We have been asking our customers to share their best advice on the best way to stretch your ears. If you are just starting to stretch your ears, please read some of our customer's advice below. If you still want to give your best advice, please comment below.
Take it Slow
By far the number one piece of advice from our customer is to take your time. It takes time to stretch your ears. Do not rush the process or you may regret it. If you stretch your ears too fast your ears will start to develop micro tears. These tears may continue to grow and cause either a blowout or some other damage to your ear. If this happens it will set you back even more time. It could also stop you from stretching completely.
Do not skip a Size
You might think that if you skip a gauge then you will stretch your ears that much faster. This goes back to taking your time. Skipping a step will increase those chances of micro tears in your ears. Do not skip a size.
Stretch after a Hot Shower
Stretching your ears is much easier after a hot shower. First, clean your ears during the shower to get rid of any unwanted bacteria. After the shower massage your ears. The hot shower and massage allows your ears to be more flexible and will be less painful putting in your plugs. Customers also recommend using a natural oil or lubrication to help get your plugs in your ears.
Do not use Silicon
When stretching, our customers all seem to say to stay away from acrylic and silicone. Silicone is likely to cause micro tears that will damage the ear as time goes on. Porous material (even organic) will trap bacteria and will be more prone to infection. Our customers favorite material to stretch with is stainless steel.
If you have more advice or questions please feel free to comment below. We hope our community can help others on their stretching journey.
4 comments
Dun dun duuuuun!!! You’ve decided to take the plunge and stretch your ears. Welcome!
Okay so everyone is like be patient and I’m someone who isn’t patient so I know how it’s like. But you must be patient otherwise you can suffer from tears, blow outside, cat butt, infections, lions and tigers, oh my! But it isn’t a race and you shouldn’t make it one or allow others to pressure you. It goes back to that saying mom always used, “If everyone was jumping off a cliff would you follow?” If you look up people with stretched lobes it took them a year or more, depending on their end goal. With this you need to be patient but I’ll let you in on something, time flies. I’m serious! Especially with the smallest sizes that you just need to wait a month in between stretches you blink and it’s time to up!
My number one rule here is do your research. And more research. Look up videos, multiple blogs and articles, talk to people, etc. You need to be aware of what you’re getting into and what to avoid so you have a safe experience. Also look up jewelry materials. When stretching it’s not advisable to use stone, wood, acrylic, and silicone. Look up the reasons as to why.
Research also can tell you the best ways to stretch and what to do. I reccomend bringing music into the bathroom while you stretch. Everyone’s ears are unique. Some people have very elastic ears that stretch with ease. Some have stubborn ears that require more time. Just understand your body and when it’s telling you no.
Don’t skip sizes, it’s tempting but the consequences are worse. Blowouts and infections can happen not to mention tearing. When stretching the only “pain” you should feel is a sharp pinch. Like when you get a piercing. If the pain is more than that and it makes you grit your teeth or tear up, STOP. Your ear isn’t ready. Don’t force a stretch. It’ll take you longer to reach your goal if you stretch too fast or skip sizes.
Use Jojoba oil! I did use coconut oil but Jojoba oil, oh my gosh! The taper just slips right through! Jojoba oil also helps your skin, circulation, and keeping things hydrated. Look up why this oil is such a craze! But I do recommend finding an organic one that just contains Jojoba oil. Combination Jojoba oils can contain oils or essential oils that only irritate your stretches.
You can use alcohol to disinfect the jewelry but always rinse with warm water! Alcohol is great for cleaning but not good for your loves. Why? Alcohol was made for wounds. It helps to combat germs and things but it also tells the body to create and build up scar tissue. You don’t want that with your ears. Yes, it is a wound and you don’t want infection but you also don’t want scar tissue built up. It’ll make it harder to stretch.
Breathe. If it takes you a minute or ten minutes to stretch whatever. Take a nice warm shower or get a cloth warm and hold it to your lobes. Play music and relax. Massage your ears with Jojoba oil for maybe a minute and then oil up the tapers.
Do your research, that’s what I did before I divided in. Invest in a taper and tunnels ser that go up to like a 00g. A set will save you money from buying the individual tapers and tunnels. Find one that’s stainless steel, not acrylic.
Just do research and pick a goal size. Also, look up jewelry and follow people with plugs or companies. It’s taking me a year already and I’m glad. I want healthy, stretches, beautiful ears and so will you. Enjoy this process and don’t get discouraged, time flies when you’re stretching!
Stick with implant grade titanium if you need a metal, but glass is best for stretching. Acrylic is toxic, and stainless steel often is high in nickel and isn’t good for long term use. Tapers can force a stretch and cause tears or thin points. Tape is generally toxic, and can see unwanted things into your body. Silicone can fuse with your skin.
Go 1mm at a time, and leave plenty of time to heal in between, like a few months depending on your ears, and be sure to clean and massage with oil regularly.
And it should never hurt. If the next size doesn’t slide in well after oil and massage, your not ready. Go slow and do it right.
I recommend finding out if you’re allergic to any of the materials used for stretching. I’m one of those unfortunate people who are allergic to everything but surgical steel and silicone. Figuring this out will be helpful and reduces risk of irritation leading to infection and other serious issues.
I read somewhere that for bigger guages it’s best to wrap medical tape to the size you’re at and slowly graduate to the next size. I tried it and it worked great. No pain and easy transition!