lobe stretching (plugs) question?

Question

i want to gauge up to a 0

but right now i only have normal little earrings in

how do i start?

and, if i eventually want them to be back to normal size (the small tiny hole) would it shrink back if i took out the jewelry?

Answer 1

Honestly, I think lobe stretching is disgusting.
Once it gets out of style or when you dont want it anymore, you won't be able to get it back to normal.

Long story short, don't stretch it. =)

Answer 2

you should use tapers or tapered claws [also known as pinchers] and start with a 16 gauge size. you can buy these tapers at your local hot topic store or at any online body jewelry stores. [i usually use www.piercedfish.com]

you should wait at least a month between stretches and make sure to leave the jewelry in so that the hole heals before the next stretch. you continue on in that way, from 16 to 14, 14 to 12, 12 to 10, 10 to 8, 8 to 6, and so on.

usually, a 2 gauge is considered the "point of no return", but everyone's ears are different. if you stop at a 0, you will have a pretty good chance that your ears will shrink back to normal if you want them to.

here are links to pictures of tapers & claws:
http://www.piercedfish.com/images/product/A150/TSB.jpg

http://www.piercedfish.com/images/product/B300/TAS.jpg

if you have any more questions, feel free to email me!

Answer 3

http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Stretching

I would read that and check its related links and topics to answer your general questions. http://www.bodyartforms.com is a body jewelry site that has a great forum with a how-to page on stretching, I would suggest checking there as well.

Most people can stretch to at least 2ga (1/4") and still have the tissue return to normal when they remove the jewelry, but there really are no guarantees. If you are worried they won't go back to normal, don't stretch. I know people who went to only 8g and have troubles with their ears shrinking up.

As far as starting, you can have a professional piercer do the stretching for you which is somewhat pricey but usually worth it if you don't want to risk hurting yourself.

There are also stretching kits you can buy online which provide you with all the tapers and plugs you will need.

For more specific questions and advice I would ask a piercer or someone with professional experience with stretching.

Answer 4

you would want to start with a 12 g taper like these:
http://www.premiumbodyjewelry.com/product_info.php?cPath=60&products_id=712

put some vaselene on your ears and push it through the hole until it is uncomfortable (do not go to te point where it hurts, you want to be safe about it even if it takes a little longer)
wait until your ear gets used to it where it is and then push a little further. when you get to the end of the taper, your hole is the size the taper is listed (for example here it would be a 12g) then move on to the next size.

if you go all the way up to a 0, most likely it will not heal all the way ever, or at least for several years without anything in it.

Answer 5

well if you stretch it that big most likely it wont shrink all the way back.
mine are a 4g and they shrink some when i leave the plug out.
theres two ways to stretch your lobes you can go to a tattoo shop that offers scapleing and get them scapled but thats more permanent, the holes less likely to shrink back.
or you can go and get earrings a size bigger than you already have and stretch them that way. but whatever you do dont stretch too fast to a way bigger size or you could have a blowout, go up by 1 size each time and wait for it to heal until you stretch it again.keep doing that until you reach the size you want.

Answer 6

if you go to a 0 you might not be able to go back to normal size. you need tapered earrings to stretch the hole, one size at a time, and wait till it heals completely before going to the next size up. they have fake plugs if you cant take the pain or if you dont want to commit to a body modification.

Answer 7

Well i don't have personal experience with this but alot of my friends have done this and you have to start with the smallest gage and keep going bigger and bigger with different sizes until you're comfortable. Also if you stretch to much it will not shrink back to regular size so think about you do it and you have to be cleaning them out daily if you dont they will start to smell horrible.

Answer 8

if you take out the gauge the hole will not shrink back to its normal size.

no matter what size the gauge is your earlobe will be to size of it. so basically if you don't like it, too bad.

you have to go to a piercing place in order to get the gauges.

they do not sell them in regualr stores.

good luck!

Answer 9

i went from a regular(18) to a 6. at once it hurt really bad but i found out if you do it with your ears in water it losens the skin adn its easier. esp. if you use Vaseline. but i wouldnt go from a 18 to 0 cause youll blow your ears and they wont go back but if you do it in steps they will go back to normal eventually