Table of contents
Stretching your ears: Step by step to do it right
You’ve been itching to do it for a while, you hesitated, or didn’t dare, but this time it’s decided, to hell with the bad tongues, you really want to try it and stretch your ears? Here are eight tips to follow that will allow you to do it yourself, with respect for your body, with hygiene and with common sense!
1- Introspection
Just like a tattoo, you start modeling a part of your body – the earlobe, which in the long run could be irreversible! Whether it’s a “flash in the pan” desire linked to a fashion trend or a real revelation that fits your personality and your aspirations, an introspection is useful before taking the plunge! Don’t worry, if you read these tips and are determined to follow them, you will see that the time and patience you will need to proceed according to the rules of the art will give you ample opportunity to think about it and eventually reconsider your decision before reaching a point of no return (generally, even stretched to 6 or 8 mm, the holes you will have made in your lobes can return to their normal shape with time, depending on the elasticity of your skin).
2- Stretching equipment
You are about to stretch your tissues, even if done correctly, even with the greatest patience, this can cause micro-tears and inflammations. These areas will therefore be particularly susceptible to infection. It is therefore of crucial importance to use the right material and to adopt impeccable hygiene, disinfectant, antibacterial etc. …. We recommend retractors and plugs made of surgical steel. There are two reasons for this: they are easy to disinfect and rustproof, which will avoid any corrosion of the material that could be a source of infection. In the same logic, at each stage and until the tissues are completely healed, we strongly advise against all porous materials (even natural materials such as wood, bone, horn), as their micro-holes can encourage the development of bacteria and therefore the appearance of infections. We also advise against using tunnel spacers and plugs made of silicone or Fimo paste, as your body may react negatively. Here are the materials to use, let’s move on to the equipment needed to start stretching. Our advice is to use at first only cones or spacers (in the jargon of piercers we speak of “expanders” or “tapers”, then after a certain stage plugs. It is common to use spirals and other buffalo, the main problem being that besides the fact that they are rarely made of 316L surgical steel and guaranteed without nickel you will never know precisely at what diameter you are. We do not recommend certain chemicals called dilators, but that is a matter of personal ethics.
3- The first hole in the earlobe
You may already have your ears pierced, but if you have them pierced at a jeweler’s, the diameter of the hole is generally 0.8 mm, while piercing salons use diameters of 1.2 mm to 1.6 mm. The choice of the size of the first expander will depend on the diameter of your first hole.
4- Gentle method for stretching
You are going to stretch your tissues, which even if done gently can be potentially painful, on the spot, or in a second time, once the tissues will react by becoming inflamed. It is therefore necessary for your comfort (especially if you are a soft person) to take various measures in order for this to go smoothly! Start with a nice warm bath, immersing your earlobes for a good 20 minutes in hot water, which will relax the tissues. Another tip: you can then carefully massage the area to be stretched with an essential oil. Another basic precaution is to carefully disinfect your ears, hands and also the cone you are going to use. You are ready for your first stretch! Choose the diameter of the spreader directly superior to that of the hole of your ear, coat it with Vaseline, or better, with Jojoba oil or other essential oils and insert it gently, progressively without ever forcing it into the hole of the ear. Above all, never force it, at the risk of causing small tears, which in addition to delaying the process, will make it much more painful!
Another tip, push the cone into the hole, do not turn it as if to screw it in, this can cause irritation and lead to micro-lesions. Don’t rush, don’t panic, this act is not physiologically natural, your body can support it but give it time! Depending on your plastic, a good half hour may be necessary to get past the “tap”. Again, depending on your pain tolerance level, it can be a little, a lot or very painful! Sensation of heat, red lobes, nothing abnormal, just after the act, but also several hours later! Step 1 successfully completed, you are stretched!
In case it would have gone wrong, in other words in case your tissues would have been torn, do not insist of course! Disinfect and give your lobes the time they need to recover healthy tissues and a good elasticity of the skin and mucous membranes (for piercings), before starting again, even if it means stretching the operation over several months. Any good Piercer (or Tattooer, as this also applies in the case of an allergic reaction) will tell you that you must respect your body and not insist when it shows signs to the contrary, at the risk of seeking complications! In the case of a Piercing spreader, since it is made in the lobe, know that there are generally less complications than for a piercing located in a zone crossing cartilage, the cicatrization is at least in general faster.
