I want to consistently get bigger gauges in my ears. I have a 0g right now and I want to go up to at least 1/2 if not bigger. I'm a broke ass and I have been looking on a few websites about the acrylic tapers. I heard I need to use steel and I know I should have a professional do it. I don't have that kind of loot lying around. I'm usually really resourceful and have a high tolerance to pain. I just recently bought a double tapered wood plug and it destroys my ears every time i put it in. What have you guys done to stretch your ears? Whats the healing time after each stretch? I pierced my ears at a 0g for those curious. Thanks
Pierced at 0? You mean punched. I don't know how well stretching goes after a punch. My ears are at 00. I started with a regular gun-piercing (not the best, but I didn't know any better when I was 16. I have learned a lot in 8 years). I tend to let my body tell me when I am okay for a new stretch, and don't really go based on "time". Don't rush it though, or you will get tears and blowouts (those hurt, but more importantly, they open you up to infection, heal poorly and make for shitty fistulas). I have dead stretched most of mine, but I have a lot of elastin in my skin. Wood and acrylic are both bad choices for fresh stretches. I don't fully trust acrylic period, but a lot of people like it. As long as you don't wear the tapers as jewelry, I don't personally see a problem with using acrylic tapers, but it it porous (as is wood and bone and the like) so it can harbour bacteria. That is why those things are bad. Stay at 0, and while that heals, save your money and buy a good stretching set/kit. I recommend KingsBodyJewelry.com personally.
They weren't punched... pierced at a 4 and stretched to 0g (at the same time)... I think the wood plug I have is a half size and is tapered on both sides... My ears just dont like it... I went to KingsBodyJewelry.com and got a stainless taper and plugs for a good price... I have been reading up on it as far as watching some videos on youtube and I know I should probably not wear the wood plugs I have... so as soon as I get these in the mail I should be set... and I'll just see how things go... Seen a bunch of people using oils on their lobes and such and not sure if I should get any... I've had my 0g's for about 3 months now... just want bigger!
I had my ear pierced at 14g and I am now at 14mm. I only use stainless steel tapers and metal tunnels. The reason for this is because I find that plastics and other materials make my ear sweat and become puffy and red, so I stick to what I know works. I haven't used tapers for a long time though. Since about 0g, the metal tunnels I have been wearing have been heavy enough to create a slight stretch on their own and when I come to put the next size tunnel in, it just pops straight in, no problems. I also wait about 6-8 weeks between stetches. My advice for you at 0g would be to let your ears heal completely and wear metal tunnels and let your ears slowly stretch that way, or do what Bear88 has said and buy a good quality stainless steel stretching kit and go that way. You don't need to pay a professional to stretch for you, I never have and I have had no problems. All you need to do it make sure you use proper, high quality jewellery and do it SLOWLY. In my opinion if you can't afford proper jewelley you can't afford to stretch. Don't fuck around, you can split your ear and get it infected and that could cost you a lot more than proper jewellery.
I guess my ears were ready... I got my 00g spirals in the mail... they go all the way around... Thought they were cool... not sure if i'll get wood again, just looks so damn rad... I bought some stainless hollow plugs with a taper just in case... any word on this oil stuff for your lobes?
Stretch with teflon tape. It's the second easiest method of stretching imo. It's easy and causes a lot less stress than a taper. It's also cheaper than buying tapers. Some people (like me) have problems with teflon. It might get stuck in you're ear. If it does. Don't panic just soak your ear in warm water it should make it easy to remove (do more research on stretch with teflon and bondage tape). The method I use isn't really a method. It don't "stretch" my ears anymore. After a week or two they naturally loosen up and can easily have a plug that's 2mm bigger than my current size in them. Tug on your ear and see if you have a gap between your plugs and your ear lobe. If you do try fitting in 00 single flare plugs. My answer is pretty unorganized but all I have TK say is. Don't use tapers after 0g, don't force in jewlery, and definitely do not get your ears stretched by someone else, they can't respond to pain as quickly as you do, it can end up being very painful. Also stay away from acrylic, whether its a taper or a plug acrylic is far from safe.
Just went up to 7/16... It was a bit of a stretch but went in smoothly... I figure I'll go up every month and a half...
