Help with stretching!

[TL-chan]

Okee-doke. I love stretched ears, but not y'know, TOO big. I need help determining what gauge i want and how to get there.
This is the size of my lobe's hole now. I have no clue what size it is, I got it done in the mall (yeah i know.) when i was like, 7. o_o Also, i made the hole darker in MS paint so you could see. I dont know if its really that big o-o

my flash made everything light. anyhoo. the second picture is the size i WANT to have, but i dont know what gauge it'd be >_<

Also, I have no idea how to get it that size. If its that size, what can I get to put in it to make it look pretty, etc, and if it's this size, will it ever go back down again?
Thanks a ton! <3  

[Kekewey Saew]

what you are seeking is called many things
taper
expander
stretcher

think of a dull wedge...this is what you are going to need, in essence
you lube it up, and SLOWLY, GENTLY push it in...some are designed to wear as jewelry, for a big jump (like the ones I'm looking at to go from an 8ga to 4ga)

as to what the actual size is, find a wire gauge...this will let you know the gauges of your jewelry (I believe the standard post is 22g-24g...but I'm not sure)

the general rule of thumb is, the lower the number, the bigger the hole

if that doesn't cover your question enough, I'll see what other help I can give when I get more time with a computer  

[Kekewey Saew]

one more thing...weights generally are a bad idea...they tend to do more harm than good...but they will give you stretched lobes  

[TL-chan]

Okee-doke whee Thanks alot. Do you think maybe I should ask my piercer about this?  

[Aetherna]

TL-chan

Okee-doke whee Thanks alot. Do you think maybe I should ask my piercer about this?

I'd definitely go to a piercing and tattoo parlour - so long as they're clean and kind, they'll definitely help you out a lot.

It seems you're looking to end up at a 2 to 00 gauge though it is hard to be exact. If you are at a parlour you should be able to ask and see what each gauge looks like in person.

Stretching can be done by a professional or by yourself, and there are several ways to go about it. However, I suggest using a taper and not skipping gauges. Some people can skip a gauge (eg: 6 to 2) but it's best not to because you do not want to risk tearing the fistula (the "tube" of skin formed from being pierced). Any good piercer will take the time to explain and answer all of your questions, and not force you into anything, as well as work in a clean enviroment with sterile tools.  

[TL-chan]

Aetherna

TL-chan

Okee-doke whee Thanks alot. Do you think maybe I should ask my piercer about this?

I'd definitely go to a piercing and tattoo parlour - so long as they're clean and kind, they'll definitely help you out a lot.

It seems you're looking to end up at a 2 to 00 gauge though it is hard to be exact. If you are at a parlour you should be able to ask and see what each gauge looks like in person.

Stretching can be done by a professional or by yourself, and there are several ways to go about it. However, I suggest using a taper and not skipping gauges. Some people can skip a gauge (eg: 6 to 2) but it's best not to because you do not want to risk tearing the fistula (the "tube" of skin formed from being pierced). Any good piercer will take the time to explain and answer all of your questions, and not force you into anything, as well as work in a clean enviroment with sterile tools.

Thanks a ton! heart I'll try and get to see my piercer (well not really my piercer. I've got like, one thing done by her. thanks a lot, mom >__> my mom doesnt want me to get like anything now.. meaning i have to convince her on this one too)
Will this size shrink back eventually?  

[Aetherna]

TL-chan

Thanks a ton! heart I'll try and get to see my piercer (well not really my piercer. I've got like, one thing done by her. thanks a lot, mom >__> my mom doesnt want me to get like anything now.. meaning i have to convince her on this one too)
Will this size shrink back eventually?

Best of luck with convincing!

Short answer: Yes, it looks like that size would shrink back.

Long answer:

It's generally said that an ear stretched past a 2 or 0 gauge will not return to it's original size. However, skin's elasticity varies for each individial, and many people who have had their lobes stretched past that have had them return to a normal appearance. It depends on the individual's skin, and the gauge of the lobe. Once you stretch your lobes and let them shrink back, they tend to be able to stretch still, even if you are no longer wearing large gauged jewelry.

Example: I went to 2 gauge, then back up to 16, however my ears could still stretch and hold an 8 gauge ring. (I am back at 2 right now.)

The drawback of stretching your ears is that they may no longer be able to hold say, 18 gauge studs - because they may slip out from the still lose skin. It won't look 'floppy' but it's still loose. The longer you let your lobes go without jewelry, the more they'll shrink.

If you do not rush your stretches, you'll avoid hurting them and getting scar tissue, which is good since if your ears have scar tissue, they won't be as elastic. Scar tissue means stretching lobes further or letting them shrink may take longer or cause pain.

A piercer with experience can gauge how well your ears would adapt to stretching - whether they'd be able to stretch to the size you'd like, and if they'd be elastic enough to skrink nicely. You can also ask about vitamin E oil or any other natural oils that you can rub into your lobes. Such oils help to break down scar tissue or make your skin healthier/supple/more co-operative to stretching.

If your lobes weren't to shrink back all the way, there is a lobe reconstruction operation that can be preformed by most doctors. It involves cutting a piece of the earlobe off and sewing the rest back together - in essence making your lobe small again, though usually closing up the piercing altogether. Your piercer could also explain the process to you as well, however this procedure is preformed on people who've stretched their lobes rather large (more than what you're wanting by that picture).

There are websites too, like bmezine.com. It's got adult material so please watch where you click - everything's sectioned off and you'll want to look at the "standard ear piercing" section - it includes stretched ears that are smaller than half an inch I believe. I do not recall if the surgery procedures are in a different section, but it shouldn't take too much searching.

I appologize for the long post, but I tend to give more information than is asked for.  

[Kekewey Saew]

TL-chan

Okee-doke whee Thanks alot. Do you think maybe I should ask my piercer about this?

without a doubt...and if you know you want to go up a gauge, and keep it...there is also the option of a dermal punch or a "cut" piercing (where they use a scalpel to make the hole for the jewelry)

as for stretched piercings returning to former size...I have two "gauged" lobes...they started at 14g, and I worked up to 8g...I took my 8's out for a couple of weeks for job hunting, afterwards I couldn't put them back in very easily..but the 14's fit just fine...with a LITTLE bit of work, I was able to get the 8's back in....I hope that answers that question  

[TL-chan]

Thank you guys soooo much! blaugh You're a ton of help!  

[Warninglv100]

There's a nice gauge chart in the stretched piercings thread already in here. It has some additional info that should help.

Good warning though. Stretching is addicting. I planned on only stretching to a 12 gauge and not stretching my second lobes, but now I'm up to a 2 gauge and 10 gauge second (and now 10ga third lobes that I got pierced at that size). I haven't stretched since I've gotten to my current gauge because it's pressing on the borderline of being permanent. I only considering piercings semi-permanent in the first place, so when I get into the permanent mods, I take the time to think it through more thouroughly. I love the look of stretched lobes, and I would like to have bigger ones, but I know that they could potentially keep me from getting a job I want in the future. Just something to keep in mind.

Aside from it being addicting, it can get a bit expensive. Real tapers are expensive as is jewelry. So be ready to spill out some cash (or as I did, starting looking for ghetto home stretching items xp , obviously not the best, and I would recommend you get some experience before trying anything of that sort).

I'm not advising against stretching, but I am advising for serious thinking for large gauges. Although you have plenty of time to think before getting to that size.

Basic sum up for a stretch: There should never be blood. It should not hurt. If it hurts, it's not ready to stretch. Stretching after a hot shower helps. Use lube so it slides in nicely. Go slow. Space out stretches (about a month between each). At that size of 20ga, you could probably start out with a 14ga, since small gauges have small steps in diameter. The diameter jumps get bigger as gauges get bigger, so those need to be taken much more slowly.  

[Aetherna]

www.bodyartforms.com sells what the call the "poor person's stretching kit" which, for its price, is really good. You get 1 acrylic taper and 2 sss plugs (with o-rings) for less than $6US. I bought a 0gauge kit but the taper is too short for my liking - it's the same as any other taper but my ears can't cope with the gauge increase using the taper, even if I stretch a bit at a time. :

After all of my stretches, I have experienced a small stinging pain, which I have heard and read to be normal, but if you stretch and pain persists for more than a day, combined with redness and/or swelling, such symptoms are a likely indicator that you have tore the skin somewhere along the fistula. Even a small tear can lead to big problems, so if that happens, remove the jewelry and clean your lobe well, and let your lobe heal for a few weeks/month(s).

Piercers can do a stretch for you either for free or a small charge, which I think is the best route to go (and would do so if I didn't live an hour away from a parlour! xx wink .

If you use lube, make sure it's water soluble. Like KY lube (yes, it is useful for things other than what it's actually marketed for ^^.) You can use Vaseline (petroleum jelly) but that doesn't really absorb into the skin because it is oil based. This makes it easier to trap dust, skin, etc which can lead to infection if you've a tear, or just speed up the 'cheese smell' you hopefully won't experience.

Sebum (dead skin cells and natural bodily oils secreted through the skin) build up in piercings. With larger gauged piercings, the sebum has more surface area to build up in, and can produce a not so pleasant smell. This is easily avoidable by exercising normal/proper hygiene - washing yourself with soap and water! Washing the jewelry helps as well.

Metal and acrylics type jewelry (even glass) is not very porous, which means that the sebum can coat the surface. This contributes to the smell. If you're wearing wood jewelry, or even bone and some stones, the sebum is actually absorbed because those materials are porous, so the smell can be somewhat curbed.  

[TL-chan]

Aetherna

www.bodyartforms.com sells what the call the "poor person's stretching kit" which, for its price, is really good. You get 1 acrylic taper and 2 sss plugs (with o-rings) for less than $6US. I bought a 0gauge kit but the taper is too short for my liking - it's the same as any other taper but my ears can't cope with the gauge increase using the taper, even if I stretch a bit at a time. :

Ooh, I'll look into that kit- where is it located? I can't seem to find it. XD Probably not looking in the right place, knowing me.  

[Terragar]

perhaps its under tapers, stretching, and weights?

http://www.bodyartforms.com/productdetails.asp?ProductID=1639  

[Zombina Corpse]

Just a few quick tips when stretching anything.

1. Don't skip gauges. This inceases chance of blowout, and that is something you don't want to deal with. Ever.

2. Take your time. Stretching to big lobes or anything else will not happen overnight.
It's taken me about 2+ years or so to get to 15mm. That's a little over 9/16"
You must stretch slowly and wait at least a few weeks to a month in between stretching. The slower you go, the better your ears will be in the long run.

When you get above 00g or so, I would increase your waiting time on going to the next size up if you so choose to do so.
At 1/2" I started to use electric and teflon tape. Both very safe alternatives to buying jewelry. Remember that taping and buying different jewelry is different. When you tape, you don't HAVE to wait weeks and weeks before adding another layer.
Some people add one layer every few days; some wait a few weeks and add a few at once.
It also helps to apply vaseline on your lobes when putting a larger gauged piece of jewelry in.

 

[Ki-nu-ko]

Sorry if my question runs a little off topic, but seeing as this topic is already here, it's probably not worth making a new thread.

What would be the risks if you were to simply skip tapering and buy jewelry in the next gauge and essentially, well, shove it in? Of course, it depends on the gauge (I assume that 18g to 16g won't be that big of a deal, whereas 2g to 0g would).

I have four 16g lobes that I'd like to turn into 14g's, and eventually 12 and 10g's. I was planning to use tapers, but seeing as the jump from 16g to 14g isn't that much, I was wondering how risky it would be to skip tapering.

When I first got my piercings, I think they were 18g's, and I accidentally bought 16g earrings because I wasn't told what gauge they were (got them done at Claire's, as I had no clue about anything related to piercings whatsoever). I shoved them in anyway, and had no problem, but as I said before, I figure that the lower the gauge, the more trouble it might cause.