Can you tell me everything I need to know about stretching my ears?

Stretching:

There's 3 methods you can use when it comes to stretching your ears: Tapers, pinchers, or taping. Taping is used mostly for "bigger" stretches (past 0g). Tapers are cone looking tools that are narrow at the tip and then get wider at the end. The size at the end is the gauge size. Pinchers are little claw looking tools. They're narrow at the tips and get bigger towards the middle. The middle is the gauge size. I personally use tapers because they're easier to find. The best stretching tools to use are ones made out of stainless steel or surgical steel. They can be disinfected and won't harm your ears. DO NOT KEEP IN PINCHERS OR TAPERS! They aren't jewelry! They're stretching tools. As soon as you get the taper in, it's best to put the plug in right after. Keeping the tapers or pinchers will cause uneven weight distribution, causing your earring hole to be uneven on each side. Wait at least a month before sizing up. You may get impatient and want to go to the next size quickly, but doing so while your ears aren't fully healed can cause tearing of your earlobe, blowouts, or the "cat butt" effect.

Plugs and tunnels:

Plugs and tunnels are the jewelry you put in your ears after stretching them. When you first start off stretching your ears, you will use plugs. It's best to use ones made out of stainless steel or glass when it comes to fresh stretches because they won't harm your ears and can be cleaned properly. Some people use acrylic plugs in fresh stretches (I do because that's all I have access to). Acrylic plugs and tunnels house more bacteria on them because they can't be cleaned properly, and they trap the smell easier as well. It's also been said several times that leaving acrylic in your ears for too long can cause it to break down and poison your ears. As said before, I use acrylic myself and am not allergic to it like others may be. I haven't had any problems with my ears so far.

Tunnels are like plugs except they have a hole in the middle of them (hence the name "tunnel" or "flesh tunnel"). There are 3 types of tunnels and plugs: non flared, single flared, and double flared. Non flared is a simple tunnel. Single flared is when one end of the tunnel is slightly bigger than the rest of the jewelry and you put an O ring on one side to keep it in place. Double flared is when both sides of are bigger than the rest of the jewelry and no O rings are used. O rings are little rubber rings used to keep the jewelry in place.

Non flared plug: http://www.kingsbodyjewelry.com/images/products/di...

Single flared plug:http://www.forbiddenpiercings.com/catalog/images/T...

Double flared plug: http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/2/0/0/15d/b/AAAAArF...

Cleaning:

Cleaning your ears keeps your ears from smelling and keep the bacteria away. I know a lot of people are going to tell you this, but DO NOT use rubbing alcohol to clean your ears. It'll just dry them out. It's best to use sea salt soaks which is just warm water and sea salt. This will keep your ears clean and allow them to heal faster and properly. Rinse your ears and plugs twice a day with this solution and dry it off carefully with a clean towel. You can also use Jojoba oil, Vitamin E oil, or Bio oil to massage your ears with daily. This will strengthen your ears and keep them healthy.

If you have any other questions, feel free to e-mail me at marissapetrie@rockemail.com

Have fun stretching your ears! c:

one million) No. Treat each and every stretch like a remedy piercing - do not cast off the jewellery till it is healed, blank it by and large, and so forth. two) Uh no. Porous isn't nontoxic in a contemporary stretch. Do now not use some thing that are not able to be sterilized in a contemporary stretch. three) Assume if it is coloured (and from Hot Topic), that it is plastic (now not whatever you desire to stretch with). If it is silver coloured, it is both metal (well to stretch with) or sterling silver (that's crap). four) Nothing is healed in two weeks. Don't difference jewellery or attempt to stretch that quickly. five) Generally, individuals say it is healed in approximately a month, then to provide it a different week or so after that to stretch once more, simply to be nontoxic. 6) Anything, rather. As lengthy as it is a well fabric. five) If you purchase well nice ones (from both a tattoo save or authentic internet site) you should not have an dilemma. 7) People are dull. Start at one measurement above what you are presently at - that's frequently 14g. eight) Both paintings. nine) Because individuals are dull & the corporation that makes tapers, and so forth is aware of that plenty of the individuals stretching simply desire "beautiful." Those tapers are horrid - they don't seem to be flawlessly gentle, so I suppose they would tear your ear up at the same time stretching, and acquire an terrible quantity of germs. Gross.

Everything you need to know is here;

http://www.arka-shop.co.uk/acatalog/ear-stretching...