best for me.
Ashera
I stretched my ears with tapers originally. They ripped and I let them heal back to an earring size. Stretched again with silicone plugs and I have beautiful 00 lobes. It worked for me but I do not recommended.
Aleece Stretching with silicone plugs worked just fine for me. I just made sure to keep them disinfected often (with soap and water and tea tree oil) since silicone plugs can carry bacteria.
Jae
I recently did it for the first time going from a 2 gauge to 0 gauge. I had tried other methods for about a year with no luck so this was my last resort and I wasn’t exactly fond of it at first thought. The first few days were rough and slightly painful as my ears always are quick to get irritated. I washed them twice a day and massaged oil on them and they’ve been great since. I’ve been at a 0 gauge for about 2.5 months now and was recently gifted a set of double flare amethyst teardrop plugs from my crystal lady, Unfortunately, I cannot get them in to save my life. I’ve tried in the shower, after the shower with oil twisting them in buttoning them in, they will go through halfway and then just won’t pop the full way through. I have some metal plugs I’ve been wearing to try and let gravity do its thing thinking I just need *more stretch*.
Laney
Don’t do it. I was at 25mm for 8 years and decided to use silicone since I was almost there but the double flared wouldn’t fit. I tore not one but both my ears. It’s been a year since they tore and I’m almost back to an inch again. Do not do it. There is a reason people say don’t stretch with silicone plugs.
Jillian
I accidentally stretched my ears with silicone plugs because I bought a pair of silicone tunnels at Spencers that were supposed to be the same size as my glass plugs(of course we all know glass can be off a bit.) My ears have never felt SO irritated except the time I blew my right lobe out. I still wear them, but not until I tape my plugs first
Meagan
I did it once!! The worse thing I ever did! Ripped my ears! I had to let them heal for a couple of years before I could go bigger and even then I was only able to go up 2 more sizes bc it hurt!!! I suggest sizing up 1 size at a time and waiting the recommended time!
Brant
The only time I've ever injured an ear was the only time I stretched with silicone plugs. Decided to size up before a shift at work, there was a little more sting than I had ever felt but I didn't think anything of it. A couple of hours into my shift my left ear was in quite a lot of pain, so I cleaned around it with a q tip and there was a bit of blood. When I got back home I took them both out and my left ear was almost fused to the silicone. I had to drop 4 sizes and go back up when all was said and done. My best advice would be to listen to your body, everybody is built differently. Single-flare glass plugs seem to be the consensus on the easiest and safest way to stretch from what I've seen. I've been at 25mm for about 9 years now and my ears are perfectly healthy looking
Stephanie
I stretched with a silicone tunnel and my ear got massively infected that I needed to take it out and let it heal. It was very inflamed and covered in puss.
Blaze
Had a friend who tried sizing up with them and basically had their lobes fuse to the silicone. I've never tried it personally because wearing silicone for more than a couple of days irritates my ears.
Katie
I couldn't find my taper and tried to stretch with silicone plugs. Blew out my left ear and had to go back to plastic plugs a size below to heal.