So you've decided to stretch your ears, eh? Welcome to the order! Stretched ears are a beautiful and expressive form of trunk modification, and we're excited about your interest to learn more. From gauging to aftercare, hither are some helpful tips.

DISCLAIMER: Not every method is for everyone, nor does this article deem any method correct or incorrect. So if you should choose to become well-nigh your stretch via whatever of these methods, delight follow tips with discretion as anybody's ears are different, and we will non exist responsible for whatsoever issues faced (but nosotros REALLY promise you don't maim yourself).

Igor Russet Teardrop Plugs on @captainzombie

Pre stretch

To prepare your ears for stretching, apply a warm compress to the piercing for several minutes in guild to ease up the tissue and brand the stretch easier. And then, wash the surface area, rinse well and pat dry out. Once you're set for the stretch, apply oil effectually the perimeter of your piercing. You can apply one drib to the front and back of the piercing and massage it into your skin twice daily. 

Stretching with a taper

Stretching with a taper has its share of pros and cons. We encourage doing research about this method before embarking. If you should decide to stretch with tapers, then...

Starting time, employ 3-5 drops of oil to the forepart and back of your piercing and gently slide the stretching taper in until you feel mild discomfort. If your skin turns white around the taper, back the taper upwards slightly - a white ring of pare is a sign that y'all're stretching too fast!

Once you're happy with your stretch, slide a smaller o-ring onto the stretching taper, and stop right earlier the o-ring touches your peel. It'south normal for your piercing to experience uncomfortable for a few days, and y'all might also feel throbbing pain, itching or swelling.

Stretching with tape

Stretching with record is a gradual and slow process. Merely the upside is that this method allows you to control exactly how far yous want to stretch your ears each time.

Offset, wrap your plugs or tunnels with Teflon or PTFE tape. Soak or wipe your tape with alcohol before use to impale any leaner that may exist present.

You lot could start off with three-iv rounds of tape, and increase the number with every stretching session. If you're unsure well-nigh how many layers of tape to wrap around your jewelry, add 1 layer at a time and reinsert the plugs into your piercing until the the plugs experience tight. Wear your plugs for a few days until you lot're able to slide them in and out easily.

Stretching with weights

The pull of gravity from wearing weights may induce a stretch result on your piercing over fourth dimension. Weighted jewelry should just be used on fully healed, stretched piercings.

Wearing weights for too long could upshot in the thinning of your lobes, and introduce uneven stretching due to concentrated pressure level on ane area of the lobe. Don't forget to give your lobes a break from weights to allow it time to rest and breathe.

After each stretch is completely healed, requite your ears at to the lowest degree two more weeks to heal before stretching again. If you stretch your ears using proper methods – wait long enough between sizes and never skip sizes, you lot should not take open wounds to care for.

Notation that yous should only stretch healed piercings, and retrieve to e'er wash your hands earlier touching your piercing.

Aftercare

Oil massages are the best mode to maintain good for you stretched ears. They break down scar tissues that were created by the piercing or built upward during the stretching process. This should simply exist done when in that location are no open wounds or irritation.

Y'all could use Emu, Vitamin E, Jojoba, or Bio oil. Massaging itself is more than important than the oil you lot use, but Vitamin Eastward oil is usually the cheapest and most attainable.

The best fourth dimension for an aftercare massage is after a hot shower. So, your pores volition be open, allowing your lobes to better absorb the oil. All you accept to practice is employ a small amount of oil or product onto your fingertips and massage around your earlobes. If your stretched ears have been seasoned, it'due south more effective to do the massage without any jewelry on. There's no ready amount of time for the ear massage, but if yous take some time, why non requite yourself a 5 to x infinitesimal massage? ;)

Treating wounded ears

If you stretch besides fast and experience a rip or tear, it is advisable to clean your lobe area with hot sea salt soaks.

To set your sea common salt soak, only mix of ⅛ - ¼ teaspoons of sea salt into a cup of warm h2o. Yous could prepare your body of water salt soak in a shallow dish or bowl, or a loving cup with a small area. This will brand it piece of cake for yous to cup the solution over your ears and agree it in that location. Do this for most 5 - x minutes every mean solar day until your piercing heals.

Applying alcohol, peroxide or bactine to raw wounds can cause blistering, delay healing and kill salubrious cells. And so y'all should never apply these harsh chemicals to your ears while they're healing.

Blowouts

Blowouts are complete buzzkills (trust the states, you lot don't want to become one). They are essentially a pare injury and can happen when you lot stretch your ears likewise fast or unhygienically.

If you experience a blowout, it is advisable to downsize immediately in gild to allow your pare rest. Untreated blowouts might cause stubborn scar tissue to grade. This affects pare elasticity and makes futurity stretching more difficult.


Happy stretching! Nosotros hope your stretching journey will be as painless as possible. If you've got any tips and tricks upward your sleeves, permit us know in the comments below!