Ear stretchers, often referred to as tapers or gauge tapers, are specifically designed tools that help you stretch your earlobe to the desired size in order to wear plugs and tunnels instead of traditional earrings.
What is ear stretching?
Function, What It Means, and More Ear stretching is a specific type of body modification that affects the earlobe. Many people stretch their ears so they can wear “spacers,” or earrings with holes in the earlobes.
What size ear stretching Kit do I Need?
We sell ear stretching kits from 1.6mm (14g) up to 10mm (00g) with some smaller kits in between. When stretching past 10mm (00g) we highly recommend you put down the tapers and pick up the tape. I know, tapers and tape - it’s like the art of ear stretching was destined to be confusing!
What size taper should I get for ear stretching?
A 14g taper would be a good place to start stretching. Check with a parlor/piercing artist first to be absolutely sure. No matter what the case is, beginning the ear stretching process by going up a single size is the best and safest way to proceed.
What is the smallest ear stretching size?
What's the smallest ear stretching size? Standard ear piercings are usually done at 20g or 18g for traditional earrings and that works out at roughly 1mm. This is usually where people start stretching from from there you can go into the next size up which is usually either 14g (1.5mm or 1/16”) or 16g (1.2mm or 3/64”)
Do ear stretchers hurt?
Stretching your ear safely shouldn't cause sharp pain or bleeding. These are signs that you're trying to stretch your ears too quickly.
How long do I leave the ear stretchers in for?
That said, you'll be looking at a few months, usually around 4 months for smaller gauges, all the way up to a year or two for larger gauges. Note: Whilst there is a common 'point of no return size' for ear stretching, every ear is different and some may not close at all after a certain size.
How much does it cost to get your ear stretched?
Every person is different, and many factors, such as the elasticity of your skin and the time and method of stretching, can affect this. Most people can go between 2g (6mm) – 00g (10mm) and expect their ears to revert back to a normal piercing, after a few months of healing.
Why do stretched ears smell?
Why does this happen? Your body secretes a substance called sebum, sebum is an oily secretion which helps your skin keep lubricated and keep it waterproof. The sebum mixes with the dead skin cells between your ear and the jewellery to make this unpleasant odour.
Should I take my gauges out to shower?
Maintaining Ear Gauges. Remove your jewelry when you shower. Once your piercings are fully healed (after 12 weeks), you should remove your jewelry when you shower. This is the most effective way to clean both your piercings and your jewelry.
Can your ears go back to normal after stretching?
A stretched ear can grow back if you didn't stretch it too far. Extreme stretching may leave permanent holes in your earlobes. Stretched ears can be surgically repaired.
Why do my gauges smell?
Dead Skin Cells When your skin stretches from the gauge, it will naturally kill some skin cells during the process. It is very easy to get a build up of dead skin cells around the area, which may cause a foul odor. The larger the gauge you are wearing, the more skin surface that will be affected.
Can you sleep with gauges in your ears?
If you follow the aftercare instructions recommend by your piercer, sleeping in new ear piercings shouldn't cause any issues.
Is it OK to leave tapers in your ears?
They are only for wearing in healed stretches as jewelry because they are porous and can carry too much bacteria. Once your ears are healed, stone tapers are a really pretty choice of jewelry. In general, tapers are only recommended for wearing in smaller gauges as jewelry.
Can you sleep with gauges in your ears?
If you follow the aftercare instructions recommend by your piercer, sleeping in new ear piercings shouldn't cause any issues.
How long should I wait to size up my gauges?
Wait at least 6 weeks between gauges, but keep an eye on your piercing. Don't go up to the next gauge if you notice any redness, swelling, or irritation after 6 weeks. It may take longer based on your own healing process.
How far can you stretch your ears before its irreversible?
What size can I stretch up to without permanent damage? There are a lot of different opinions on this topic, but the majority of professionals in the body modification industry recommend never going any larger than 2 - 0 gauge if you want your ears to totally close up where you can't see through them.
What are ear stretchers called?
Ear stretchers (tools used for stretching ears) are often also called tapers or spirals. Tapers usually come in sets for stretching ears gradually...
How long do you keep ear stretchers in?
Tapers & ear stretchers should not be left in for long periods. You should slowly stretch up to your new size over a period of a few minutes or wha...
Is ear stretching reversible?
Ear stretching can be reversible but the size at which it becomes irreversible will be different for different people. Many piercers will say that...
How do you stretch your ears?
Stretching your ears is a long process with many steps - please read our full guide on how to stretch your ears here.
Where did ear stretching begin?
Ear stretching began thousands of years ago as a form of beauty enhancement. It’s still widely practiced today by communities like the Maasai in Kenya and the Huaorani in the Amazon.
What is it called when you stretch out a hole in your ear?
Ear stretching (also called ear gauging) is when you gradually stretch out pierced holes in your earlobes. Given enough time, the size of these holes could be anywhere from the diameter of a pencil to that of a soda can.
How to stretch out ear piercing?
How perform ear stretching. Now that you’ve got all the materials you need, here’s how to do the actual stretching: Wait for your ear piercing to fully heal (no swelling, discharge, itching, etc.). Massage your earlobe to get the skin warmed up and stretched out.
Why do my ears hang out?
Stretching too quickly can tear your ear tissue in half or cause earlobe skin to detach and hang from your head.
What is a taper piercing?
Tapers. These are the long, spiky things you put into your piercings to start stretching out the skin. They come in various sizes (or gauges), depending on how much you want to stretch out your piercing. Most tapers are acrylic or steel.
Why does my ear piercing smell?
Don’t worry about a little odor. A gauged ear can smell a little bit because of dead skin cells that can’t be flushed out of the piercing while you’re stretching. This is totally normal. But if the odor continues after washing, seek medical attention.
How to get a pierced ear?
This is as simple as going to a reputable piercing shop, getting your ear pierced, and letting the piercing heal for a few months. Choose a piercer with a license to pierce in your state. Tattoo artists and estheticians often receive extra training on piercings.
What are ear stretchers?
Ear stretchers, often referred to as tapers or gauge tapers, are specifically designed tools that help you stretch your earlobe to the desired size in order to wear plugs and tunnels instead of traditional earrings .
What sizes do our ear stretchers come in?
You’ll find everything from the smallest to the biggest ear stretchers in our shop!
How many pieces are in ear stretchers?
Our ear stretchers also come in 6- to 9-piece kits . All the tapers come with two “O” rings that will keep them in place as you progress along each taper and help your ears get used to the new gauge.
What is a spiral ear stretcher?
Ear stretchers (tools used for stretching ears) are often also called tapers or spirals. Tapers usually come in sets for stretching ears gradually with different sizes as well as "O" rings to keep them in place.
Can you leave ear stretchers in?
Tapers & ear stretchers should not be left in for long periods. You should slowly stretch up to your new size over a period of a few minutes or whatever it takes to do it comfortably. Once the taper is all the way through you should follow up and insert a plug. Using an insertion taper will make this easier as they have a hole which you can place your plug inside.
Can you stretch your earlobes at home?
While it’s recommended to leave your first ear stretching to a professional, once they show you how, you can continue stretching your earlobes at home. And you can easily do it with one of our ear stretcher kits.
Is ear piercing reversible?
Ear stretching can be reversible but the size at which it becomes irreversible will be different for different people. Many piercers will say that stretching to 6mm (2g) to 8mm (0g) is reversible but there is always a chance they won't stretch back down fully.
What is the best tape to stretch ears?
PTFE Tape. PTFE is a great and inexpensive tape that you can use to stretch. The good things about it is that it is very reasonable in price, non-adhesive so it only sticks to itself, super thin so you can slowly increase your size, and it doesn't irritate your ears like some tapes do (such as electric tape).
How to get ear plugs to be bigger?
This may not seem like a lot but it makes a difference in size! 2. Lubricate the plugs, put them in your ears, and let them heal. 3. Repeat every 2-3 weeks until you get to a bigger size.
What Gauge Should You Start Stretching With?
After making sure that your ears are fully healed from the initial piercing, you can start stretching at a 16 gauge. Most regular piercings are at 18 gauge. You'll only want to go one size bigger during each stretch.
How Long Do I Wait Between Stretches?
This is also another popular question that has a lot of opinions. Because of the fact that everyone's body reacts differently, this answer varies.
How to fix ear funk?
This is what is happening with your ears, but the dead skin cells are held in place by your jewelry. The dead skin cells are building up and create this awful smelling stuff. You can fix it by making sure you wash your ears daily while you're in the shower. Wearing organic plugs also helps to reduce the odor, or using a product like Smelly Gelly or Funk Off Ear Stretching Deodorant.
What is a concave taper?
This means that they have a dip in the back where you can put your new plugs at. As you're pushing the tapers through, this puts the new plug in place without the hassle of having to wait until your ear is ready to put the new size in. With steel tapers, when you stretch you normally have to wait a bit or fight with the new, bigger plugs to get them in. This is what makes the concave tapers better. They make the job quick and easy. These tapers are a bit more expensive than acrylic or steel, but they are worth the few extra dollars!
Why are steel tapers better than acrylic?
Steel tapers are recommended for a few reasons. They are easier to stretch with than acrylic because they are slicker than acrylic. Steel is able to be sterilized which results in a safer stretch because you won't be accidentally introducing bacteria. They are in the same shape as the acrylic tapers; just in a different material.
How to stretch a piercing?
Begin by massaging a small amount of lubricant onto your ear and then slowly insert the taper, small end first, into your ear piercing. At this point pay attention to how you feel as stretching should not be painful! If you feel pain you should stop immediately as pain is sign that your piercing is not ready to be stretched. However, some minor discomfort and light resistance is normal so just be patient.
What is a taper earring?
Tapers are primarily tools as opposed to everyday ear jewelry. They are used to perform the actual stretching and should be replaced with jewelry within a few hours. Even though many of the tapers you can buy are very attractive they simply are not designed for long term wear as there is a danger that the weight of a taper can tear your delicate ear tissue. The exception to this would be any tapers composed of lightweight materials such as acrylic.
What is a tunnel ear piercing?
Tunnels/Eyelets: Open pieces that accent the piercing itself and are also designed for long term wear. Often you may see or hear the term ' EAR GAUGES '. This is something of a slang term that has become popular over the last few years. People that use it are usually referring to jewelry for stretched ears.
How big is a ear piercing?
Ear jewelry sizes are generally measured in 'gauges', which typically run from around 20g to 00g. Any size larger than 00g would be referred ...
Do ear gauges matter?
Some piercing purists hate the term EAR GAUGES, but it really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Truth be told, there are more people searching the internet for the term"ear gauges" then "ear plugs" when looking to purchase jewelry for stretched ears. Initially you should purchase both tapers and long term ear stretching jewelry in ...
Can you stretch your ears after ear gauging?
As everyone's ears and healing speed is very different, there is no way to tell how much a hole would shrink after ear gauging so you should assume that ear stretching is a permanent body modification. If this is not a thought you are OK with then you really should not begin stretching your ears.
Is ear stretching good?
Ear stretching can be a great looking, versatile and ultimately rewarding body modification. However, it is a process that calls for a little know-how, more than a little patience and most of all respect and understanding of your own body. The most important 'rule' to remember when stretching is to be safe!
How to stretch ear lobes?
There are many ways to stretch ear lobes. You can gradually stretch the skin using different sized tapers (cone-shaped pieces of jewellery). This requires patience.
Who is stretching his lobe?
American rapper Travie McCoy and American singer Adam Lambert are also stretching devotees. British fashion expert Gok Wan is also partial to large wooden ear plug adornments but it is not known if these are being used to stretch his lobe.
Why do my ears turn red?
Dr Ken Stewart, a member of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, says ear lobes are made of skin and fat but they are sensitive organs - they turn red when people get embarrassed and have an erogenous function. He says the main danger of ear stretching is deformity.
What show had both ears stretched and adorned with black flesh tunnels?
One of the recently ousted contestants on the BBC One show Masterchef: The Professionals had both ears stretched and adorned with black "flesh tunnels", which allow people to see through the lobe.
Do piercings stick out?
Stretched piercings do tend to stick out like the proverbial sore thumb, particularly if the hole is substantial enough to hold a small object. For many people, there is an "ouch" or an "eugh" factor when they see someone with a substantial ear lobe stretch but for those that have it done, it is a thing of beauty.
Is size important for ear stretching?
It seems size is all-important when it comes to ear stretching. While some body modifiers like to keep theirs discreet, others want to make a statement.
Can a stretched piercing shrink?
A stretched piercing can shrink back to its original size but this depends on several factors including the length of time taken to stretch and the elasticity of the skin. In some cases, if you stretch too fast or by too much, the lobe can split. "Most people don't go above 10mm. They are thinking about the future.
What are the measurements for ear stretching?
There are three different measurements that you are going to see when it comes to ear stretching sizes, millimetres (mm), inches ("), and gauge (g).
What size can you stretch ears to before they won't stretch back?
Those who have their ears pierced and haven’t worn an earring in a long-time will know that the hole can close back up, but where is the point that it stops happening?
How much does an ear piercing weigh?
Standard ear piercings are usually done at 20g or 18g for traditional earrings and that works out at roughly 1mm. This is usually where people start stretching from from there you can go into the next size up which is usually either 14g (1.5mm or 1/16”) or 16g (1.2mm or 3/64”)
What is the smallest size for ear piercing?
Here is the full conversion table for ear stretching sizes starting from the smallest (18g / 1.0mm) which is the size of a standard ear piercing.
Is ear stretching bigger or smaller?
For those new to the world of stretching, ear stretching sizes can be a little confusing. The numbers go down and then up, smaller numbers are bigger sizes, and there are also three different forms of measurement! Which can make buying plugs, gauges & tunnels confusing! Thankfully, once you know the basics, it becomes a lot easier, so here’s what you need to know...
What is the most popular piece of jewellery worn in stretched lobes?
Plugs are the most popular jewellery type worn in stretched lobes. They are a solid, circular piece of body jewellery available in all sizes and flare types.
What is the skin on a piercing that is pushed out?
Fistula skin (the skin in contact with your jewellery) is pushed out through the back of your piercing. Bad news but not the end of the world.
What is an o-ring?
A piece of jewellery with one flare. Typically has an o-ring the other end.
Does stretching up your lobes make it close?
Stretching up slowly will dramatically increase your chances of your lobes returning to normal. So on the flip side to that, stretching up too quickly will dramatically decrease the chances of your lobes closing up if you ever change your mind.
Is there pain in ear stretching?
No pain, no gain couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to the ear stretching process, resistance should be minimal and pain should be non-existent. The slower you stretch your ears the better. Let me repeat that. The slower you stretch your ears the better!
Is stretching your ears pain free?
The process of stretching your ears is simple, pain-free and one of the easiest (and coolest) body modifications you can do.
Is it safe to stretch your ears to 6mm?
Again, it’s another ‘everyone is different’ answer I’m afraid. If you want to err on the side of caution with ‘the point of no return’ then stretching to 6mm (2g) is a pretty safe bet that your lobes will fully close up and return back to normal. Although, we do know of stretched ears much bigger shrinking right back down.
