Ear Plugs

You want to start with the next gauge size up from your current piercing gauge. So, if you are currently at a 14g, then you want to purchase 12g jewelry.

Apply lubrication liberally to your ear and the taper or jewelry that you are using. You may want to consider taking a hot shower or bath before you start stretching. It will help if you massage your ear a little beforehand.

To stretch the piercing, slide the taper or jewelry firmly through your ear. If you are using a taper, push it slowly through the piercing and insert the jewelry, but if you are using the jewelry, just push slowly.

Carefully wash off the lube and make sure o-rings are in place.

Never share jewelry with anyone as it will increase your chances of a blow out.

Make sure all jewelry is sterile.

Make sure you dont try and strech your ears more than every two weeks becuase stretchingyour ears too quickly can casue permanent damage to your ears, called a "blowout".

Never stretch until your piercings are healed.

Never use acrylic jewelry in a freshly pierced or stretched hole because acrylic can harbor bacteria, inviting infection.

Flesh tunnels, plugs, captive bead rings (CBRs), barbells (straight or circular), and pinchers are all appropriate for a freshly-stretched hole, as long as they are made from high-standard materials.

Gauge sizes are measured in even numbers from 20 to 0 to 00. Smaller numbers are larger in diameter. Sizes larger in diameter than 00 are measured in fractions of an inch.

Most standard piercings are either 18 or 20 gauge. 18g appears to be the most common. 20g seems to be used mainly in piercing earrings.

Stretching too fast, or skipping gauges can cause your skin to tear. If your stretch is bleeding, or has lymph fluid which makes a crust, downsize your jewelry to a smaller gauge, and use saline solution to clean it with.

Scar tissue comes from damage while stretching. It makes future stretched harder, and looks bad. Do oil massages to reduce scar tissue, downsize if the scarring is severe.

Blowouts are when the inside of the piercing, the fistula, is pushed outside, and forms a "lip". They happen from forcing a stretch before your piercing is ready, or skipping sizes. To heal a blowout, downsize and do oil massages. Insert your jewelry from the back to help push the fistula back in. Blowouts can permanently heal if not treated, and will need minor surgery to be removed.

Stretching should be considered permanent. There is a good chance that a piercing will shrink after stretching, but no guarantee. Don't stretch if you aren't willing to stay at that size.

Weights are not a good idea to stretch your piercings, as it puts pressure on the bottom only, and can cause thinning. Weight earrings are for short periods of time, a few hours to half a day at most. Wearing heavier materials will help your holes loosen faster, but heavy weights are a bad idea.