EAR STRETCHING GUIDE
Introduction
It's everywhere. Stretching your ear has become the new way popular way to modify yourself. It's been around, well, a LONG time, but only recently has the it really taken off and become popular across the spectrum.
With popularity, we're seeing more and more people unsure of how exactly they should go about stretching their ear. There are lots of techniques and lots of views on what is/isn't the right way of doing it. We hope this guide will help you in getting the most out of this form of modification. Feel free, as always, to pop in and discuss any questions you might have about stretching.
~The Modified Team
It's everywhere. Stretching your ear has become the new way popular way to modify yourself. It's been around, well, a LONG time, but only recently has the it really taken off and become popular across the spectrum.
With popularity, we're seeing more and more people unsure of how exactly they should go about stretching their ear. There are lots of techniques and lots of views on what is/isn't the right way of doing it. We hope this guide will help you in getting the most out of this form of modification. Feel free, as always, to pop in and discuss any questions you might have about stretching.
~The Modified Team
Stretching Basics
What is stretching?
Stretching is the means by which one can gradually enlarge a pierced hole in the body. This is done by slightly stretching the tissue gradually, which can be done in a number of ways. When healed, the process is then repeated again and again. This can be done a virtually unlimited number of times as long as it is done correctly, thus allowing for extremely large stretched holes to be produced and larger and larger pieces of jewellery to be worn.
Stretching Newly Pierced ears?
If you are having your ears pierced with a view to stretching them, there are a couple of things to take note of. The main thing is the placement of the initial piercing. If you are going to stretch your ears, the piercing needs to be placed as close to the centre of your lobe tissue as possible. With even amounts of tissue on all sides of the fistula, it is easier to obtain a more evenly stretched lobe. That is, one that is not thinner at one side of the jewellery than it is at another. This will mean that it will be easier to achieve larger sizes as the space will be utilised more effectively. Secondly, it is often better to get them pierced with a larger gauge needle as opposed to a 1.2mm. Having them pierced at 1.6mm, rather than 1.2mm will mean that once ready, your ears can go straight to 2mm, or even 2.4mm in one occasion. Not that stretching your ears is a race, or should be rushed at all. Pay every attention to detail when stretching, and allow adequate healing times in between. I wouldn’t advise dermal punching ear lobes, as it will simply be decreasing the amount of tissue available to stretch. As a result, maintaining healthy lobes at larger sizes becomes more difficult, as the body will dedicate less oxygen etc to your lobes than it would do normally with less tissue being there.
Once you have had the initial lobe piercing, you should always wait the advised healing time as an absolute bare minimum. It should usually take around 6 weeks to heal fully from the time of the initial piercing. After that time, you should allow your lobe to relax for another 2-4weeks so that the piercing is properly settled before considering stretching.
How often should I stretch; how long does it take to heal?
Stretching is a very individual activity, and there is no set time frame that will work for everyone. The only concrete rule you should stick to is to only stretch when your ears are completely healed. As a general rule, most people feel that their ears are healed after approximately 1-2 months. When you feel that your ears are healed, then wait another 2-3 weeks before stretching so that the tissue has a chance to settle down and get comfortable. Waiting the extra few weeks will also help for healthy blood circulation in the lobe to re-establish itself. When larger sizes are reached, one problem that is often faced, is that the circulation in the lobe is not as efficient. This can lengthen the healing time between stretches, or even lead to the tissue eventually not getting enough blood and beginning to die. Good circulation in your lobes, like any part of the body, is important. The blood carries vital oxygen and nutrients to your lobes, which will keep them healthy.
What is the maximum size of stretch that will fully re-close?
This question is asked quite regularly, and unfortunately, the answer is extremely vague. Everyone’s body is different, and therefore everyone’s lobes will shrink up to a different point. Stretching is not an exact science and should not be taken lightly. There is never any guarantee that your ears will shrink back up. If you are going to stretch, please make sure that you will be comfortable at that size later in life.
How fast should I stretch?
Before discussing stretching methods, it is important to discuss proper increments. You should only ever increase the size of your lobe by the smallest amount available. So if you are using tapers, 1mm-2mm at a time. That is; 1mm-2mm every time you stretch, leaving adequate healing time in between. Never stretch anymore than 2mm at a time. If using tape, only place one wrap of tape around the jewellery every few days. Or, two to three wraps every week to 10 days.
STRETCHING METHODS
Tapering - Tapering is the most effective way to stretch your ears with minimal stress from original jewellery; to about the size of 12-16mm or so, where the jewellery is large enough to wrap tape comfortably around it and using tapers becomes more “fiddly”.
To stretch in this way, you first need a taper. A taper is a long instrument that starts smaller at one end, and gradually increases in size towards the other. Tapers are available in different materials such as titanium, 316L surgical steel, glass, acrylic, wood etc. I would never advise that anyone uses a taper made from a material that is not possible to put through an autoclave such as acrylic. (An autoclave is the device used to properly sterilise any piercing tools/jewellery). Acrylic is a porous material, which means that it can harbour a lot of bacteria, which would not be good for your ears. Also, as it can not been sterilised, these bacteria are not removed. Even if the taper comes in a sealed packet, if it is made from a material that can not be autoclaved, it will not be sterile. Every stretch should be treated like a new piercing, in which, using unclean materials means that you run the risk of developing an infection. I would also suggest that wooden tapers should not be used as they too are porous. Also, they are often produced at low cost and so are rarely smooth enough not to risk getting a splinter!
Once you have the taper, cover it with a thin coat of water-based lubricant such as KY Jelly and slide it through your ear in one fluid motion. I would not advise using any sort of oil based lubricant such as petroleum jelly/Vaseline as they can clog the pores of your skin, and coat over any micro tears that occur. This would not allow your ears to heal as quickly as if you used water based lubricant, the excess of which would either soak into your skin or evaporate. An oil based lubricant would also seal in, any dirt and bacteria that were present.
The best type of taper to use, would be a hollow or concave ended insertion pin. Using one of these, you can slot the jewellery into the end of the taper which would eliminate the risk of you dropping the jewellery, or moving slightly off centre and struggling to get the jewellery through. When you get to the end of the taper, if it is a solid taper; butt your jewellery up against the end so that it looks like an extension of it and push the taper the rest of the way through with the jewellery. This entire process should not take more than a few minutes.
Note: This process should never be overly painful! There might be a slight discomfort from the pressure, but there should never be anything more than that. Your ears should NEVER bleed while tapering.
Tapers are not permanent jewellery. They will exert uneven pressure/weight downwards on your lobes. Also, due to their length, they have a high risk of being knocked and pulled which will irritate or even tear your lobes.
It is possible to taper your ears yourself, although it is better to go to a studio where they can autoclave the taper and jewellery and ensure that everything is done as sterile as possible. If you are insistent upon doing it yourself, it is possible to purchase sealed and sterilised tools and jewellery.
Tape Wrapping - The “tape wrap” method of stretching is an alternative method of stretching at larger where tapers are less available, typically more expensive, and more difficult to insert with a decent grip and equal force all around the fistula. In this method, either bondage tape or PTFE (Teflon) tape can be used. Do bear in mind, that bondage tape is thicker than PTFE tape and so less is needed to stretch bigger. Do not use sellotape, masking tape, gaffer tape, a cassette tape, duct tape, electrical tape etc. The adhesive on these types of tapes can irritate your lobes and the edges of the tape itself can be sharp. Also, these types of tape can harbour bacteria. They are not really “body friendly”.
There are advantages and disadvantages to using both PTFE tape and or bondage tape.
PTFE tape is used in plumbing and is designed to create a seal where two pipes fit together. So you may find that, sometimes, the tape tries to form a seal around your jewellery and your lobe. In my experience though, this is very rare. The advantage of PTFE tape, is that it is thin and so stretching can remain gradual. Also, it has no adhesive, so bits of dirt and fluff etc won’t stick to it.
Bondage tape can be sharp at the edges and has adhesive that dirt and fluff etc can stick to. It does not have the same problem with possibly forming a seal as with PTFE tape, though. As it is thicker also, less needs to be used at once, meaning that one roll may last longer. It may also mean that it is possible to measure the thickness of it, allowing you to keep track more exactly, of how close to the next size you are.
Once your lobes are completely healed, take out your current jewellery and put one wrap of tape around it, then reinsert the jewellery in your ear. You can do this every few days as your ear adjusts to each new wrap of tape - thus gradually stretching your piercing up to the next size. As with using tapers, use a little amount of water based lubricant such as KY Jelly to help the jewellery into place. Do not use oil based lubricant such as Vaseline.
Weights - Large, heavy jewellery or weighted objects can be used to stretch piercings. This method is not widely used in modern-day, as it tends to cause piercings to migrate and can, especially in ears, lead to a thinning of tissue. Weights will only really sufficiently stretch the bottom part of your lobes in the long run. However, it is a method that has been traditionally utilized by various tribal cultures. In my own personal experience, weights do not cause a hugely significant problem as long as you wear them in moderation. They are not permanent jewellery though, and should not be regarded as such. If you wear weights in conjunction with eyelets/tunnels, the weight/pressure will be more evenly distributed on the bottom of your lobe and so the thinning may not be as severe if it occurs.
Dead Stretching - Any stretching where no equipment is used and larger jewellery is forced through an existing piercing is considered dead stretching. This can lead to injury if the fistula is unready: either a tear of the skin, or a "blowout” (read on for info). A build-up of scar tissue may be created, which can make it more difficult to stretch in the future as scar tissue is notoriously tough. Some piercings will stretch slightly on their own and larger jewellery can be inserted without the potential for unpleasant side effects, especially piercings that see a lot of “give” such as tongue piercings. In my opinion, this method can be more destructive than it can be beneficial. There isn’t anything that can be achieved using this method, that can’t be achieved using a safer, more common method.
Scalpelling - I personally do not like the idea of scalpelling ear lobes for the purpose of stretching. Stretching soft tissue such as ear lobes is a lengthy process, but when done correctly it is in my opinion, the most fulfilling and easiest way to get good, healthy stretched ears. Ear scalpelling can certainly be done, and is usually (when done by an experienced professional) very successful. Scalpelling great increments though, just like stretching, is not the best of ideas. The better idea is to scalpel only a few millimetres at a time, in order to make sure that the ear settles evenly to produce the best results. Unless your ears are previously stretched to some extent anyway, it would be hard to achieve larger size holes unless the scalpelling was coupled with tapering. This, again, is not something that I would advise in large increments. It would likely cause either; a large build up of scar tissue making future stretches more difficult, a blow out (for info, continue reading), or thinning/a decrease in tissue of the lobe. One thing that scalpelling can be utilised very well for, and something I rate highly; is the correction of placement of a stretched lobe’s fistula.
To stretch in this way, you first need a taper. A taper is a long instrument that starts smaller at one end, and gradually increases in size towards the other. Tapers are available in different materials such as titanium, 316L surgical steel, glass, acrylic, wood etc. I would never advise that anyone uses a taper made from a material that is not possible to put through an autoclave such as acrylic. (An autoclave is the device used to properly sterilise any piercing tools/jewellery). Acrylic is a porous material, which means that it can harbour a lot of bacteria, which would not be good for your ears. Also, as it can not been sterilised, these bacteria are not removed. Even if the taper comes in a sealed packet, if it is made from a material that can not be autoclaved, it will not be sterile. Every stretch should be treated like a new piercing, in which, using unclean materials means that you run the risk of developing an infection. I would also suggest that wooden tapers should not be used as they too are porous. Also, they are often produced at low cost and so are rarely smooth enough not to risk getting a splinter!
Once you have the taper, cover it with a thin coat of water-based lubricant such as KY Jelly and slide it through your ear in one fluid motion. I would not advise using any sort of oil based lubricant such as petroleum jelly/Vaseline as they can clog the pores of your skin, and coat over any micro tears that occur. This would not allow your ears to heal as quickly as if you used water based lubricant, the excess of which would either soak into your skin or evaporate. An oil based lubricant would also seal in, any dirt and bacteria that were present.
The best type of taper to use, would be a hollow or concave ended insertion pin. Using one of these, you can slot the jewellery into the end of the taper which would eliminate the risk of you dropping the jewellery, or moving slightly off centre and struggling to get the jewellery through. When you get to the end of the taper, if it is a solid taper; butt your jewellery up against the end so that it looks like an extension of it and push the taper the rest of the way through with the jewellery. This entire process should not take more than a few minutes.
Note: This process should never be overly painful! There might be a slight discomfort from the pressure, but there should never be anything more than that. Your ears should NEVER bleed while tapering.
Tapers are not permanent jewellery. They will exert uneven pressure/weight downwards on your lobes. Also, due to their length, they have a high risk of being knocked and pulled which will irritate or even tear your lobes.
It is possible to taper your ears yourself, although it is better to go to a studio where they can autoclave the taper and jewellery and ensure that everything is done as sterile as possible. If you are insistent upon doing it yourself, it is possible to purchase sealed and sterilised tools and jewellery.
Tape Wrapping - The “tape wrap” method of stretching is an alternative method of stretching at larger where tapers are less available, typically more expensive, and more difficult to insert with a decent grip and equal force all around the fistula. In this method, either bondage tape or PTFE (Teflon) tape can be used. Do bear in mind, that bondage tape is thicker than PTFE tape and so less is needed to stretch bigger. Do not use sellotape, masking tape, gaffer tape, a cassette tape, duct tape, electrical tape etc. The adhesive on these types of tapes can irritate your lobes and the edges of the tape itself can be sharp. Also, these types of tape can harbour bacteria. They are not really “body friendly”.
There are advantages and disadvantages to using both PTFE tape and or bondage tape.
PTFE tape is used in plumbing and is designed to create a seal where two pipes fit together. So you may find that, sometimes, the tape tries to form a seal around your jewellery and your lobe. In my experience though, this is very rare. The advantage of PTFE tape, is that it is thin and so stretching can remain gradual. Also, it has no adhesive, so bits of dirt and fluff etc won’t stick to it.
Bondage tape can be sharp at the edges and has adhesive that dirt and fluff etc can stick to. It does not have the same problem with possibly forming a seal as with PTFE tape, though. As it is thicker also, less needs to be used at once, meaning that one roll may last longer. It may also mean that it is possible to measure the thickness of it, allowing you to keep track more exactly, of how close to the next size you are.
Once your lobes are completely healed, take out your current jewellery and put one wrap of tape around it, then reinsert the jewellery in your ear. You can do this every few days as your ear adjusts to each new wrap of tape - thus gradually stretching your piercing up to the next size. As with using tapers, use a little amount of water based lubricant such as KY Jelly to help the jewellery into place. Do not use oil based lubricant such as Vaseline.
Weights - Large, heavy jewellery or weighted objects can be used to stretch piercings. This method is not widely used in modern-day, as it tends to cause piercings to migrate and can, especially in ears, lead to a thinning of tissue. Weights will only really sufficiently stretch the bottom part of your lobes in the long run. However, it is a method that has been traditionally utilized by various tribal cultures. In my own personal experience, weights do not cause a hugely significant problem as long as you wear them in moderation. They are not permanent jewellery though, and should not be regarded as such. If you wear weights in conjunction with eyelets/tunnels, the weight/pressure will be more evenly distributed on the bottom of your lobe and so the thinning may not be as severe if it occurs.
Dead Stretching - Any stretching where no equipment is used and larger jewellery is forced through an existing piercing is considered dead stretching. This can lead to injury if the fistula is unready: either a tear of the skin, or a "blowout” (read on for info). A build-up of scar tissue may be created, which can make it more difficult to stretch in the future as scar tissue is notoriously tough. Some piercings will stretch slightly on their own and larger jewellery can be inserted without the potential for unpleasant side effects, especially piercings that see a lot of “give” such as tongue piercings. In my opinion, this method can be more destructive than it can be beneficial. There isn’t anything that can be achieved using this method, that can’t be achieved using a safer, more common method.
Scalpelling - I personally do not like the idea of scalpelling ear lobes for the purpose of stretching. Stretching soft tissue such as ear lobes is a lengthy process, but when done correctly it is in my opinion, the most fulfilling and easiest way to get good, healthy stretched ears. Ear scalpelling can certainly be done, and is usually (when done by an experienced professional) very successful. Scalpelling great increments though, just like stretching, is not the best of ideas. The better idea is to scalpel only a few millimetres at a time, in order to make sure that the ear settles evenly to produce the best results. Unless your ears are previously stretched to some extent anyway, it would be hard to achieve larger size holes unless the scalpelling was coupled with tapering. This, again, is not something that I would advise in large increments. It would likely cause either; a large build up of scar tissue making future stretches more difficult, a blow out (for info, continue reading), or thinning/a decrease in tissue of the lobe. One thing that scalpelling can be utilised very well for, and something I rate highly; is the correction of placement of a stretched lobe’s fistula.
CARING FOR STRETCHED LOBES
Fresh Stretches:
Sea Salt Soaks: Sea salt soaks are the #1 most important and best thing that you can do to heal a fresh stretch. To perform a sea salt soak, first dissolve 1 teaspoon of sea salt (available at most supermarkets) in 1 pint of water than has been boiled and allowed to cool. Then submerge your ear in the solution for 10-15 minutes. This should be done 2-3 times per day & soothes your piercing while drawing out impurities from your piercing, thus allowing it to heal faster.
Note: Do not overdo it on the salt - too much salt is extremely bad for your piercing as it can dry the area out. Also, do not use table salt. The anti caking agent that prevents it from clumping together in its container can severely dry out your ears and react badly.
A lot of people also recommend a good antibacterial soap. Ensure to use a mildly formulated one.
Healed Piercings:
By far the two most important things that you can do for healed lobes are oil massages and relaxing your lobes (leaving the jewellery out for an extended period of time every day).
Allowing lobes to relax:There are many benefits to allowing your lobes to relax for a few hours each day. While wearing jewellery, no matter what type, stress is being put on your lobe, thus restricting the flow of blood, oxygen, nutrients, etc. to the bottom of your lobe. Over time, this can cause your lobe to thin out, and also cause it to become irritated. One of the best ways to alleviate this problem is to take your jewellery out for a few hours each day to allow the piercing to breathe and increase blood flow to the bottom of your lobe. Over time, this will promote healthier lobes, including thickening the tissue, thus providing more room to stretch in the future. This should only be done when your lobes have healed after your most recent stretch.
There is no certain rule for at what size it is a good idea to start allowing your lobes to relax. We personally believe that at ANY size it is beneficial to leave your plugs out for at least a little while, and that at any size larger than 12mm most people should be able to leave their jewellery out overnight. As with most things body mod related, though, it is dependant on the body of the individual. If you are concerned about leaving your jewellery out, take it out for a progressively longer period of time each day until you find the amount of time that is the longest you feel comfortable with. If you have trouble reinserting your jewellery after leaving it out, a hot compress for 5-10 minutes and some water based lubricant along with a taper will quickly resolve your problem. If it is too difficult to re-insert the jewellery, there is no shame in downsizing to the next size below! In fact, it can be beneficial to your lobes to downsize every now and then, to alleviate some of the pressure put on your lobes with the larger size jewellery while still keeping close to your largest size.
Massaging/oiling your lobes: For massaging your lobes, the two most popular types of oil to use are jojoba oil and Vitamin E oil. Jojoba oil is good because it is an extremely close match to the oil that your body naturally secretes, and it therefore much less likely to irritate your skin. Vitamin E oil also has an extremely beneficial effect, as it breaks down scar tissue. In stretching, scar tissue is the enemy, making future stretches much more difficult and making your lobes less supple. By doing oil massages, you help enable the breakdown of any scar tissue that has formed and keep your ears as healthy as possible. Another benefit to oil massages is that it helps to promote blood flow throughout your lobes, thickening them up (often substantially) over time. Another type of oil that is favoured for stretched ears is emu oil.
Sea Salt Soaks: Sea salt soaks are the #1 most important and best thing that you can do to heal a fresh stretch. To perform a sea salt soak, first dissolve 1 teaspoon of sea salt (available at most supermarkets) in 1 pint of water than has been boiled and allowed to cool. Then submerge your ear in the solution for 10-15 minutes. This should be done 2-3 times per day & soothes your piercing while drawing out impurities from your piercing, thus allowing it to heal faster.
Note: Do not overdo it on the salt - too much salt is extremely bad for your piercing as it can dry the area out. Also, do not use table salt. The anti caking agent that prevents it from clumping together in its container can severely dry out your ears and react badly.
A lot of people also recommend a good antibacterial soap. Ensure to use a mildly formulated one.
Healed Piercings:
By far the two most important things that you can do for healed lobes are oil massages and relaxing your lobes (leaving the jewellery out for an extended period of time every day).
Allowing lobes to relax:There are many benefits to allowing your lobes to relax for a few hours each day. While wearing jewellery, no matter what type, stress is being put on your lobe, thus restricting the flow of blood, oxygen, nutrients, etc. to the bottom of your lobe. Over time, this can cause your lobe to thin out, and also cause it to become irritated. One of the best ways to alleviate this problem is to take your jewellery out for a few hours each day to allow the piercing to breathe and increase blood flow to the bottom of your lobe. Over time, this will promote healthier lobes, including thickening the tissue, thus providing more room to stretch in the future. This should only be done when your lobes have healed after your most recent stretch.
There is no certain rule for at what size it is a good idea to start allowing your lobes to relax. We personally believe that at ANY size it is beneficial to leave your plugs out for at least a little while, and that at any size larger than 12mm most people should be able to leave their jewellery out overnight. As with most things body mod related, though, it is dependant on the body of the individual. If you are concerned about leaving your jewellery out, take it out for a progressively longer period of time each day until you find the amount of time that is the longest you feel comfortable with. If you have trouble reinserting your jewellery after leaving it out, a hot compress for 5-10 minutes and some water based lubricant along with a taper will quickly resolve your problem. If it is too difficult to re-insert the jewellery, there is no shame in downsizing to the next size below! In fact, it can be beneficial to your lobes to downsize every now and then, to alleviate some of the pressure put on your lobes with the larger size jewellery while still keeping close to your largest size.
Massaging/oiling your lobes: For massaging your lobes, the two most popular types of oil to use are jojoba oil and Vitamin E oil. Jojoba oil is good because it is an extremely close match to the oil that your body naturally secretes, and it therefore much less likely to irritate your skin. Vitamin E oil also has an extremely beneficial effect, as it breaks down scar tissue. In stretching, scar tissue is the enemy, making future stretches much more difficult and making your lobes less supple. By doing oil massages, you help enable the breakdown of any scar tissue that has formed and keep your ears as healthy as possible. Another benefit to oil massages is that it helps to promote blood flow throughout your lobes, thickening them up (often substantially) over time. Another type of oil that is favoured for stretched ears is emu oil.
JEWELLERY MATERIALS
What materials are appropriate for fresh stretches?
Titanium, Niobium, Certificated grade surgical steel (not 316L as the nickel content is too high), Glass, implant grade PTFE (Teflon).
Benefits of certain materials (organics & glass):
There are certain materials that offer something extra to the person who is stretching their ears because they offer additional properties that make them more appealing. Glass is very popular, as it is a special material termed a “super-cooled liquid”. This means that there is much less chance for any edges, and that the surface is super-smooth. Glass is also hypo-allergenic, which is a great advantage for people who have skin that is very sensitive.
The other group of materials that have something special to offer is organics. We are personal advocates of organics in healed piercings. Many people have found that the body tends to accept them extremely well, often resulting in increased comfort and decreased amount of smell and “ear cheese” being given off.
We find that one material that particularly benefits larger sizes in colder/winter weather, is wood. Wood is a naturally warm material, unlike glass and stone, and so can help keep your ears a little bit warmer, and blood flow a little healthier when the temperature drops outside.
Dangers of acrylic / improper materials:
An entire book could be written on the dangers of acrylic and other improper materials being utilized as long-term body jewellery. There are many different types of NOVELTY jewellery that are produced out of a wide array of materials. This jewellery is just what is says: a novelty. There is no great danger in wearing them for a short while, but they should not be the primary jewellery worn as they are not of the same high quality as the other materials available. Acrylic is a porous substance and its use can lead to infection. It also begins to react with your skin over time - breaking down tissue and releasing toxic chemicals/fumes to be absorbed by your skin. Also, as it cant ever be autoclaved, it will never be sterile and never will have been. The same could be said for cheap silicone jewellery. If you would like to wear silicone jewellery in your healed piercings, we would suggest that you use KAOS Software, by Steve Haworth. It is implant grade and will not have the same effect as cheaper silicone over time.
Titanium, Niobium, Certificated grade surgical steel (not 316L as the nickel content is too high), Glass, implant grade PTFE (Teflon).
Benefits of certain materials (organics & glass):
There are certain materials that offer something extra to the person who is stretching their ears because they offer additional properties that make them more appealing. Glass is very popular, as it is a special material termed a “super-cooled liquid”. This means that there is much less chance for any edges, and that the surface is super-smooth. Glass is also hypo-allergenic, which is a great advantage for people who have skin that is very sensitive.
The other group of materials that have something special to offer is organics. We are personal advocates of organics in healed piercings. Many people have found that the body tends to accept them extremely well, often resulting in increased comfort and decreased amount of smell and “ear cheese” being given off.
We find that one material that particularly benefits larger sizes in colder/winter weather, is wood. Wood is a naturally warm material, unlike glass and stone, and so can help keep your ears a little bit warmer, and blood flow a little healthier when the temperature drops outside.
Dangers of acrylic / improper materials:
An entire book could be written on the dangers of acrylic and other improper materials being utilized as long-term body jewellery. There are many different types of NOVELTY jewellery that are produced out of a wide array of materials. This jewellery is just what is says: a novelty. There is no great danger in wearing them for a short while, but they should not be the primary jewellery worn as they are not of the same high quality as the other materials available. Acrylic is a porous substance and its use can lead to infection. It also begins to react with your skin over time - breaking down tissue and releasing toxic chemicals/fumes to be absorbed by your skin. Also, as it cant ever be autoclaved, it will never be sterile and never will have been. The same could be said for cheap silicone jewellery. If you would like to wear silicone jewellery in your healed piercings, we would suggest that you use KAOS Software, by Steve Haworth. It is implant grade and will not have the same effect as cheaper silicone over time.
F.A.Q. & TROUBLESHOOTING
What is this gunk on my jewellery? I thought my ears were healed...
If your ears are healed and you seem to have lot of build up of “gunk” on your jewellery when you take it out, this is most likely dead skin cells. Your entire body sheds dead skin cells as it grows new skin, you just don't see it. Since there's a significant amount of skin touching your plug, those dead skin cells don't have anywhere to go, so they build up on your jewellery. This effect and the smell that goes along with it varies from person to person and from material to material, with metals generally seeming worse than other materials, like organics. See the materials section for more information. If you are ever worried about the condition of your lobes, go to your regular piercing studio for advice.
After stretching my lobes are very sore / bleeding - HELP!
If you are experiencing any of these problems, then you have stretched your lobes too quickly. Unfortunately, this means that you are going to have to backtrack to heal your lobes before you can consider stretching again. Downsize your jewellery to at least your previous size (if not farther) and treat your ears as if they are a fresh piercing or fresh stretch (refer to information above). Once you think that your ears are completely healed, wait another two weeks and begin doing oil massages for at least another month prior to stretching. Properly healing your piercing after a damaging stretch should take 2-4 months to be safe. Your ears should NEVER bleed when stretching. Ever.
I think I have a blowout! What exactly is this and what do I do about it?
A blowout happens when one stretches too fast. These generally happen during or immediately proceeding (within 48hrs) a stretch. A blowout occurs when the pressure on the insides of the piercing is too great, and the hole deforms itself by twisting inside out, resulting in the "blowout," or section of tissue that appears as a flap on (generally) the backside of the piercing. There are a few things you can do to try and recover from a blowout. First a foremost, you must downsize immediately. Being stubborn and not taking this action could result in the blowout healing, which almost always requires surgery to fix. Second of all, the piercing absolutely must be treated like a brand new piercing. This means religious sea salt soaks and aftercare. Blowouts go hand in hand with tears, and most blowouts result in at least minimal tears to the lobe, so the aftercare becomes especially important. If your blowout becomes healed, oil massages may help to some extent, but it can take a very long time.
If your ears are healed and you seem to have lot of build up of “gunk” on your jewellery when you take it out, this is most likely dead skin cells. Your entire body sheds dead skin cells as it grows new skin, you just don't see it. Since there's a significant amount of skin touching your plug, those dead skin cells don't have anywhere to go, so they build up on your jewellery. This effect and the smell that goes along with it varies from person to person and from material to material, with metals generally seeming worse than other materials, like organics. See the materials section for more information. If you are ever worried about the condition of your lobes, go to your regular piercing studio for advice.
After stretching my lobes are very sore / bleeding - HELP!
If you are experiencing any of these problems, then you have stretched your lobes too quickly. Unfortunately, this means that you are going to have to backtrack to heal your lobes before you can consider stretching again. Downsize your jewellery to at least your previous size (if not farther) and treat your ears as if they are a fresh piercing or fresh stretch (refer to information above). Once you think that your ears are completely healed, wait another two weeks and begin doing oil massages for at least another month prior to stretching. Properly healing your piercing after a damaging stretch should take 2-4 months to be safe. Your ears should NEVER bleed when stretching. Ever.
I think I have a blowout! What exactly is this and what do I do about it?
A blowout happens when one stretches too fast. These generally happen during or immediately proceeding (within 48hrs) a stretch. A blowout occurs when the pressure on the insides of the piercing is too great, and the hole deforms itself by twisting inside out, resulting in the "blowout," or section of tissue that appears as a flap on (generally) the backside of the piercing. There are a few things you can do to try and recover from a blowout. First a foremost, you must downsize immediately. Being stubborn and not taking this action could result in the blowout healing, which almost always requires surgery to fix. Second of all, the piercing absolutely must be treated like a brand new piercing. This means religious sea salt soaks and aftercare. Blowouts go hand in hand with tears, and most blowouts result in at least minimal tears to the lobe, so the aftercare becomes especially important. If your blowout becomes healed, oil massages may help to some extent, but it can take a very long time.
IF YOU REQUIRE ANYMORE INFO ABOUT STRETCHING YOUR EAR LOBES, OR ANY OTHER PIERCING, DON’T HESITATE TO COME INTO THE STUDIO, SUBMIT A QUESTION VIA OUR WEBSITE, OR WRITE ON OUR FACEBOOK PROFILE.