Stretching Piercings!!

Okay, I know this isn't a body mod community, but obviously a lot of the models and members have body mods.
So I'm here to ask a few questions in relation to stretching my lobes.

I'm going to stretch the second holes in my earlobes, not too big, but I'm torn on how to begin the process.
I'm basically refusing to do it without a professional, because I'm a person who's very susceptible to infection and stuff if I don't look after my mods (luckily I haven't had any major problems with that, touch wood!!!). I'm also a slow healer at the best of times.

Anyway, my first question is:
Do I begin the stretching process with tapers or talons? I'd rather go with talons and such jewellery, but I've heard lots of people say to begin with tapers. Then again, a lot of people don't like the idea of using tapers at all. So which should I use?
For those of you with stretched lobes, what did you use to begin the stretching process?

Also, I know there's less risk of tearing and blowouts if you only go up one gauge at a time as they heal, but still, what kind of things could go wrong even if I do everything right? I'm paranoid as all fuck, yes, but I need to be, with the way I heal and the way my body adjusts to new things.

Thanks in advance everyone! :)

honestly im not really sure there is much of a difference between tapers and talons. I do think tapers might be easier to keep in place from what i've seen.

i think you have all the basics... just start with a small 1 or 2 gauge increase and see how it goes from there.

and your wash your hands! ;-)

Okay, when it comes to stretching a piercing you have two options, diy or go to a pro.
I know that you said you were going to go with a pro, but just for everyone's sake I'll go over both.
First rule either way is patience is an absolute key.Take your time and go slow. ALWAYS wait until a piercing is fully healed before starting to stretch and make sure your lobes have healed completely before stretching to the nest size. A fresh piercing should be given at least two full months or longer(depending on how your body heals) before you attempt the first stretch. An already stretched piercing should be given anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks to heal before the next stretch.
Second rule no matter what: Don't skip sizes. Again, no matter what only go up one size at a time. Skipping sizes will cause rips in the fistula(the tube of skin that goes through the piercing). Rips lead to scar tissue which not only makes stretching a lot harder but significantly increases the chances of a blow out.

Pro method:
If you are going to have a professional piercer stretch your piercings for you, the first step is finding a piercer. If you are into body mods, this shouldn't be a problem as you most likely already have a piercer that you know pretty well and are comfortable with. So after your piercing is completely healed go on in an see your piercer and tell them that you want to stretch up to the next size. Wither or not they charge you for stretching the piercing will vary from piercer to piercer, shop to shop and person to person. Some places will stretch and insert the jewelry for free if you buy the jewelry from them. Some might autoclave the jewelry that you bring in and stretch the piercing for a small charge, or you might be lucky and know the piercer pretty well(friends, ect) and they'll might do it for free. This really depends on the shop and the piercer. So after the jewelry is autoclaved(along with everything else that will be needed) the piercer will remove your current jewelry, lubricate a taper, and slide the taper slowly through the piercing to stretch it and follow the taper with the jewelry. Now wait 4-8 weeks for it to completely heal again and repeat until your at your desired size.

DIY method:
For this method, you can either buy tapers or use tapered jewelry, talons, pinchers and the like. Waiting and going slowly is still just as if not more important because the piercer can tell if the piercing isn't ready to stretch or not. So, when your sure that you are ready to stretch, clean your jewelry as best you can, as well as your tapers if your are using them. Then you remove your jewelry and with a little water bases lubricant on he jewelry slowly slide it in. Make sure you pay attention if there is any catching or a lot of tension while stretching. If there is, stop, replace your old jewelry and wait a while longer for your lobes to loosen up and re-try. If you are using tapers, its the same as if your having a piercer do it. Lube the taper, slowly slide the taper through the piercing and follow it with the jewelry.
Tapers are not meant to be worn as jewelry. The weight puts extra stress on the piercing and they are likely to get caught on clothing, hair and other such things, pulling on the piercing and causing tears. Tears are bad. There is some debate over using tapered jewelry to stretch a piercing because the size increase occurs more quickly then over the length of a taper, but I don't know anyone who has had a problem using the jewelry to stretch as long as they had allowed the piercing to fully heal before going up a size.
If you are wanted to go to larger sizes(4 gauge and up) then there are a couple tips to ease the process. But this is going to be a long, slow process that can take years to reach.
First is down sizing. This is exactly like it sounds. After every couple of stretches, go back down a size, leave it at the size for the same amount of time as you would a fresh stretch before stretching back up. Basically two steps forward, one step back. This allows the lobe to thicken, and the thicker the lobe, the the more tissue you have to work with while stretching.
Second is massage your lobes. There are a whole list of different oils that you can use, and there are a couple places that sell blends of oils for this very purpose. The most common is vitamin E oil. This can be bought in just about any store's vitamin section in liquid or gel cap form. Both will work, with gel caps you just pull the gel cap apart and use the oil inside. For the massage, remove your jewelry, then using a small amount of oil massage the each lobe for 15 minutes. you'll want to do this two to three times a day. This increases the blood flow to the tissue of the lobe and helps to increase the thickness of the lobe. Both are very good. This web site offers specialty oils for lobe care
Three: the tape method. As you get to larger jewelry, the steps between each size becomes larger. A god way to make each stretch easier is to tape your plugs with teflon tape. Telfon tape is the best to use because it doesn't have any adhesives that will re-act badly with your body, or damage your jewelry. Telfon tape only sticks to itself. What you'll do is once your ready to stretch to the next size, you'll put one or two wraps of teflon tape around the plug and re-insert the jewelry. Ever couple of days to a week you add a couple more wraps. You can do this all the way up to the next size or to half-way or whatever works best for your body. There is a lot out there that shows the method of very slowly stretching from one size to the nest is very gentle on your lobes. Teflon tape can be purchased in your local hardware store, where it will be labeled as plumbers tape(this is going to be the closest to the width of your plugs). Teflon tape is also sold as something that I'm pretty sure almost everyone on this site has heard of, if not used, bondage tape. But this is going to be a lot wider so trim work will be needed.

very cool info :D

Thanks so much Mainline, that's really helpful info. I like to thoroughly research these things before I jump into it and your advice is excellent, just what I'm after. Thanks! :D

really useful and detailed info, thank you. coulda used that years ago when i stretched by lobes. that was back in high school and into year one of college; very little info was available at the time.

how does stretching other piercings differ? like nipples rings and say, a septum?

The only thing that would differ for other areas will be the time you wnat to give the fresh stretch to heal before stretching again. I really don't know how many weeks to give it for nipples or septum. I don't have my nipples pierced(yet) but my septum is stretched to a 10 gauge. With it, I didn't even really intent to stretch it when I got it pierced, but after about four months or so at 14 gauge, it seemed really loose and I had extra 12 gauge jewelry the slid in without a taper or anything. It was still really loose so the next time I have home from college I had my piercer stretch it to 10 and put in a 10g CBR. Found out during that stretch that it might not have been quite ready so it was sore for a couple of days. Then again, septum's are suppose to be a notorious pain to stretch.

You can stretch any piercing other than a surface piercing, and you could try to stretch on of those but odds are that it will cause it to reject a LOT faster. Stretching cartilage is just not worth the pain in my opinion. Every time you stretch, your forcing the cartilage out of the way, crushing and tearing it. So if you want large gauge cartilage work, I would suggest that you look into dermal punches and have that done instead.

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Originally Posted by aXa

really useful and detailed info, thank you. coulda used that years ago when i stretched by lobes. that was back in high school and into year one of college; very little info was available at the time.

how does stretching other piercings differ? like nipples rings and say, a septum?

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You should try asking Jax about stretching your septum, I know she's stretched hers a few sizes. :thumb:

Thanks Baby_Switchblade!

Im currently at a 6g in my septum. Went to a 4g but my nose is too small and it hits my cartilage, which is extremely painful even after healing. Pretty much what I did was start with a 14g. Once healed (quite a few months after inital piercing) my jewelry was loose. So went to a 12 and the same thing so went to a 10. After a 10 it gets MUCH more difficult.

There is no easy way to stretch your septum, so those faint at heart either shouldnt do it, or go to a pro (or possibly just pierce it at the guage you want, though that removes your tissue once above an 8 in my experience as a piercer. I did it all myself and I thought I was gonna pass out.

Theres a pretty big difference between a 10 an 8 for some reason. After I let the 10 heal until I could yank on it, I would gently pull and tug on my septum multiple times a day. You dont want to do this to the point youre pulling so hard you rip or cause irritation, just a steady pressure. I would hold it for a few minutes. I did this for about a month. Tapering after that was not nearly as bad since I was stretching my tissue. I just lubed up an 8g taper and put it through.

8g to 6g really sucked for me. Depending on the jewelry you use, the heavier it is, itll stretch on its own over time. But I couldnt find jewelry that fit my face without looking hideous at the weight I wanted. I just straight up got the nerve up, lubed my skin and a taper, and worked it through for about an hour. Im not ballsy enough to just shove it through all at once, so I got an Oring and would slowly work the taper in and put the oring on the smaller tapered end and leave it there for a few hours. Then work it through using this method and it worked beautifully.

I did the same thing going to a 4g, but I noticed the jewelry was rubbing on my cartilage, so had to go back down to a 6g.




B_S:

For ears, if you are highly susceptible to infection period, go to a professional. Dont risk doing it yourself with non autoclaved tapers/talons or jewelry.

I personally like talons because you can work them through slowly with o rings on both sides and still sleep in them;] Tapers are very uncomfy unless you just want the whole thing done at once.

But still you dont want to risk tearing and infection, and most shops only charge like 10 bucks to stretch plus jewelry, its worth not ruining your ears over to do it yourself. And kudos on self awareness, I get so irritated with people who dont take the time to figure out what the best method is.

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Originally Posted by Jax

For ears, if you are highly susceptible to infection period, go to a professional. Dont risk doing it yourself with non autoclaved tapers/talons or jewelry.

I personally like talons because you can work them through slowly with o rings on both sides and still sleep in them;] Tapers are very uncomfy unless you just want the whole thing done at once.

But still you dont want to risk tearing and infection, and most shops only charge like 10 bucks to stretch plus jewelry, its worth not ruining your ears over to do it yourself. And kudos on self awareness, I get so irritated with people who dont take the time to figure out what the best method is.

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Thanks Jax, yeah I was hoping that somebody would say it's actually OK to stretch using talons and curls... a lot of people have said that because of the curve they can cause uneven stretching, but I don't plan to go very big at the other end of the stretch, so would it really pose that much of a problem?

Yes I was definitely planning on going to a professional. I just wanted to get everything else sussed out before I went so that I would have some idea of what to expect.
I can't stand people who do stupid things to their bodies and fuck up their piercings and tattoos and then wonder why they get infected or heal funny.

I think I'll see how supple the skin of my lobes actually is around the time I go in to start the stretching. If they're only a little bit I think I'll go with a talon, but if they're supple enough I'll try going with a taper and getting it all done at once.

Thanks for the advice! :) xx

No problem! Also, if you can find it, pick up some ginko biloba extract and massage into your lobe once a day. It helps circulate blood flow, fattens your lobes so when you stretch, they wont thin out and makes the process easier (ie they make your lobes more supple, haha). Dont use it after you stretch when its fresh;p

Ive never heard anything about talons and curls making uneven stretching. Its not like you are putting it through a 2X4 haha. As long as you make it to the end of the curl/talon, youll be fine with no uneven stretching. Otherwise the front will be more stretched then the back of the lobes skin. Once you make it to the end, its all evened out. A taper does the same thing...so Im not sure why anyone would be against using talons and curls and not a taper...

The only problem that I have heard with using talon or curls to stretch is that they get bigger over a shorter space than a taper so the stretch is more stressful and higher risk.

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Originally Posted by Jax

No problem! Also, if you can find it, pick up some ginko biloba extract and massage into your lobe once a day. It helps circulate blood flow, fattens your lobes so when you stretch, they wont thin out and makes the process easier (ie they make your lobes more supple, haha). Dont use it after you stretch when its fresh;p

Ive never heard anything about talons and curls making uneven stretching. Its not like you are putting it through a 2X4 haha. As long as you make it to the end of the curl/talon, youll be fine with no uneven stretching. Otherwise the front will be more stretched then the back of the lobes skin. Once you make it to the end, its all evened out. A taper does the same thing...so Im not sure why anyone would be against using talons and curls and not a taper...

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Aahhh, I see. I have some moisturiser with ginko biloba in it, I could use that, right? :)

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Originally Posted by Mainline_Iodine

The only problem that I have heard with using talon or curls to stretch is that they get bigger over a shorter space than a taper so the stretch is more stressful and higher risk.

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Oh, okay. I guess with the talon though, you can leave it in halfway and wear it to bed, whereas if you can only get halfway with a talon, it's recommended that you take it out and put your old jewellery back in. Am I right? I dunno lol. If that's the case, I'd probably be better off going with a talon or curl, cos my lobes can be bitches!!

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Originally Posted by Mainline_Iodine

The only problem that I have heard with using talon or curls to stretch is that they get bigger over a shorter space than a taper so the stretch is more stressful and higher risk.

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Talons are exactly like tapers, just curved. Im not so sure Id stretch with curls, but not bad to use as a finishing touch.

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Originally Posted by Baby_Switchblade

Aahhh, I see. I have some moisturiser with ginko biloba in it, I could use that, right? :)

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It wont have the same effect as a ginko biloba extract in pure form;]

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Originally Posted by Baby_Switchblade

Oh, okay. I guess with the talon though, you can leave it in halfway and wear it to bed, whereas if you can only get halfway with a talon, it's recommended that you take it out and put your old jewellery back in. Am I right? I dunno lol. If that's the case, I'd probably be better off going with a talon or curl, cos my lobes can be bitches!!

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No no, you dont EVER want to start a stretch and take it out halfway to put in your old jewelry and do it again. Thatll put too much unneeded stress on your lobes, and oh man...itll be SORE! Haha.

Id just recommend a talon for DIY, or have your piercer use a taper to just get it done in one swift motion;]

jax knows her stuff..... have you ever been or ever considered being a body percer?

I used to be, and ran a shop or two...but got tired of the rock star attitudes. So now I groom animals, less stressful, haha.

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Originally Posted by Jax

No no, you dont EVER want to start a stretch and take it out halfway to put in your old jewelry and do it again. Thatll put too much unneeded stress on your lobes, and oh man...itll be SORE! Haha.

Id just recommend a talon for DIY, or have your piercer use a taper to just get it done in one swift motion;]

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Ohhhhhhh. See, some people in piercing communities suggested to stop putting the taper through and replace your smaller jewellery if there's too much resistance. Ahh, I think I'll just go to the piercer and get them to do it all haha. Thanks for clearing it all up for me. xoxo :thumb:

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Originally Posted by Baby_Switchblade

You should try asking Jax about stretching your septum, I know she's stretched hers a few sizes. :thumb:

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I dermal punched mine to a 4g, no point in stretching your septum so big unless you want a bump under your nose.

The reason people will say to stop a stretch half way through and put your old jewelry back in would be because your lobes aren't ready to stretch. So you put the old jewelry back in for another month or so and then try again. You don't want to have to force a stretch, this will lead to rips which can lead to infection and scar tissue. Scar tissue will make further stretches harder and more damaging. You want to take as good of care of your lobes as possible so that you don't risk a blowout.

Ahhh yes I've read all about blowouts, tearing, cat's ass, etc. Horrible. And somebody in a piercing community posted a Photobucket slideshow of people's lobes who have gone black, had blowouts, torn, thinned, or some horrible thing. I soooo don't want any of that to happen to me!
Yeah, my lobes are about ready to go up to a 12g, somebody told me maybe even a 10g though I refuse to skip sizes... I can fit 14g + 16g rings through and there is still a big enough hole for another ring, probably a 16g, where the light shines through!
And for anybody about to condemn me for putting two rings through it at once, I only did it to see how big the hole was - I'm not wearing them that way.

Urgh, this girl in a community I am a member of over on livejournal shoved 10g rings through her 18g holes!!!! I said "you did WHAT???" and she said "Hahaha yeah they were so swollen today...."

Well DUH.

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Originally Posted by Baby_Switchblade

Ohhhhhhh. See, some people in piercing communities suggested to stop putting the taper through and replace your smaller jewellery if there's too much resistance. Ahh, I think I'll just go to the piercer and get them to do it all haha. Thanks for clearing it all up for me. xoxo :thumb:

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I dont know why any piercer in their right mind would suggest that, unless they are a masochist, lol.

When you do that what youre doing is letting the tissue set to that size, therefore youd have to let it heal completely before trying again, otherwise itll be 100X more painful. I hope that made sense, heh.

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Originally Posted by Thistle Harlequin

I dermal punched mine to a 4g, no point in stretching your septum so big unless you want a bump under your nose.

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I didnt punch mine, but I did my cartilage on my ears at a 00 and holy crap! Talk about pain, lol.

I dont have a bump on my septum at a 6g, but punching would be a good option if one were planning to go bigger.

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Originally Posted by Mainline_Iodine

The reason people will say to stop a stretch half way through and put your old jewelry back in would be because your lobes aren't ready to stretch. So you put the old jewelry back in for another month or so and then try again. You don't want to have to force a stretch, this will lead to rips which can lead to infection and scar tissue. Scar tissue will make further stretches harder and more damaging. You want to take as good of care of your lobes as possible so that you don't risk a blowout.

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Ive tried this and just dont get it. Whats gonna happen is your ears are just going to readjust to the size in your ears, so stretching is gonna be just as painful and hard when you try it the second time. Thats why I suggested things that would get your ears to stretch naturally;]

IMO, there is nothing wrong with wearing multiple pieces of jewelry in your ear if it isnt forced.

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Originally Posted by Jax

IMO, there is nothing wrong with wearing multiple pieces of jewelry in your ear if it isnt forced.

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Yeah, I've currently got the 14g & 16g rings in my lobes, there's plenty of room for at least one other set of either 14g or 16g rings.

As the holes get bigger though, I wouldn't want to put multiple pieces of jewellery in them at once because it could stretch unevenly... but at the smaller size I'm sure there's no harm in it. It's a little extra weight without being uncomfortable and thinning my lobe, and it's getting it ready to go up a size or two. :)

And no, I won't skip sizes. Heard all about blowouts and cat's ass!! :eek:

Thanks again for the advice, Jax. What would I do without you? :D

Your going to do far more damage by forcing a stretch then by stopping if there is resistance and waiting a while longer. Especially considering that downsizing after every couple stretches is a very good idea especially if you plan to go to large sizes. It allows your lobes to add more tissue and to thicken up. Downsizing only needs to be considered if you are intending to go beyond gauge measurements and into the inch range.

I think it depends on the person. Im at an inch and never went down sizes and my ears are fine.

Quite frankly a lot of it depends on where your lobes were pierced initially. If its lower down on the lobe, possibly scalpeling to get in the inch range is an option of youre running out of lobe. Ive heard people say to go down sizes to build up your lobes, but never seen it do anything from personal experience.

If the inital piercing is higer up on the lobe, more than likely, you wont have to build your lobes up.

But thats just my opinion. And its never failed me.