How to Start Stretching Your Ears | Ear Stretching Gauging
Have you made the decision to stretch your ears and need to know how to get going? Doing the research is the right place to start.
Read this helpful guide for a basic step-by-step walkthrough on starting the ear stretching process because the best way to stretch your ears is to follow the proper steps for safe stretching to avoid damaging your ears.
For an in-depth guide to all things ear stretching, head to our Ear Stretching Guide.
Step One: Pierce Your Ears.
This is an obvious first step, but you will need to have your ears pierced if you don’t already have them done.
If you have fresh or still healing ear piercings, you will need to wait 3 to 4 months for them to fully heal before preparing for stretching. Unhealed ear piercings can easily cause the tissue to tear or get infected compared to healed tissue.
If you already have healed ear piercings, then you are ready for the next step.
Step Two: Gather Your Supplies.
Once your ears are healed and you are ready to start stretching, you will want to make sure you have the necessary supplies on hand. Decide which method of stretching you want to go with first so you can get the correct items.
- A mild, unscented soap
- A high-quality cream or oil made for ear stretching
- A set of glass, steel, or titanium plugs that are one size above your current size
- Bondage tape or tapers, depending on which method you will use
Or for an extra convenience, we offer customizable ear stretching kits that come with the stainless steel tapers and plugs you will need for each size along the way.
Step Three: Stretch Your Ears!
Wash your hands and ears with unscented antibacterial soap and lightly massage your ears to soften the tissue. Wash and dry the jewelry and supplies if they aren’t new. Regardless of which method you use to stretch, only use light pressure when inserting the new jewelry.
The tissue is more likely to tear than stretch if you use too much force. There should be minimal pain and no bleeding if yours ears are healed enough. If there is pain or bleeding, stop and go back to your current size and let your ears heal more.
Step Four: Let the Stretch Heal.
Keeping your ear lobe tissue healthy during the ear stretching process is very important. The number one way to do this is to give each fresh stretch ample time to heal.
The healing time for a stretch can take anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks because every person heals differently.
Check your ears at 4 weeks to see how they are progressing before planning another stretch. The body heals from the outside in, so waiting a little longer is better than stretching too quickly and damaging the tissue.
Step Five: Repeat.
Repeat steps three and four slowly until you reach a size you want to wear.
Step Six: Cleaning and Care
Once your ears are stretched and healed, you still want to give them some attention for maintenance for happy ears.
Healed ears and plugs can accumulate dead skin cells, so continue to rinse them clean in the shower. Massage your ears with oil to moisturize and improve blood circulation to keep the tissue thick and healthy. Allow time for your ears to rest without jewelry in during the week or while sleeping. This will improve blood circulation and keep the tissue healthy as well.