On behalf of a housemate, so I dont know specifics... Got his ears pierced last week with 1.6mm (got bars in at the moment) and wants to stretch them up to 10mm. How long should he wait before stretching them? Whats the best/easiest way to stretch them? Anything else he needs to know?
3 months minimum before starting to stretch them. Easiest way to stretch them is to get some PTFE (Teflon) tape from a plumbers merchants / B&Q / Homebase / wherever and add a little round the jewelery he has at a time. Eg: After 3 months, he can add a little tape to the bars and take them to around 2mm or 2.4mm then change to a 2.4mm bar. Once his ears have settled from that stretch, he can start to SLOWLY add teflon tape again, woprking up in size. Once he gets to around 3.2mm or 4mm, he can start using cheap plastic plugs/tunnels as the basis for his stretching... The most important thing he needs to know is not to rush and to pay attention to his body. If a stretch cannot be done very easily then it should not be done at all. If he rushes his stretching then he may tear the fistula (tube of healed flesh that the jewelery sits in). If he does, he must downsize immediately and let the piercing heal fully again. If he doesn't, scar tissue will build up, impeding further stretching or making the piercing look incredibly unsightly. Allow 4 weeks minimum between major stretches - 1mm diameter increase or more. Once he gets above 7 or 8mm then there is no going back - in most people this is the point where the elasticity of the skin is surpassed - he will always have a noticeable hole there unless he has his lobes cut and sewn shut. The quickest way to get to 10mm would be for him to remove the 1.6mm bars and go to a good, experience and reputable body modification artist who may be able to scalpel them straight up to 10mm. Ask away if you need any more info *n
I have a 10mm Tunnel in my ear, done last year, wait 3 months after piercing before starting, I started with belly button jewellary then moved up to lego pieces, then stretching plugs, took 5 months to stretch, and that was pretty slow compared to some people I know, would seriously recommend not going fast though, for the reasons penski stated.. As to Penski's last comment, I worked with someone who stretched his ear to 12mm 3 years ago, and took it out a year ago, and the hole went all the way back down to normal within a few months, but if you take it fast you could tear/scar which impairs the elasticity of the lobe. - M@
Personally I don't see the attraction of stretching... you do realise that they'll NEVER fully recover unless you stay small? Anyways, people have their own thing and I'm not against that.
All depends on the elasticity of your skin. Ive read on here someone (penski?) saying 8-10mm is the point of no return. Though I know someone whos got his 30mm back down to 10mm. Anyway, thanks for the answers. Told him but, I know he aint gonna wait 3months
OMG!!!! You mean these tattoos won't wash off?!?!! The decision to get pierced and the decision to stretch that piercing are made with the full and complete knowledge of what will happen to your body. *n
I used to have a 10mm and a 20mm in one ear and just a 20mm in the other. The 20s have shrunk to around 5mm but don't go smaller than that, which doesn't bother me as I think 8mm is a good size to have, and the 10mm is almost unnoticable now.
