How Long Does It Take Stretched Ears to Close?
Will My Ears Close Up After Stretching?
Stretched ears were one an ancient tradition practiced in many cultures around the world. For some, it was a status symbol; for others, it was a way to beautify and decorate their body; and for many cultures, it was used during religious practices. In fact, the first documented cases of stretched ears dates back to 3300 BC. Now, ear stretching, commonly referred to as “gauging” is primarily done for aesthetic and beauty purposes, with people wearing an assortment of jewelry, such as wood plugs. The trend has even made its way into mainstream fashion.
However, interest in having stretched ears has seemed to slow down these days. If you are considering closing your stretched ears, read below to learn how long it takes for them to close.
Natural Way to Closed Stretch Ears
The earlobe is composed of fatty tissue and soft skin, which makes it very elastic and capable of being stretched. This also means it is capable of recovering its original shape depending on the size of the piercing and your body. In most cases, the earlobe will shrink back to its original size so long as the piercing is less than between a 4g-6g. This is typically referred to as the point of no return. It’s important to note, though, that each body is different. While someone who may have had their ears stretched to a large size had them shrink back down, it may not be the case for you.
With this said, it generally takes anywhere from 4 months for smaller gauges to a year or more for larger gauges.
Some of the factors that contribute to how long it takes to close your stretched ears include:
- Whether or not you had any blowouts, scarring, or other damage to the tissue during the stretching process
- How large of a gauge you stretched up to
- How long you’ve had your ears stretched
- How elastic your skin is
- How well you’ve cared for your lobes
Written by Jackie Rachel
